Public Governors

12 public governors represent the local constituencies of Lambeth and Southwark . They provide the Trust with a greater understanding of the issues affecting patients and visitors, and are able to represent our diverse local community.

Godwin Ubiaro - Lambeth Central

I have lived in Brixton for nearly 45 years. I attended London Metropolitan University, Derby College of Technology and Southwest London College. I am a professionally qualified Accountant and hold MSc degree in strategic management accounting. My practical experiences include accountancy, audit, budgeting, finance, taxation, strategic planning and people management. Furthermore, I was a shadow and subsequently a full fledged governor for two and three years respectively at King’s College Hospital and worked with various groups.

Michael Robinson - Lambeth Central

I have lived in Herne Hill for 24 years. My experience using King’s College Hospital has made me passionate about our NHS and its core principles. Nationally the NHS is one of our most prized institutions; locally King’s plays a crucial role in serving all parts of our diverse community.

My experience as business & IT consultant has given me a full understanding of how large and complex organisations work. This would significantly benefit me in helping King’s meet the current health challenges; in an age of financial constraints, protecting frontline services and continuing to put patients first.

Chris North - Lambeth North

I have been a Lambeth resident since 1981 and King’s College Hospital has treated my family over the years since then. I am a professional communications consultant with some 30 years board level advisory experience in corporate communications, engagement, branding, internal communications, reporting and change programmes. In 1991 I was one of the original eight shareholding members and directors of Fishburn Hedges, which is now a top five UK PR company and consistently ranked one of the UK’s top 25 best places to work (EU/Financial Times surveys 2002-2011).

I established and am a Client Partner of the Fishburn Hedges design and branding business. I am particularly interested in the higher education and healthcare sectors and have worked for clients such as King's Health Partners, King's College London, OFSTED, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and the General Medical Council. I am a graduate of Oxford University.

Fiona Clark - Lambeth North

Born in Marylebone, I have lived both north and south of the river before settling in Lambeth with my family in 1977. My working life was mainly in the book world, as a legal editor, managing two small medical bookshops for the students in St. Thomas’ and Charing Cross Hospital and running the authors’ charity, The Royal Literary Fund, which involved visiting and assisting authors in financial difficulties.

I was a juvenile court magistrate for eighteen years including six years as a Chairman in Lambeth, when I learnt a great deal about life in Lambeth. I am now a volunteer advocate for the elderly, dealing with housing problems, social services care, and sometimes accompanying people to hospital appointments.

As a newly elected Governor for Lambeth North, I am hoping that my knowledge of Lambeth and experience gained from my work, paid and voluntary, will help me make a positive contribution to this role.

Alam Zabit - Lambeth South

As a Governor I wish to assist patients from the Muslim community who are in hospital and attend to their special needs such as problems with language, food requirements, particularly Halal food, and issues relating to end of life care and funerals.

I have worked as a midwife and a dispenser in various Pakistani hospitals. I have also worked in primary schools in London.

I am keen to offer a counselling and advisory service to disabled people, particularly the blind and visually impaired. I have cared, and continue to care, for family members who are visually impaired.

Nanda Ratnavel - Lambeth South

I am a public governor for Lambeth South having lived in Streatham with my wife and children since 1985. As a family, we have all benefited from the services that King’s College Hospital provides.

I am a qualified accountant and have worked in finance all my career, starting off in manufacturing and commerce but soon switching to a charity and then the public sector. I spent eighteen years working in the NHS including eleven at King’s but have now swapped the challenges of health for those of further education by becoming the Finance Director at Lewisham College. However, I am so pleased to see so many familiar faces as I walk around King’s that I hardly feel like I have been away.

The NHS as ever, faces enormous change and increasing pressures. Knowing King’s and the area it serves so well gives me a marvellous opportunity to use my knowledge and experience and work with colleagues in helping the hospital meet its new challenges and play a full role in the health economy.

Andy Alatise - Southwark Central

As a Biomedical Scientist spanning over three decades, half of which is within the Southwark and Lambeth boroughs, I believe this qualifies me to be a member of the Board of Governors of this great hospital where I started my professional training. I am motivated by the medical science breakthroughs already taking place in King’s College Hospital and the corporate merger with Guy’s and St Thomas’ to produce the best medical centre of excellence in the world. I will apply all that I have gained in terms of professional and management experience to the benefit of the foundation trust.

Barbara Pattinson - Southwark Central

I have lived in Camberwell since 1966 and I have always admired and been grateful for King’s College Hospital. As I and my family have benefitted directly from the work of KCH and my community of Camberwell has enjoyed the benefits of this world class teaching hospital in its midst I would like to give something back by serving on the Board of Governors. My contribution would be through my long experience in community activism and contacts forged over the years. I am currently Chair of the SE5 Forum for Camberwell.

Andrew McCall - Southwark North

As a resident of Southwark for more than 20 years, I am proud to play a part in the continuing progress of the borough.

I run a consumer research business based at Tower Bridge working in the fields of shopper behaviour, media, and health.

I hope as a Governor to devote my time and energy to maintain and enhance the service that KCH provides to our community.

Locally I am a director of Southwark Cathedral Enterprises and on the committee of Burgess Park Community Garden. I am a keen amateur singer, singing tenor with Esterhazy Singers and other London choirs.

John Henley - Southwark North

I have lived in Camberwell for just under five years, having graduated from university in 2006. I am happily married to one of the Trust’s midwives, have received treatment for several sports injuries at King’s, and am looking forward to the birth of my first son in December 2011 (hopefully at King’s!).

Since graduating, I have worked at a Chartered Accountancy firm for two years before moving to one of the UK’s largest retail banks.

I am a keen sportsman, regularly playing rugby and cricket, and have held several senior positions within my cricket club.

I was thrilled to be elected to the Board of Governors and am looking forward to contributing to the Trust’s success. I believe that an effective governance structure is essential to King’s being a centre of excellence, and understand the vital role that the Trust plays in the local community.

Michelle Pearce - Southwark South

I am hoping my twelve years of experience on Southwark Council will be relevant and useful. KCH and Southwark Council are both large, complex public organisations. They serve the same diverse community and they operate under similar government and financial constraints. In a number of areas they significantly interact – sometimes co-operatively in areas like public health or social services; sometimes problematically, eg. over planning issues. My knowledge of the way a council works may be helpful when issues and problems arise.

Prior to becoming a councillor I worked in advice centres in Peckham and near the Elephant and Castle. Through advice giving and constituency casework I have worked with people from every background across a wide range of concerns. I know how daunting it can be to feel very vulnerable and utterly dependent upon public services. That is why I would like to contribute to ensuring that the patient experience at Kings is as reassuring, responsive and empowering as possible.

Stuart Owen - Southwark South

I have lived in South Dulwich for nearly twenty years. As a long-standing member of KCH Foundation Trust, and especially as a patient of the hospital where I underwent a bone marrow transplant five years ago, I have a deep understanding of what it is like to be dependent on the quality of its services and the expertise of its doctors and nurses.

I am particularly concerned that proposed NHS changes won’t erode the range and quality of patient care, and I want to bring my own experience as a patient to help improve the standard of everyone’s care at King’s.