Our Trust Board

David Highton became Trust Chair in January 2022. Originally a Chartered Accountant, David joined the NHS as a Finance Director in 1990.

David was an NHS Chief Executive from 1991 to 2003, including the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Trust and the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust.

He has also worked in the independent health sector, including being director of his own consulting company and heading up Business Development for Medihome Ltd, a successful acute home healthcare provider. David has also been Chair of Sussex Health Care Audiology Ltd, a business delivering age-related hearing assessments in the community in Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire.

David also has a wealth of international experience He was previously Ministerial Advisor on Private Sector Involvement and Public Private Partnership to the Minister of Public Health in Qatar and a Director of Clearview Healthcare, a Delhi-based company providing operator managed equipment services to the growing private hospital market in India. Since 2011 he has been Executive Director of Corporate Development at Hamad Medical Corporation, the main public hospital provider in Qatar. He has also been Chair of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust Board since 2017.

Neil has been Chief Executive of Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust since January 2019, after holding the interim position a year. Prior to this he was part of the Trust Board for 3 years as Chief Operating Officer.

Neil chairs the Buckinghamshire Executive Partnership and is vice-chair of the Health & Wellbeing Board in Buckinghamshire. Neil is also Honorary Professor of Professional Practice for the School of Business at the University of Buckingham, and Trustee of Scannappeal.

Neil started his NHS career in Yorkshire as a National General Management Trainee in 2003, before joining the Trust in 2005. After leaving for a role at the Healthcare Commission and general management positions at Imperial and Guys and St. Thomas’ Trusts, he returned to the organisation in July 2013 as Deputy Chief Operating Officer for the Surgery and Critical Care Division.

Graduating from St. Anne’s College, Oxford with a modern history degree in 2000, Neil subsequently completed an MSc in Healthcare Management from the University of Birmingham.

Andrew joined BHT in 2004 as a Consultant Surgeon following training in the Oxford Region with a period as a Clinical Lecturer in Surgery with the University of Oxford.

Whilst maintaining a clinical practice, he has held a number of leadership roles in the Trust more recently as Divisional Chair for Surgery & Critical Care for 10 years and as Deputy MD and Cancer Lead since 2017.  He has a strong interest in improving clinical pathways focusing on better outcomes for patients.

Karen has extensive experience working in a number of large complex organisations including the Royal Free, St George’s, Barts Healthcare, Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. Karen has a DiPN, BSc Hons in Nursing and a MSC in Leadership from Kings College University. Before joining the Trust in March 2020 Karen worked at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust where she worked with NHS England to develop the Trust’s improving fairness plan.

She is a trustee of the Mary Seacole Trust and is a member of the National Workforce Race Equality Standards Advisory Board.

She was highly commended in the Diversity and Inclusion Champion category at the 2019 Nursing Times Workforce Award. Karen also works with Prostate Cancer UK in a volunteering capacity.

Bridget was appointed Chief People Officer in September 2017. During her time at  Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust she has undertaken a number of roles within the HR team, including the education portfolio, workforce information and planning.

Bridget brings a wealth of experience to the role. Having studied Chemistry at Durham University, and starting her career as a science teacher in Botswana and then London, she went on to work for several years with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK and overseas before specialising in HR. During her time as part of the HR senior leadership team, Bridget has been instrumental in supporting the organisation in its cultural transformation and staff engagement journey.

Jon joined Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust as Chief Finance Officer in July 2023.

Previously, Jon was Group Chief Finance Officer at Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals, as part of University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, having held various senior finance roles at Oxford University Hospitals, Imperial College Healthcare and UCLH before this. Jon started his career in the NHS on the national graduate training scheme.

Jon is a qualified chartered management accountant and has an MBA from the Alliance Manchester Business School. He is an active member of the HFMA and has a keen interest in developing teams and driving the delivery of benefits for patients from service changes.

Raghuv joined the Trust as Chief Operating Officer in March 2022. Prior to this Raghuv worked at Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust as Director of Strategic Partnerships and previously led on planned care operations, outpatient transformation and commercial development at the Trust. During the pandemic Raghuv was seconded to help set up and lead NHS Test and Trace as Chief of Staff and a member of the Executive Committee of the organisation.

