Aaron Glenwright-Cook
If elected, how would you help ensure the board was effective and what would you prioritise?
To ensure Board effectiveness, I would prioritise rigorous governance and a culture of constructive challenge, ensuring that the College’s strategic direction is both visionary and operationally grounded. A board is most effective when it bridges the gap between high-level policy and the frontline reality of its members. I would focus on enhancing the "feedback loop" between the Board and the diverse range of registrants, ensuring that as we navigate the complexities of professional maturity, our decisions are informed by robust data and the lived experience of clinicians. By championing transparency and fiscal responsibility, I aim to ensure the College remains a sustainable, authoritative voice that is as accountable to its student members as it is to its consultant practitioners. My strategic priorities would centre on navigating the current dichotomy within the paramedic profession: celebrating our rapid advancement while addressing critical safety vulnerabilities. We have reached an incredible milestone with the increasing attainment of consultant practitioner status, reflecting our evolution into a truly autonomous, multi-disciplinary workforce. However, we must balance this ambition with a tireless focus on clinical standards, as highlighted by recent HSSIB findings regarding ECG interpretation. I would prioritise the development of a national framework that supports both the "ceiling" of our professional reach and the "floor" of our core clinical safety, ensuring that the College leads the way in standardising education, supporting independent prescribing, and fostering a culture of continuous, evidence-based improvement.
How will you use your perspective, expertise and attributes to support the work of the board?
I will support the work of the Board by providing a multi-dimensional perspective derived from experience across the urgent and emergency and secondary care landscape. Having practiced in traditional ambulance services, hospital-based acute response teams and anaesthesia, specialist community settings, and high-pressure event medicine, I possess a 360-degree view of the modern paramedic’s remit. This allows me to contribute to Board discussions with an "integrated care" lens, ensuring that College policies are robust enough to support clinicians whether they are working in a Critical Care car, a GP surgery, or a hospital-at-night function. My expertise as an Independent Prescriber further enables me to advocate for the continued expansion of our clinical scope, grounded in a deep understanding of the legislative and educational frameworks required to do so safely. Beyond clinical expertise, my attributes as a collaborative leader and an educator will support the Board’s mission to professionalise and protect our workforce. My background in running a high-pressure marketing business that I founded and led for five years provides me with a foundational understanding of fiscal oversight, risk management, and strategic growth—essential components of effective charity governance. I am committed to a culture of "servant leadership," where my role as a Trustee is to empower the membership through clear communication and evidence-based advocacy. By blending my frontline experience in deteriorating adult care with a pragmatic approach to organizational strategy, I will help the Board navigate the complexities of professional regulation while remaining fiercely centered on the safety and advancement of our registrants.
What other knowledge, skills and experience will you bring to the role of trustee?
Beyond my clinical practice, I bring a robust portfolio of transferable skills essential for the strategic governance of a professional body. As a published academic author, I possess the critical appraisal skills necessary to ensure the College’s position statements and educational standards remain evidence-based and intellectually rigorous. This academic foundation is complemented by my experience in public speaking; I am comfortable articulating complex professional issues to diverse audiences, whether presenting at national conferences or representing the College in stakeholder consultations. These communication skills ensure that I can act as an effective ambassador, translating the Board’s strategic vision into a compelling narrative for the membership and the wider healthcare system.
Furthermore, I offer significant experience in mentoring, coaching, and digital marketing—skills that are increasingly vital in a modern, member-led organisation. My background in coaching allows me to contribute to the Board’s focus on workforce well-being and professional development, ensuring we foster a resilient and supported registrant base. Additionally, my practical understanding of digital marketing and brand engagement provides me with a unique perspective on how the College can better communicate its value proposition, grow its membership, and enhance its digital presence. By combining these commercial and interpersonal insights with my clinical attributes, I offer a versatile "Board-ready" skill set that bridges the gap between professional regulation and member engagement.
Kirsty Krelle
If elected, how would you help ensure the board was effective and what would you prioritise?
If elected I would assist in evidence gathering, with a commitment to further research on the gaps that currently exist within the paramedic role. I would help make sure the board is effective by ensuring my time and focus is on these aligned improvements as well as voicing any concerns that may currently exist. Although I have some priorities and thoughts on what is most important, my overall goal is to ensure consistent and safe paramedic care in all settings and I would contribute where possible to ensure the board is effective in enacting this. My priority would have to be creating better governance for paramedics deployed in non-traditional settings, such as primary care. My reasoning for this priority comes from my local experience of how the paramedic role is used and subsequently the national variation I have identified. There is a lack of defined scope and therefore, in my opinion, a risk to the paramedic and to the patients, which needs to be tackled in order to allow for the retention and development of paramedics in primary care. At a local level, in London, I have seen the huge variation in how paramedics are utilised. Whilst the research does not clearly define how we should be used, a combination or personal experience, further research undertaken as part of my Masters QIP and general discussion with colleagues across different communities, it is clear that a review of the existing guidelines is needed to allow for clearer definition. The research on supporting the guidance is relatively sparse, and I feel this needs to be reviewed and then published by the CoP. If this is not made a priority, I fear a detrimental impact on patient safety, staff retention and overall paramedic satisfaction. By researching this together and concluding the best route for guideline creation, I think change for the long run can be made and made at a point before any issues arise from the current ambiguous nature of the guidelines.
How will you use your perspective, expertise and attributes to support the work of the board?
