Thank you for your interest in this pivotal role. As Vice Chair of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, I’m pleased to welcome your consideration to lead our Board at this crucial time in our development and improvement.

We are a large, complex organisation serving diverse communities across Nottinghamshire and parts of South Yorkshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire. Every day, we deliver vital mental health, community, learning disability and forensic services to thousands of people – in hospitals, in the community and in people’s homes.

The populations we serve are rich in diversity – geographically, culturally and demographically. We serve both some of the most deprived and some of the most affluent areas in the East Midlands. In Nottingham city, for example, over 35% of the population identify as belonging to a Black, Asian or other minoritised ethnic group – and many experience persistent health inequalities, including poorer access to mental health services and lower satisfaction with care. People in our rural communities face different but equally significant barriers – such as social isolation, digital exclusion and reduced access to specialist support.

We see stark inequalities in life expectancy, mental health outcomes, and the wider determinants of health across our region – including for people with severe mental illness, autistic people, those with learning disabilities, refugees and asylum seekers, carers, LGBT+ people, and those with long-term conditions. These aren’t abstract data points – they are daily realities for the people we serve, and they must shape everything we do.

As a Trust Board, we are committed to tackling these inequalities. But we know that commitment alone is not enough. It requires visible, courageous leadership that understands the systemic nature of inequality – and is ready to listen, challenge and act.

That is why the role of Chair is so vital. You will lead a Board that is determined to be more inclusive, more transparent, and more connected to the voices of our communities. We want to reflect those communities in our leadership and decision-making, and we are actively working to create a culture of psychological safety, allyship and equity throughout the Trust.

This is a role for a leader with integrity, insight and compassion. If you believe in inclusive leadership and understand the importance of serving all our communities – particularly those who are too often unheard or underserved – then I urge you to apply.

We look forward to meeting you.

Carolyn White
Vice Chair and Non-Executive Director