Raghuv started his career in the Civil Service working in the Department of Health across a range of policy, finance and performance areas. Raghuv spent three years directly supporting Ministers including as Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Health. Raghuv’s first role in the NHS was in NHS Improvement where he helped set up the national Urgent and Emergency Care Programme.

Raghuv is married with two young children and lives in Beaconsfield.

Duncan joined the Trust in July 2022 moving from a role as Director of Transformation at Central London Community Healthcare Trust. Duncan brings a wealth of experience from across the public sector having previously been CIO and Head of Transformation at Lewisham Council and before that a Senior Civil Servant working on strategy and policy issues in Cabinet Office and HM Treasury.

Charmaine joined Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust as Chief Estates and Facilities Officer in March 2024.

Prior to this, Charmaine worked at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where, most recently she had been Director of Estates, Facilities and Capital Development, having joined OUH in 2018. Amongst many highlights in her previous role, Charmaine led on delivering an award-winning 48-bed critical care new building.

Charmaine began her NHS career at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust in 2010 before joining Mace’s public sector consultancy team in 2013, predominantly supporting NHS Trusts with delivery of major capital business cases and programmes of work.

Charmaine is a qualified architect and has a Masters in Leadership and Management.

John joined the NHS in 2007 following a commercial career in life sciences.  He started in virology research and then spent 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry, first with AstraZeneca, then with Glaxosmithkline, where he became UK National Business Director.  He subsequently was Chief Executive of both listed and privately-held companies.  He is a qualified accountant.

In the NHS, he has held executive roles in both hospital Trusts and commissioners, most recently as Chief Executive of EastBerkshireCCG.  His non-executive roles have also spanned hospitals and commissioners, and chairing of Fitness to Practise panels for the General Social Care Council.

He lives in Chalfont St Peter with his wife, Debbi; they have two children – one a Junior Doctor; the other about to enter medical school.

Tom Roche (MBA) is a senior executive with over 23 years’ extensive experience operating at board level in a variety of executive roles for large, global and complex organisations supporting both the private and public sectors.

Over the past 18 years he has worked with one of the world’s largest IT companies in a number of senior roles. He recently worked as Managing Director of the manufacturing, utilities and services sectors across the UK. Before that he was Vice President of the product business which included the cyber security teams.

Married with 3 children Tom has lived in Amersham for over 24 years where, in addition to family life, he enjoys participating in active sports including cycling, running and swimming as well as gardening and cooking as the children no longer need a chauffeur! His days as a practicing qualified RFU rugby coach are now finished but he still enjoys watching the game.

Tom’s focus will be working alongside the existing Non-Executive Directors to support robust governance. Also to provide a constructive challenge and strategic support to the executive team in relation to finance, strategy and transformation. He also sits on the strategic workforce committee.

Buckinghamshire resident Nicola is a qualified chartered accountant with a proven track record in financial and risk management, business growth and people management.
As well as her role as Non-Executive Director, Nicola is also our Senior Independent Director (SID). The SID has a key role in supporting the Chair in leading the Board, acting as an intermediary for other directors when necessary and leading the oversight of the Trust Chair, for example, through the annual appraisal process. Nicola took up this role in June 2023.

Nicola holds a number of non-executive positions with organisations including Brighter Futures for Children, Child Bereavement UK and Turning Point – an organisation providing a range of health and wellbeing services for those with drug or alcohol issues, mental health problems or learning disabilities.

After graduating from Manchester University with a BSc Hons in Chemistry, Nicola started her executive career in hospitality. Her largest role at Pizza Hut UK Ltd afforded her leadership responsibility for 100 sites, 4,000 employees and c£100m revenue.

After 12 years in general management, she completed a Masters Degree in Human Resources Management, and spent the next 13 years gaining extensive board level experience in a number of different Chief People Officer roles across a variety of industries, in companies of different sizes, under different ownership structures all with Transformation agendas and in need of Organisational Development expertise.