Perspective: I feel that I have a relatively fresh perspective from the non-traditional role that I now within. No longer working in the ambulance service but instead working for a PCN, I feel that I have a slightly different perspective to other members who may be on the Board. Expertise: Although still within my first 10 years of my career as a paramedic, I have worked in several different regions in the UK, within the ambulance service, as well as now working within a primary care setting. From having worked across broad spectrum of areas and locations I feel I have developed a strong understanding of where the paramedic role has developed and where there are huge discrepancies in role/education/experience/guidance and how this impacts everyone in the role. Attributes: I have always committed my time to improving paramedic education and trying to obtain consistency amongst paramedics and student paramedics. I work as an associate tutor for the UEA and particularly engage in tutorials/examinations in the final year where primary care is at the forefront of assessment. Here I have encouraged good professional attributes whilst upholding mine within my clinical setting. From a personal perspective I would say that my curiosity and ambition to do and be better, strongly reinforce my evidence based practice and would also support my role on the Board, if I were to be elected. I have a number of ideas and perspectives I feel that I could bring to the CoP in help make wide-ranging improvements to the paramedic profession, particularly for those working in non-traditional fields. Overall, my drive is towards making sure the paramedic role is the most efficient it can be in all settings. It is the core driver for wanting to be more involved in these necessary changes. I am proud to be a paramedic and proud to be working in the primary care setting, but I recognise the gaps that exist which mean that the proven benefits of this role, as well as many other roles are not capitalised up, and this this what I want to work towards with the Board.
What other knowledge, skills and experience will you bring to the role of trustee?
My role as a paramedic at all stages has focused on CPD, academic development and support of students.
During the Covid pandemic, where the need to keep patients at home became essential, I completed a Level 7 module in minor illness and injury, which I attempted to bring in to my role within EEAST. For a variety of reasons, I left the ambulance service in 2022, and embarked on a career for a London-based PCN. This PCN was newly formed and within its first year of existence. I was employed as a primary care paramedic, with an added focus of co-designing a robust service, which allowed us to assist with the demand of primary care. As a result, we have created a paramedic service which consists of four paramedics employed under the ARRS scheme. Together, we run an urgent clinic which focuses on same day/next day minor illness and ailments and management within the community to avoid delays in care and admissions to hospital. My role as FCP focuses on minor injury and assessment and home visits for elderly care (acute on chronic presentations).
As part of this role, I feel I capitalise on the training I received through my undergrad at UEA, my work in the ambulance service and subsequent CPD. As well as this, I have been working towards my soon-to-be completed ACP Masters and attempting to utilise it in a way that still focuses on my strengths as a paramedic.
In my Masters projects I have focused on that same notion of improving the basics of the paramedic role and feeding this on to my small team with evidence-based teaching sessions, with a commitment to being the most efficient safe team that we can be. Having been involved in student education and recruitment, I have tried to instil this from the onset too. Despite this, I have come to acknowledge the limitations of making meaningful change at a local level and thus the need to engage with the research and the move for improvement on a wider scale, such as through the College of Paramedics.
Ed Harry
If elected, how would you help ensure the board was effective and what would you prioritise?
If elected, I would contribute to a Board that is strategically focused, values-driven, and able to provide effective oversight as the Royal College of Paramedics enters a defining moment in its history. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, achieving Royal status, and being granted a Royal Charter, the College has an exciting opportunity to shape the next chapter of the profession while continuing to uphold its mission to inspire and empower paramedics to lead with excellence, integrity, and compassion. Having served as a Trustee over the past two years, I am proud to have supported the College during this transformative period and am confident in my ability to continue contributing strategically. I would foster a culture of constructive challenge and open discussion, ensuring Board decisions are evidence-informed and aligned with the College’s charitable objectives and vision of “setting the standard for paramedic practice.” My experience across clinical practice, service development, and research has taught me the importance of balancing innovation, professional growth, and accountability to deliver both professional and public benefit. A key priority would be embedding the College’s strategic objectives into Board oversight. This includes representing paramedics’ voices with policymakers, advancing professional standards and education, supporting member wellbeing and development, and shaping a modern, innovative, and collaborative College of the future. I would aim to be a reflective, approachable, and decisive Trustee, combining strategic insight with constructive challenge and stewardship, ensuring the Board translates mission and vision into tangible outcomes that strengthen the profession, empower members, and support a sustainable, inclusive, and influential future.
How will you use your perspective, expertise and attributes to support the work of the board?
I would bring to the Board a perspective grounded in extensive frontline clinical experience and system-level understanding, combined with two years’ experience as a Trustee of the Royal College of Paramedics. Having worked within the ambulance service for 17 years, including seven years as an Advanced Paramedic Practitioner, I have first-hand insight into the challenges, opportunities, and evolving needs of paramedics across diverse care settings. Over the past 18 months as a Professional Development Lead, I have driven professional development, supported workforce growth, and shaped clinical strategy, providing me with experience in translating organisational vision into tangible, impactful initiatives. I feel I would continue to bring a strong personal commitment to supporting members and advancing professional standards, underpinned by transformational leadership qualities and a collaborative, emotionally intelligent approach. I advocate for inclusion, open dialogue, and member wellbeing, while remaining open-minded and receptive to diverse perspectives. At the same time, I feel I would be able to approach the Trustee role with conviction, providing constructive challenge and strategic insight where needed to ensure effective governance and decision-making that lies at the heart of the College’s mission statement and values. My research and service evaluation experience equips me to analyse complex information, understand workforce trends, and assess the impact of decisions on both staff and members. Combining this analytical capability with my personal attributes, I would contribute thoughtfully to Board discussions, foster a culture of constructive debate, and support the College in embedding its mission, vision, and strategic priorities into meaningful outcomes for members, the profession, and the public.
What other knowledge, skills and experience will you bring to the role of trustee?
