Board of Trustees

Trustee Duties and Commitments 

As the governing body of the College of Paramedics the Board of Trustees has certain duties and commitments:

  • To provide clear strategic direction and sound management 
  • To ensure that the necessary resources are in place for the College to meet the strategic aims 
  • To provide active leadership of the organisation within a framework of effective checks and balances 
  • Individual Trustees also have commitments within their particular role 

The Trustee Duties and Commitments document aims to provide clear information and guidance on the duties and commitments of being a Trustee of the College. 

Trustees are legally responsible for the College as a charity, they have an oversight role and seek assurance from the Chief Executive that the organisation is legally and financially sound and complying with its charitable purpose, outlined in the College charitable objects.   
 
They do this by holding regular Board meetings, where they receive reports on the financial and business aspects of the organisation, and review how the work aligns and contributes towards achieving the strategic aims. Although our Chief Executive and her team attend Board of Trustee meetings, the Trustees are the only people entitled to make decisions at a board meeting. 
 
Full members of the College of Paramedics are eligible to stand as a candidate to be a Trustee when a position becomes available. Trustee candidates are voted on by Congress members; congress is the Board of Trustees and the Paramedic Council together. 
 
The maximum tenure for a trustee is two terms, each term consisting of 2 years. At the end of their first term, Trustees must consider their wider commitments, reflect on their first term, and decide whether to stand, alongside other full members of the College, to be elected for a second term as trustee.   
 

2022 Trustee Elections

This year full members will have an opportunity to stand for five Trustee positions. Click here for more information the election process and the positions available.


Meet the Trustees 

 
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John Martin FCPara

President

John started his journey with the College of Paramedics as a member of the education sub-committee, before becoming the council representative for the East of England region and then the vice-chair. He has been the Chair of Board (which changed to President with the restructure in 2021) since 2017. John is passionate about the development of the paramedic profession, education, leadership and use of research. In 2008 he led a national review of the paramedic curriculum guidance and was a paramedic advisor to the London Olympic games in 2012. John holds a Doctorate in Health from the University of Bath, having researched variation in ambulance utilisation by populations. In 2014 he undertook an executive leadership programme with the NHS Leadership Academy and Harvard University in America. He has visited both Nigeria and South Africa to understand international health care practice including paramedicine.

John is currently the Chief Paramedic and Quality Officer for the London Ambulance Service. Prior to this he held director posts in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS FT, a community and mental health provider and Cambridge University Hospitals as Director of Integrated Care. He spent most of his career within the East of England Ambulance Service where he held posts as a paramedic, educator, consultant paramedic and director.

John lives in Cambridgeshire with his wife Pippa, and three children Joel, Samuel and Abigail.

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Paul Younger FCPara

Vice President (Honorary Secretary)

Paul Younger joined the ambulance service in 2002 completing his paramedic training in 2005. He has a Masters in Clinical Research from Newcastle University, a PGCE, and a postgraduate qualification in Medical Ultrasound. He works clinically as an Advanced Practitioner for North East Ambulance Service.

A member of the College Council and Board since 2010, he has held various posts including regional and alternative regional representative for the North East and most recently Deputy Chair since 2017, which changed to Vice President with the restructure in 2021.

As a Trustee of the College, Paul has been the lead on several projects which have improved not only the profession but also the College. For this work, Paul was made a Fellow of the College of Paramedics in 2016. The most notable of his projects has been the introduction of Fitness to Practise representation, Medical Indemnity for members, and the creation of the British Paramedic Journal.

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Will Broughton FCPara

Trustee (Professional Standards)

Will has a responsibility for Professional Standards within the College and works closely with the Head of Professional Standards on a number of workstreams and projects in the organisation.

His full-time position is as an Associate Professor of Paramedic Science at Buckinghamshire New University, responsible for academic leadership and delivery of undergraduate paramedic education within the School of Health Care and Social Work. Having completed his MSc in Paediatrics and Child Health, his clinical expertise and research interests lie in paediatric emergencies and management of paediatric out of hospital cardiac arrest.

Will is also a paramedic expert witness, providing independent clinical opinions to the Court on matters of paramedic practice. To support his role as a Trustee and leader Will completed a leadership development programme at the University of Hertfordshire, followed by completion of a Postgraduate Certificate in Business Administration.

Will continues to work clinically as a paramedic for two NHS ambulance trusts and within NHS111.

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Tim Gerhard MCPara

Honorary Treasurer

Tim is a biologist by academic background and has had a career as a Chartered Accountant with over forty years of experience working with and within small and medium sized businesses, similar in size to UK ambulance services. His specialism is assisting businesses to cope with their growing pains. A chance meeting with a paramedic neighbour in a snowstorm in 2009 led him to a conversation with Prof. Andy Newton and a position as a local voluntary Community Responder. Bitten by the bug he returned to University at Hertfordshire registering as a Paramedic in 2014.

