Gill Brown has been appointed as NHS Southport and Formby Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG’s) new Governing Body lead for patient and public participation.

Joining the CCG as a lay representative, Gill was previously chief executive for Healthwatch Lancashire, which acts as the public voice for health and social care.

The chartered biomedical scientist from Southport has a number of years’ experience of working in the NHS in a variety of clinical, research, managerial and governance roles.

Commenting on her appointment, Gill said: “I'm honoured to be given this opportunity to join the Governing Body. These are very challenging times for the NHS and social care services and I hope the skills I bring from my previous roles at Healthwatch Lancashire and from my time working in hospital trusts will assist the CCG in fulfilling its responsibilities.”

She was the inaugural corporate secretary for The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University NHS Trust and her final role before retirement from the NHS in 2014 was as director of corporate and research governance for The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust.

In 2013, Gill was the first member of the NHS to be awarded a national Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators’ ‘Excellence in Governance' award, which she won for her innovative work and proactive engagement with NHS foundation trust governors.

Gill is also a co-opted governor for Southport College, is a member of the college's Governance Committee and is a director of a company that specialises in the promotion of excellence in governance and engagement.

Chair of NHS Southport and Formby CCG, Dr Rob Caudwell, said: “We welcome Gill to the Governing Body and the wealth of experience she brings in championing patient and public participation and her knowledge of the NHS. We look forward to working with Gill and we’ve no doubt that her contribution will help us to better involve our residents in our work.”

Her appointment follows the retirement of Roger Pontefract from the Governing Body, who previously held the role since the creation of NHS Southport and Formby CCG in 2013. Anyone with an interest in local health and services can hear Gill and other members of the Governing Body discussing and making decisions about the CCG’s work at its next meeting on Wednesday 25 May.

NHS Southport and Formby CCG holds bi-monthly Governing Body meetings in public. There is a chance for people to ask members of the Governing Body questions and queries prior to the start of the formal meeting at 1pm.

More information can be found here.