Beyond my clinical and governance experience, I feel I bring a strong understanding of organisational development, workforce planning, and professional learning systems within healthcare. My experience in leading complex projects and initiatives has provided me with skills in strategic planning, change management, and embedding sustainable improvements across teams and services. I am confident navigating regulatory frameworks, quality assurance processes, and standards of practice, enabling me to contribute effectively to risk oversight and organisational compliance.
I also bring extensive experience in stakeholder engagement and partnership working, having collaborated with multidisciplinary teams, health and social care organisations, and research partners to deliver high-quality initiatives. I have a proven ability to translate complex information into actionable guidance, supporting evidence-informed decision-making which have been done at a Board level, in my previous tenure as a trustee with the College.
Personally, I feel I am approachable, engaging, and naturally collaborative, combining warmth and positivity with focus and determination. I have always been proud to be a Paramedic and for me, it has never been simply a job title or a role, but a privilege to serve as part of a community that is evolving into a first-class provision of healthcare, moving beyond its historical identity as a transport service. This perspective has and will continue to inspire my commitment to supporting members, championing professional standards, and contributing constructively to the Board’s work, bringing both insight and passion to help shape the future of the profession.
Emma-Jane Mundle
If elected, how would you help ensure the board was effective and what would you prioritise?
If elected as a Trustee, I would contribute to an effective Board by bringing a reflective, inclusive, and strategically focused approach to governance. I understand the importance of thorough preparation, constructive challenge, and balanced decision‑making, and I would work to ensure that the Board’s discussions remain aligned with the College’s charitable objectives, regulatory responsibilities, and long‑term strategic aims.A key priority for me would be strengthening the College’s commitment to diversity, equity, and belonging. As an openly gay member of the profession, I recognise both the progress we have made and the areas where we still lack representation and visibility. I would advocate actively for our LGBTQI+ community, and for improved inclusion across all minoritised groups, ensuring that the Board’s decisions and policies reflect the full breadth of lived experiences within the profession. An effective Board must be representative, and I would work to create space for voices that have not always been heard. I would also prioritise workforce issues, particularly around employability, which continues to be a pressing challenge for graduating paramedics. We are in a complex and uncertain stage of employment for students and new registrants, and it is essential that the College provides leadership, guidance, and advocacy during this period. I would seek to strengthen relationships with employers and stakeholders, working towards greater alignment in Newly Qualified Paramedic (NQP) programmes across Trusts. Creating clearer, more consistent pathways into the profession would not only reduce variation but also support wellbeing, confidence, and retention at a critical career stage. Drawing on my experience within higher education, curriculum design, and student development, I would support the Board in shaping forward‑looking strategies that enhance professional standards, promote evidence‑informed practice, and ensure paramedics enter the workforce feeling prepared, supported, and valued. Above all, I would strive to be a constructive, reliable, and values‑driven Trustee—committed to strengthening governance, championing inclusion, and helping the College build a future‑focused, resilient, and representative paramedic profession.
How will you use your perspective, expertise and attributes to support the work of the board?
I would bring a combination of academic expertise, professional insight, and lived experience to support the Board’s work in delivering strong, inclusive, and forward‑thinking governance for the profession. As a Teaching Fellow and lecturer in paramedic education, I have a deep understanding of student development, curriculum design, quality processes, and the challenges facing those entering the profession. This perspective allows me to contribute evidence‑informed insights into education, workforce readiness, and progression pathways. It also positions me to support the Board in shaping strategies that enhance employability, particularly at a time when our graduate paramedics face increasing uncertainty in securing roles. I firmly believe the College has an important part to play in advocating for consistent NQP programmes and stronger alignment across Trusts, and I would use my expertise to help drive and inform this work. I would also bring a strong commitment to diversity, equity and belonging. As an openly gay professional, I recognise the ongoing need to improve LGBTQI+ inclusion and the importance of ensuring that all minoritised voices feel visible, valued, and represented. I aim to use my perspective — both lived and professional — to help the Board foster an environment where diversity is not only acknowledged but meaningfully embedded into decision‑making, policy development, and member engagement. A truly representative Board strengthens the profession, and I would work to ensure that our strategic discussions reflect the experiences of all communities served by paramedics. My attributes as a trustee would include thoughtful analysis, an inclusive leadership style, a collaborative approach, and a commitment to reflective governance. I prepare thoroughly, listen actively, and seek to bring constructive challenge that improves decision‑making. I value transparency, evidence‑based practice, and accountability, and I understand the importance of aligning Board decisions with both the College’s charitable objectives and its long‑term strategy. Overall, I would use my perspective, experience, and values to contribute to a Board that is effective, representative, and future‑focused—supporting the profession through the opportunities and challenges ahead.
What other knowledge, skills and experience will you bring to the role of trustee?
Alongside my professional experience, I bring a strong personal commitment to wellbeing, balance and sustainable practice. As a keen hiker, climber and swimmer, I understand the importance of maintaining a healthy work–life balance and the positive impact that physical activity and rest can have on resilience. I feel strongly that, as a profession, we must move away from the glorification of burnout and the expectation of constant overextension. I would use my role as a Trustee to advocate for cultural change in this area — promoting healthier working environments, encouraging evidence‑based coping mechanisms, and supporting initiatives that help paramedics access the wellbeing resources they need. I believe that protecting the wellbeing of our workforce is fundamental to patient safety, professional longevity and the sustainability of the profession, and I would bring this focus consistently to Board discussions.
Christopher Willetts
If elected, how would you help ensure the board was effective and what would you prioritise?