He is currently a Clinical Team Manager with London Ambulance Service as his ‘day job’ and can be found acting as lead safety Coxswain and Mark Layer for regattas in and around the Solent in his spare time, as well as regularly failing to hit a golf ball in the approved direction at Walton Heath Artisans. He took up the position as Treasurer and Trustee to the College in October 2015.

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Georgette Eaton MCPara

Trustee (Research)

Georgette is a clinical academic Advanced Paramedic and NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Oxford. Clinically, Georgette is employed as the Clinical Practice Development Manager for the Advanced Paramedic Practitioner Urgent Care programme within the London Ambulance Service. Academically, her DPhil project seeks to explore the impact of paramedics in NHS primary care, using realist approaches to improve understanding, support intelligent policy and make recommendations for future workforce planning.

As well as being a Trustee on the Board, Georgette is also the alternate Education Advisor for England on the College’s Education Advisory Group, as well as a clinical member of the Primary and Urgent Care Special Interest group – focusing on the employment of specialist and advanced paramedics in these settings.

Outside of her work, Georgette is an ultra-runner and enjoys taking part in triathlons.

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Paul Aitken-Fell MCPara

Trustee (Clinical Development)

Paul is currently the Lead Consultant Paramedic for the North East Ambulance Service, leading a group of consultant paramedics and specialist paramedics.

Paul has been a Trustee of the College since 2019 serving as the North East Representative Trustee and as the Chair of the College’s Consultant Paramedic Committee before being appointed into the Clinical Development role in 2020. He holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Masters in Science degree and has an interest in advanced practice, leading on cardiac arrest and trauma management for the ambulance service.

Paul continues to work operationally with 30% of his contract being patient contact as well as being the Director of Research. He speaks regularly at both national and international conferences on various subjects.

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Richard Webber MCPara

Trustee (Membership)

Richard Webber has been a Paramedic since 1995. He spent many years working for the London Ambulance Service, firstly as an operational paramedic and then as a Training Manager. He progressed through the service and spent time as an Operational Manager, Head of Control Services and then Director of Operations. He also spent a period of time working for Essex Ambulance Service and was an Associate Clinical Director in South East Coast Ambulance Service.

Richard was the first Lead Paramedic at NHS England and led the development and implementation of the current Clinical Quality Indicators and Ambulance Quality Indicators. He has worked in an Acute Trust responsible for 2 Emergency Departments and has worked for a group of CCGs as a System Resilience Lead. He is currently working as the National Head of 111 for a large provider covering 4 sites. This has given him a great view of the variety of opportunities now available for paramedics. He continues to work as a front-line Paramedic, regularly working on Ambulances and Response Cars.

Richard has been a Trustee since 2019.

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Vince Clarke MCPara

Trustee (Education)

Vince is Principal Lecturer and Programme Lead for the BSc(Hons) Paramedic Science at the University of Hertfordshire, where he has been employed since 2016. Vince brought to this role, his experience in the London Ambulance Service, as paramedic, then as part of their Higher Education team, developing in-house paramedic programmes as well as working closely with higher education partner institutions.

A Health & Care Professions Council partner since 2006, Vince has been involved in the approval of a wide range of paramedic educational programmes across the country as well as assessing CPD submissions and sitting on Conduct and Competence Fitness to Practise panel hearings.

Vince has written a number of text-book chapters, focussing on patient assessment and legal and ethical matters, been a section editor for the College of Paramedics e-Learning for Health project and has edited the College’s Handbook for Practice Educators and facilitators. Vince works as an independent paramedic expert witness for the Court and prepares reports on breach of duty for both claimants and defendants.

Vince has completed his Professional Doctorate in Education which focuses on the theory-practice relationship in paramedic undergraduate education. This work has informed the development of university accredited ambulance service Paramedic Practice Educator courses as well as the College’s position on practice-based learning. As Trustee for Education, since 2019, Vince provides a ‘critical friend’ role to the College’s Education Committee.

Away from work, Vince takes part in triathlons, competitive athletics and endurance swimming events.

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Rory O'Connor

Rory O'Connor MCPara

Chair of Council

Rory has been the Representative Trustee for Northern Ireland since 2018 and is currently the Chair of Council. He currently works as an Advanced Paramedic in primary care. He previously qualified as a Paramedic in 2012, spending 7 years as an operational Paramedic with Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. He has a BA Open Degree through the Open University, as well as a MSc in Advancing Healthcare Practice (distinction). Rory recently completed a PGCert in Medicines Management which qualifies him as an Independent and Supplementary Prescriber and has a clinical interest in primary & urgent care, specifically palliative and end of life care.

Rory believes strongly in collective leadership and the empowerment of individuals and teams to achieve their potential, he has extensive experience in building relationships across organisational, departmental and professional boundaries. He is also experienced in developing and working in new roles, as well as working with others to achieve both individual and team goals and ensuring teamwork with varied individuals towards a common goal.