Staff Governors

Mrs Poonam Singh has 16 years of clinical, nursing and socio-cultural leadership experience. She is skilled in supporting staff to deliver the best practice of care for diverse clients.
Poonam believes patient care is as important as staff welfare. She aims to represent the interests of her fellow nurses and midwives. Poonam strongly believes she could inspire her colleagues and be transparent in promoting the collective voice of her constituents without any personal agenda.
She is committed as a staff governor to foster and promote the tenets of inclusion, diversity and equity so that no member of the Trust feels disadvantaged based on their attributes, including the characteristics of the Equality Act.

Mr William Jarrett is a system administrator situated within Portering and Security, and is secretary of Unite Newcastle Hospitals Branch.

As an IT Manager within the Trust, Mr David Bull is passionate about supporting and developing Admin and Clerical teams. With seven years of experience across multiple NHS Trusts, David brings a broad perspective on what works well and where we can improve. David is committed to being a strong, approachable voice for our staff group—ensuring they are heard at board level and that contributions to patient care are recognised and enhanced.

David's work has directly supported projects that transformed patient care through digital innovation, and he is eager to continue driving positive change.

David believes in open communication, collaboration, and continuous improvement—and is ready to represent and advocate for the diverse and dedicated workforce.

Originally from London, Mr Roger Bishop settled in Newcastle following 25 years’ service in the RAF Police. This was followed by a second career of 20 years as a Communications Supervisor in the Northumbria Police Control Room. After retiring from full time employment in 2011 he became a volunteer with the Trust. His main role is that of a Support Volunteer in the Northern Centre for Cancer Care Outpatient Dept, where he performs all the tasks which would otherwise take the nursing staff away from the patients. In this role for 14 years, he has gained a vast knowledge of how the Outpatients Dept works and plays a crucial role in creating a friendly, welcoming and supportive environment for patients, helping to make sure that this busy area operates smoothly while delivering outstanding patient care. In a second role he provides the Pathway Zero Service. This involves making telephone calls to recently discharged patients who have indicated they do not require any support on their return home. Patients are asked a series of questions to confirm that they are coping well and if they are experiencing any difficulties they are signposted to the appropriate areas of help.

Roger and his wife have both been patients of the Trust having received surgery following a cancer diagnosis and are now both well. He therefore has a good understanding of what it is like to be a patient and has a keen interest in improving the patient experience. He has put himself forward as a Governor in the hope he can learn more of how the Trust functions and use his experience as a Volunteer and a patient to make a difference.

As a military veteran Roger supports local veterans’ events and in the lead up to Remembrance Day you will find him in the NCCC Atrium collecting for the RBL Poppy Appeal. In his spare time, he is a keen Lawn Bowls player and represents Northumberland.