If elected, I would contribute to an effective Board by preparing thoroughly for meetings, engaging constructively in discussions, and working collaboratively with fellow trustees to provide strategic oversight and sound governance. I would bring a balanced perspective informed by my experience across frontline ambulance services, primary care, and academic research, while ensuring decisions remain focused on the long-term interests of the profession and the public. My priority would be supporting the continued development of the paramedic profession as it expands across a wide range of healthcare settings. I am particularly interested in strengthening opportunities for paramedics in research and evidence generation, ensuring the profession continues to develop a strong evidence base to support high-quality patient care and professional recognition. Ultimately, I would aim to support the College in remaining a strong, forward-looking professional body that represents and supports its members while advancing the profession.
How will you use your perspective, expertise and attributes to support the work of the board?
I would bring a perspective shaped by experience across frontline ambulance services, primary care, and academic research. This breadth of experience allows me to understand the evolving role of paramedics across different healthcare settings and the opportunities and challenges this presents for the profession. Alongside my clinical work, I am actively involved in research and professional development. I believe this experience would allow me to support the Board in considering how the College can continue to strengthen professional standards, education, and the evidence base underpinning paramedic practice. I would aim to contribute thoughtfully to Board discussions, provide constructive challenge where appropriate, and support collaborative decision-making to ensure the College continues to represent and support paramedics while advancing the profession.
What other knowledge, skills and experience will you bring to the role of trustee?
In addition to my clinical experience, I bring experience in research, education and professional development. Through my work as a Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham and my academic training, I have developed skills in critical appraisal, evidence-based practice, and strategic thinking, which I believe are valuable when considering the long-term direction of the profession.
My career across ambulance services, primary care, and academia has given me insight into the evolving scope of paramedic practice and the opportunities this creates for the profession. I also have experience mentoring colleagues and students, which has strengthened my ability to support professional development and leadership within the workforce.
I would bring strong communication skills, a collaborative approach, and a commitment to the continued development of paramedicine as a recognised and evidence-based healthcare profession.
Patrick O’Meara
If elected, how would you help ensure the board was effective and what would you prioritise?
I would support board effectiveness by focusing on the role of the College, high-quality assurance, and a culture of constructive challenge. An effective board is one that is clear about its purpose, disciplined about its role, and united in its strategic intent. I would prioritise: maintaining a clear distinction between governance and operational management; ensuring strategy remains focused on delivery, measurable outcomes and member impact; strengthening oversight of risk, financial sustainability and organisational resilience; supporting succession planning and board development and encouraging psychologically safe, respectful debate that leads to better decisions. In the Royal College setting, trustees must balance ambition for the profession with realism about resources and regulatory obligations. I would work to ensure that our strategic objectives remain aligned to advancing paramedic practice, strengthening professional identity, and supporting members across the breadth of practice settings. Above all, I would prioritise stewardship, in other words leaving the College stronger, more stable and more representative than when I joined it.
How will you use your perspective, expertise and attributes to support the work of the board?
I bring a dual perspective: four decades of frontline and senior operational experience within UK ambulance services, alongside extensive board-level governance experience within charitable and professional organisations. Professionally, I understand the complexity of modern paramedic practice; from high-acuity emergency response and major incident command to system-wide integration and inter-agency working. This breadth enables me to contribute insight into workforce pressures, clinical governance, public expectation and professional standards. As a trustee elsewhere, I have chaired committees, overseen clinical governance frameworks, participated in finance and risk oversight, and supported organisational restructuring. I am comfortable reading board papers critically, asking proportionate questions, and focusing discussion on strategic consequence rather than operational detail. I value respectful challenge, integrity, inclusion and long-term thinking. I would aim to be measured rather than reactive, collegiate rather than positional, and always guided by the College’s charitable purpose.
What other knowledge, skills and experience will you bring to the role of trustee?
In addition to operational and board (including charitable) governance experience, I bring significant experience in clinical governance, assurance and quality improvement; major incident and system leadership experience at Gold command level; experience working within regulated environments and alongside statutory bodies, within risk management and safeguarding, experience supporting cultural change and wellbeing initiatives; strong written communication skills and experience contributing to policy, strategy and formal reporting and a commitment to diversity, equity and professional belonging. I also bring an understanding of how professional bodies must operate within complex political and healthcare landscapes, balancing advocacy with credibility, ambition with sustainability, and professional voice with public accountability. Most importantly, I bring a long-standing commitment to the paramedic profession and a desire to contribute constructively to its next phase of development.
Will Woodley
If elected, how would you help ensure the board was effective and what would you prioritise?
I can help create an effective board through consistent engagement. I have a range of experience which I can bring to help ensure frontline paramedics are being represented effectively. Prioritisation would be based on the organisational needs, although I have experience serving as a trustee and coordinating publicity/social media and IT.
How will you use your perspective, expertise and attributes to support the work of the board?
Clinically I bring experience from working in frontline ambulance trusts, primary care, urgent care and police custody, and training settings. I have a previous career in IT and experience serving as a trustee for a small charity. I can therefore bring a range of governance and clinical experience to support the college and therefore the profession
What other knowledge, skills and experience will you bring to the role of trustee?
As mentioned I feel I have a range of experience which is relevant, I have a good understanding of the trustee role having steered a charity through a period of considerable change and also completing a large technology project. I understand the time commitment and responsibility involved and I have a range of clinical and technical experience which I feel will be helpful
Steve Reiffer
If elected, how would you help ensure the board was effective and what would you prioritise?