She took on her first Non-Exec Director role in 2017 whilst Chief People Officer at Bills Restaurants. In 2021, she set up her own business focused on Executive Coaching and Team Effectiveness and in January 2022 joined the board of Optoma Holding Ltd as a Non-Exec Director and Remuneration and Nominations Committee Chair.

She is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Married, she has lived in Berkshire for the past 18 years and enjoys tennis, yoga and hiking.

Lise began her career as a GP in Wales before moving into public health. In 2000 she was appointed Chief Executive of South Peterborough PCT (2002-2002), moving to be Chief Executive of Brent PCT (2002 – 2006), Chief Executive East Berkshire PCT (2006-2011) before spending two years as a management consultant. From 2013 – 2017 Lise was Strategic Director of Public Health for Berkshire.

Lise has been Trustee of the British Red Cross (2010-2015), a Council Member at New Buckinghamshire University (2015-2019) and most recently was a Non-Executive Director at Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (June 2018 – June 2023).

After qualifying and taking his first house job in Respiratory, Oncology and Haematology Medicine at the Royal London Hospital in 1993, Adrian decided to pursue a career in General Practice. He completed his training year at Runnymede Medical Practice, where he stayed on, joining as a partner in 1997, and continues to work clinical sessions to this day.

Adrian has taken on various leadership roles throughout his career, including as Medical Director for East Berkshire Out of Hours, locality lead in Berkshire East PCT, and being elected Clinical Chair for Windsor and Ascot Primary Care Group in 2013.

He is passionate about the role of GPs not only in the delivery of healthcare but also in leading Health systems by working to improve the health of populations whilst living within the allocated health resources.

As a board member of the Windsor and Ascot Primary Care Group in 1999, Adrian took on a lead role for Older People’s Services, developing local falls services and working with the local authority on an Older People’s Partnership Board. In 2015 Adrian supported the NHS Confederation’s commission on examining care gaps in urgent care for Older people. In 2019 Adrian was appointed National Clinical Director for Older people and Integrated Person Centred Care, NHS England & NHS Improvement, supporting the clinical team for the Ageing Well Programme.

 Elaine is the CEO of gbpartnerships group and Board Director of several public private LIFT companies. Elaine leads gbpartnerships group, a multi-faceted group of companies focussing on asset and project management, consultancy services, property development and investment in primary care estate, the wider health and social care sector, retail and housing. gbpartnerships manage and deliver asset services to an estate worth in excess of £800m, the gbpartnerships consult team provide estates consultancy and partnering services to all LIFTCo stakeholders and other public sector clients. Elaine holds a medical degree and is a chartered accountant with 15 years’ experience as a Corporate Finance partner. Elaine is currently Vice Chair of The LIFT Council and is also an Independent Governor at Wolverhampton University.

Kavan joined the Trust in 2015 and serves as a clinical pharmacist and independent prescriber. She is currently based in the Cardiovascular Services at Wycombe Hospital, with a professional background in Admissions. Kavan holds an MPharm and an MSc in Healthcare Leadership and Management. She is deeply committed to people, workforce development, and equality, having engaged in numerous voluntary roles to support these causes throughout her career. Kavan is also the Co-chair of the Trust Disability Network. With practical experience in both primary and secondary care, she is passionate about streamlining pathways to enhance efficiency and patient care. As a Board Affiliate, she is committed to understanding the functions of the ICB and positively influencing the organisation’s culture.

Dr Poppy Flanagan is a paediatric registrar in the Thames Valley Deanery.   Poppy graduated from Oxford University in 2010 and has since worked across seven trusts.  Poppy first joined BHT in 2018 as a paediatric SHO and then returned to the Trust in March 2022.  Poppy has a longstanding interest in improving patient safety and staff wellbeing.  She has previously sat on the Paediatric Clinical Governance Board at BHT, as well as being a paediatric junior doctor representative at both trust and deanery level.  As a Board Affiliate, Poppy is looking forward to improving clinical care by promoting an open, safe learning culture.