My contribution to Board effectiveness would be through thorough preparation, careful engagement with papers and a willingness to ask considered questions when the evidence or reasoning behind a proposal requires closer examination. Effective governance relies on trustees who bring independent and constructive judgement to the table, and that is the kind of contribution I would seek to make. The College has reached a significant point in its development. Having achieved Royal College status and entering a new strategy period, the Board's role in ensuring that strategic commitments are translated into measurable outcomes becomes increasingly important. I would want to support the Board in having the information and frameworks it needs to assess progress and provide effective oversight of the executive - not as a check on ambition, but as the foundation for sustained and well-governed growth. My second priority would be supporting the College's connection to actual frontline paramedic practice. The College's role as a professional body is distinct from that of a trade union, and that clarity of purpose is something I regard as a genuine strength. Within that, I believe there is ongoing value in ensuring that members across the UK, including those working in operational roles, feel well represented by and engaged with the College. Sustaining that connection will be important as the profession continues to mature and the College's scope continues to expand.
How will you use your perspective, expertise and attributes to support the work of the board?
I have served as a liaison for the College across two workplaces, most recently within the Scottish Ambulance Service. In that role I have sought to go beyond maintaining a noticeboard. When newly qualified paramedics joined my station without the opportunity to meet professional representatives during induction, I took steps to facilitate those connections - introducing new starters to the distinct purposes of professional bodies, explaining what College membership offers in practice and providing local points of contact. Regular conversations with colleagues on shift about professional representation and membership have given me a practical understanding of how the College is perceived and experienced by members at the frontline. I have also worked as a dedicated NQP Mentor Paramedic and as a Practice Educator for students on placement, both of which required translating the expectations and standards of the profession to those entering it. That experience of connecting professional frameworks to everyday clinical reality is one I believe is directly relevant to how a trustee considers the effect of strategic decisions on the membership. I hold current paramedic registration in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, each under a distinct regulatory framework and professional standards regime. Maintaining fitness to practise across three jurisdictions requires active engagement with different approaches to professional standards, continuing development and regulatory compliance. It has given me a comparative perspective on how professional bodies function, how standards are defined and enforced, and how the relationship between a regulator and a professional body operates in different systems. I believe that perspective has genuine value at Board level in an organisation that sets professional standards and increasingly engages with international developments in paramedicine. I am also proficient in four languages, which reflects the international professional background I would bring to the role. My perspective is that of a practising paramedic who is also closely engaged with the organisational structures that support the profession. I would aim to bring that grounded viewpoint to Board discussions in a way that is constructive and properly oriented towards the College's interests.
What other knowledge, skills and experience will you bring to the role of trustee?
I have direct experience of charity governance at board level. I served on the board of an Australian health services charity and contributed to the development of its governance framework and ensuring compliance with the requirements of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. That experience gave me a practical understanding of the legal and regulatory obligations that sit with charity trustees, the discipline of financial oversight, and the relationship between a board and its executive. I have also served as a Board Member of a not-for-profit organisation in the state New South Wales, which gave me further grounding in governance within the third sector.
Alongside board-level experience, I served as a member of the Human Research Ethics Committee at a university in Australia's national capital, which required rigorous scrutiny of research proposals against ethical and regulatory standards - a form of structured critical analysis directly relevant to the review of Board papers and strategic proposals. Through one of my previous appointments, I completed a Certificate in Governance and have been a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Community Practice and Governance since 2009.
Within my clinical career I have engaged with quality improvement processes, through completing QI training with both YAS and SAS and have contributed to service development discussions and projects. I have also deployed operationally during nationally significant disaster responses, working within formal incident management structures and compliance frameworks under sustained pressure. That experience of maintaining governance and operational discipline in resource-constrained and high-stakes environments is one I regard as directly relevant to the judgement required of a trustee.
Taken together, my experience across charity governance, ethics oversight, quality improvement and clinical practice reflects a sustained and varied engagement with the structures and standards that underpin both professional bodies and healthcare organisations. I would bring that range, alongside a careful and analytical approach, to the responsibilities of the Board.
Jaqualine Lindridge
If elected, how would you help ensure the board was effective and what would you prioritise?
Having served my first term as Trustee for Professional Standards, I am standing for re-election with a clear sense of what I have contributed and where I can add most value in a second term. I joined the ambulance service in 2000, qualified as a paramedic in 2003, and have been a proud member of this professional body, then the British Paramedic Association, ever since. Across more than two decades, my career has spanned clinical practice, education, leadership, and quality governance. If re-elected, I would continue to prioritise two areas where the College needs sustained focus: leadership development and professional standards and regulation. My commitment to these areas is long-standing and grounded in practice. A Master’s in Medical Ethics and Law built my foundation in professional ethics and standards. A Darzi Fellowship in Clinical Leadership took me into clinical commissioning, broadening my perspective beyond the ambulance service. In 2014, I became Consultant Paramedic at LAS, before progressing to Director of Quality, leading Trust-wide continuous improvement. I am now Chief Paramedic Officer at South East Coast Ambulance Service, an executive board member accountable for education, professional standards, clinical development and advancing practice. My Professional Doctorate examined decision-making in the context of restraint. Its findings echo wider research: paramedics experience significant professional vulnerability, underscoring why strong leadership development and robust professional standards must remain at the heart of the College’s work. I would continue to act as a critical friend to the College executive and staff, drawing on my practical experience, credibility, and academic credentials. I believe excess fitness-to-practise self-referrals are, in significant part, a leadership issue, and I will remain a fierce advocate for our professional expertise while championing the leadership development programmes our workforce needs.
How will you use your perspective, expertise and attributes to support the work of the board?
As Director of Quality at LAS, I managed a substantial governance portfolio spanning risk management, regulatory compliance, and assurance. Nearly two years as a Trustee of the College has added direct familiarity with charity governance requirements. I understand both frameworks and how to operate effectively within them. Beyond my time on the College and Royal College of Paramedics Board, I have served on two NHS Ambulance Service Boards, most recently as a voting executive director at SECAmb. I bring first-hand experience of decision-making at the highest levels of accountability and understand the weight of responsibility Trustees carry: to make balanced, well-informed decisions with the charity’s purpose and its members’ voice at heart. As a member of the SECAmb Trust Board of Directors, Quality and Patient Safety Committee, and People Committee, I regularly make decisions on resource allocation, long-term strategy, and compliance, and I have significant experience scrutinising board papers and providing the rigorous check and challenge that good governance demands. This breadth of experience has given me a clear-eyed understanding of what board accountability demands: the discipline to ensure decisions are evidence-based and properly resourced, and the courage to support and challenge colleagues in equal measure. I am committed to continuing to bring that rigour to the College Board.
What other knowledge, skills and experience will you bring to the role of trustee?
I bring a career-long passion for professional development and progression in paramedicine. One of my proudest achievements was leading the introduction of an Advanced Paramedic Practitioner in Urgent Care role at LAS. Delivered on a shoestring budget by a small but determined team, the pilot generated the evidence needed to secure significant expansion, demonstrating that ambition and resourcefulness, not just investment, can drive lasting change.
I now serve as Co-Chair of the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC), the first paramedic to hold this role. This is a meaningful milestone for our profession: a signal that paramedics are shapers of our own clinical standards, not merely recipients of them.
I continue to practise clinically across Kent, Surrey and Sussex, keeping me grounded in the realities of frontline paramedic work in an ambulance service. I am an active member of the SECAmb Gen Network and a committed advocate for diversity and inclusion, leading initiatives that benefit both staff and patients.
I Chair the College Honours and Awards Committee, working with the College Governance Team to refresh and strengthen how we make decisions on College Honours and ensuring the process is rigorous, fair, and reflective of the breadth of our profession.
As a past College representative to the Academic Committee of the Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine at the Royal College of Physicians, I developed the skills to represent paramedicine credibly across professional boundaries, bringing insight into forensic and custody practice settings. I have also contributed to the paramedic literature through book chapters and peer-reviewed articles.
Three years with NHS Improvement as part of the national Emergency Care Improvement Support Team (ECIST) took me across ambulance trusts, acute trusts, and arm’s-length bodies nationally, improving patient flow at the urgent and emergency care interface. Working with senior managers and clinicians across England, I built a credible, national network of relationships I continue to draw on and which I can deploy in service of the College’s engagement with members, employers, and policymakers.
I bring over two decades of clinical, leadership, and governance experience, rooted in clinical practice and focused on the future of the paramedic profession. I would be proud to continue serving as your Trustee.
Simon Tutt
If elected, how would you help ensure the board was effective and what would you prioritise?
If elected, I would encourage the board to continue the great work that has happened for our profession to date. This would include some key topics that I feel will drive our profession forward and I believe are of the utmost importance for Paramedics currently. These include; (1) Continuing to push for legislative changes to both Paramedic medicines exemptions for front line Paramedics and continue to strive towards full CD prescribing rights for Paramedic independent prescribers. (2) Work with the college to promote Advanced Paramedic Practice and develop recommendations for defining the minimum level of clinical standard required for a clinician to be defined as working at advanced practice level. Encourage engagement with other stakeholders to promote the exceptional patient care and benefits of Advanced Paramedic practice especially in the current climate of challenge to the role. (3) Support the college to continue engaging with NHS ambulance services to combat rising poor mental health and high role attrition, by encouraging education and development and the creation of a supportive workplace, and culture of positive mental well-being across workforces.
How will you use your perspective, expertise and attributes to support the work of the board?
Throughout my training from undergraduate, specialist and now advanced clinical practice, I have been fortunate to experience a breadth of high quality education, mentorship, and clinical exposure. Working alongside experts has shaped a clinical scope that enables me to practise confidently alongside medical colleagues in Emergency Medicine. My career demonstrates the capability of the paramedic profession to progress into senior, highly specialist roles traditionally associated with medical pathways. Now practising at this level, I am committed to supporting others to develop their own clinical potential and to championing the continued evolution of our profession. Serving as a College trustee would provide the opportunity to influence change at a strategic level and contribute meaningfully to the future direction of paramedic practice in the UK. One area I am particularly passionate about is the quality and diversity of clinical placements. I have seen first-hand how transformative specialist placements can be, yet I frequently hear from students who feel their experiences lack value. I believe there is significant opportunity to work collaboratively with universities, trusts, and national stakeholders to enhance placement design, widen access to specialist environments, and embed guidance that helps students maximise their learning. This work would directly support the development of a confident, capable future workforce. Alongside my clinical and educational experience, I have demonstrated my commitment to professional development through co creating a UK paramedic and pre hospital care podcast, providing free, open access education to colleagues. I would bring this same passion, energy, and strategic focus to the role of trustee.
What other knowledge, skills and experience will you bring to the role of trustee?
I will bring a broad blend of clinical, educational, and strategic experience to the role of trustee. As a dual‑credentialed Advanced Clinical Practitioner in Emergency Medicine with RCEM, working across both adult and paediatric practice, I am accustomed to operating in complex, high‑stakes environments where sound judgement, accountability, and evidence‑based decision‑making are essential. This clinical breadth gives me a balanced understanding of frontline realities, system pressures, and the diverse needs of patients and clinicians.
Alongside my clinical role, I have extensive experience as an educator, curriculum designer, and mentor. As an ALS, EPALS, and ETC instructor, I contribute to the development of multidisciplinary teams, promote high standards of practice, and support colleagues to grow in confidence and competence. These roles have strengthened my ability to communicate clearly, facilitate learning, and foster psychologically safe environments—skills that translate directly into effective board‑level collaboration.
Above all else, I have a strong passion and commitment to promoting high levels of clinical knowledge, education, autonomous practice and drive to developing the Paramedic profession to maximise its potential. I want to support the board and members of the college to have a voice that advocates for Paramedics, promoting the Royal College’s mission and the needs of the wider paramedic community. I would approach the trustee role with integrity, curiosity, and a strong sense of collective responsibility.
David Davis
If elected, how would you help ensure the board was effective and what would you prioritise?
I have worked with multiple boards and gained significant experience of what constitutes effective board working. As lead governor of an NHS ambulance trust, I learned what it means to be a critical friend of assurance, whilst supporting board unity through appraisal, assessment, and sympathetic scrutiny of the chair and non-executive directors. Unitary board functioning is enabled by breadth and diversity of views, complemented by thoughtful challenge. As a former trustee of a CQC-registered air ambulance charity, I appreciate that legal responsibility rests with trustees, whilst the day-to-day business is managed by directors and senior managers. A functioning board requires excellent communication, trust and clarity amongst members and stakeholders. My experience across sub-board committees and public sector boards places me in a strong position to contribute effectively within the Royal College of Paramedics. This significant role requires someone who can work with people, patients, politicians and professionals whilst holding the views of members. I have extensive experience in representative leadership at a strategic level, implementing national policies and influencing stakeholders in government, national organisations and professional bodies. My two priorities are strengthening diversity — in people and practice — and enabling productivity and efficiency within the College. This will encompass: Supporting board members in partnership with the Chair, building team relationships and appreciating each other's qualities and strengths; Working with members to understand changes and support needed to optimise board functioning; Planning future board membership aligned to the eight principles to address the diversity deficit; Contributing to governance review, strategy development, scrutiny and assurance.
How will you use your perspective, expertise and attributes to support the work of the board?
I have chaired multiple diverse groups within organisations and across systems and professions, and pride myself on a kind, inclusive and authentic approach. I enact a trauma-informed approach that ensures every voice is heard, respects the uniqueness individuals bring, and thoughtfully manages challenging behaviours — ensuring business is conducted with dignity. I always seek consensus, though in the unlikely event of a casting vote, I would act altruistically and in the interest of the profession at all times. Working with people is my passion, and I will empower a collegiate approach across all leadership roles within the College, ensuring issues are escalated appropriately and conflicts of interest identified and managed. Having worked in multiple senior leadership roles in governance and people management across the NHS, Arm's Length Bodies and the Department of Health, together with strategic workforce development, I bring this experience to support and advise the College and its leaders. More recently I have supported the development of future NHS executives in neuro-inclusion as a coach with lived experience. I have represented the profession extensively with policymakers, government departments, all-party parliamentary groups, select committees and through ministerial engagement, alongside extensive press and media experience. Our ability to lobby will be crucial to the future development and extension of paramedic practice. To this I bring experience as a former College regional representative, mental health lead, stroke lead and Director of Communications — demonstrating a breadth of engagement with paramedics and the wider system that I am eager to apply in this role.
What other knowledge, skills and experience will you bring to the role of trustee?
I joined the paramedic profession in 2001 after witnessing first-hand care delivered to my partner and unborn child — who is now a paramedic. I am passionate about being a paramedic as both leader and clinician, and like many colleagues, have witnessed and benefited from the professional transformation and social mobilisation that has defined our profession.
Today, as a Chief Clinical Information Officer, I occupy an NHS executive-level position in a novel and increasingly important area of clinical practice. Through roles as former clinical director, Deputy CMO/Director of an Integrated Care Board, bank ambulance paramedic, expert witness and within College activities, I bring knowledge of clinical practice, policymaking, system development, transformation, commissioning and strategy. I also bring expertise as a clinical informatician — a Fellow of the Faculty of the British Computer Society and NHS Digital Academy Programme Master's graduate.
I am committed to building an inclusive organisation and profession. I have lived experience of inequality and discrimination and continue to face challenges as a carer. Witnessing my children experience racism — both as a paramedic and student paramedic — and recognising gaps in cultural clinical competence, I have championed diversity and chaired a staff network around disability and carers.
Now is the time for increased focus on professional identity, supervision, patient care and maximising opportunities and rewards for paramedics, with sexual safety as a key priority. I will bring my authentic, enthusiastic self to humbly represent and support our Royal College with passion, honesty and commitment.
Giles Adams
If elected, how would you help ensure the board was effective and what would you prioritise?
As a Paramedic of over 25 years, I have seen the profession develop beyond recognition. We are seeing the unique skill set and relentless patient focus of the modern Paramedic, valued and deployed in wide and diverse settings. However, we also see rising activity and complexity increase the pressure on our profession and the resulting exhaustion and detrimental effects this can have on the physical and mental health of our members. The Royal College needs to be the exemplar of professional leadership, providing constructive challenge and support both internally and externally. The Royal College should also seek to understand, acknowledge, and influence change in all matters that affect the future of the profession. I have been fulfilling the role of Trustee and Honorary Treasurer for the Royal College of Paramedics for the last two years. During this time, I have overseen several key initiatives including the resolution of historic VAT registration, the setting up of COPLE, scrutiny of the colleges management accounts and presenting them at the AGM and in partnership with our president and chair, carried out the CEO’s annual appraisals. I am in support of the Royal College seeking a lay trustee with significant financial and business skills to take over the financial baton. This would allow me to be more actively involved in the wider scope of activities that the board is involved in. Going forward following a handover to the new treasurer, I would focus on supporting the key strategic goals of the Royal College It has been an honour to be a trustee during the period where the College has achieved Royal status thanks to the hard work of so many people. This allows us to have greater autonomy and be seen as equal partners with the other Royal Colleges. I will support the teams work to increase our membership numbers and actively get involved in the work to make the College the recognised body to set the paramedic education syllabus. It is essential that the Royal College continues to build on all the excellent work it carries out in many areas, particularly helping to shape national strategy and policy that affect the profession and in forging strong links and a clean evidence-based voice across the NHS, along with the support to its members including mental health, wellbeing, professional practice, education, equality diversity and inclusion. I like to use a coaching approach in all my roles drawing on my professional qualification as an executive coach. This is a continued opportunity for me to give something back to the profession that has given me so much and I believe that I still have the drive, commitment, common sense, and strategic decision-making skills to enhance the wide variety of skills already present in the College.
How will you use your perspective, expertise and attributes to support the work of the board?
I currently work for NHS England as a head of improvement working with challenged organisations to find financially viable quality improvement solutions to complex patient flow problems. Previously I progressed to a senior position within the ambulance service having held a variety of operational leadership roles and for five years was an associate director of quality. I have a strong understanding of good organisational governance, the scrutiny and constructive challenge that is needed to make sound decisions and am experienced at chairing key meetings in a psychologically safe to ensure I always bring the best out of colleagues supporting their continuous development. My abilities have been developed both through my various employed roles, two years as a trustee and as a governor for a mental health trust. This is an opportunity for me to continue giving back to the profession that has given me so much and I believe that I have the drive, commitment, common sense, and strategic decision-making skills to enhance the wide variety of skills already present in the College. Having developed a strong working relationship with the College Board and Trustees it would be mutually beneficial to continue supporting the ongoing workstreams and provide a degree of consistency and continuity as we work towards the vision and strategic objectives.
What other knowledge, skills and experience will you bring to the role of trustee?
Having spent the last two years as a trustee I have developed further skills and insights which I would want to further invest into the Royal College. I previously served as a governor, a role comparable to trustee, for the maximum nine years at a mental health trust. During this time, I worked closely with the Board especially in areas of quality, staff wellbeing, charitable income, equality diversity & inclusion and governance. I had the opportunity to work with one of the NHS's leading chief executives, whom I still contact now as she leads an integrated care board.
I have recently had the misfortune to be the victim of a traumatic road traffic accident when hit by a driver who had fallen asleep. This has given me lived experience of the amazing care provided by our profession and reinforced why I wish to continue to be a trustee and support the strategic aims of the profession. This has also emphasised an area of risk for the profession given long shifts and night working and I would like to support any work that the College could do to shorten shifts and reduce the risk of excessive tiredness, something that on reflection, I know that I and many of my colleagues have experienced.
Benjamin Haselwood
If elected, how would you help ensure the board was effective and what would you prioritise?
I hold the position of Head of Educational Practice & Systems Partnerships within a large NHS Trust and am your current Trustee for Education. My experience spans clinical, operational and regional tactical leadership roles, including chairing and representation across governance committee, board-level and strategic tiers. Plus, an NHSE systems / ICS leadership secondment developing, embedding and enhancing the authority of the Paramedic profession. Pertinent to Board effectiveness, my interests focus on human factors, clinical leadership development and strategic transformational change. I am Chair of two Royal College governance, assurance and accountability groups / committees, responsible for ensuring Board effectiveness. This commitment complements the principles of Trustee public life evidenced within my practise and credibility – where both my NHS and Trustee positions demand upholding transparency in decision-making, judgement and overarching objectivity and accountability. I appreciate integrity and honesty and advocate work on equity and diversity issues within charity leadership. My ability to motivate, influence multi-professional collaborations, and drive transformational change are essential here and demonstrated throughout my scholarly activity and current tenure. Maintaining stability and momentum with its new Royal Status is a key Board priority as we move into this new period and development our future strategy. It is incumbent on us to ensure our profession continues to be progressive and exert greater influence and impact across the ICS, AHP and NHSE spheres. The single enabler we need to prioritise to ensure momentum, impact and longevity, is closer engagement and collaboration with both our current and potential membership tranches.
How will you use your perspective, expertise and attributes to support the work of the board?
In close alliance with associate Directorates, this Trustee role will continue to be a catalyst to nurture, refine and cascade this unified vision for the benefit of the wider profession and healthcare sector. Drawing on my experience of complex systems leadership whilst navigating a dynamically evolving landscape, my repertoire of skills, attributes and acumen can be quickly applied and tailored here – each essential for maintaining momentum, stability and harmony with current Royal College workstreams. From a uniquely personal perspective, this will be further enhanced from having known and worked alongside key post-holders for nearly two decades. As such, I recognise the importance of constructive challenge to complement peers’ domain expertise, yet sensitively ensure the critical obligations of the impartial Trustee lens are upheld. As evidenced during my past two-year Trustee tenure, I provide Congress assurance and confidence via my character and intrinsic drivers being a “known entity”. Knowing colleagues across all elements of the Congress tripartite provides me a deep level of professional history. The benefits of these established inter-personal networks will support welcoming new colleagues and forming high-performing team dynamics to deliver outcomes. Furthermore, key in strengthening the Royal College and fulfilling our vision, is the continued engagement and voluntary benevolence of our members across all tiers. From my long-held Liaison role, I have a valuable appreciation of this. Further augmented from extensive research and engagements during my 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 candidacies for Chair of the Paramedic Council, Trustee, Representative, and Associate Head of roles.
What other knowledge, skills and experience will you bring to the role of trustee?
My NHS and Royal College portfolios deliver workstreams at a granular level with tangible improvements felt by learners, clinicians, leaders and patients; plus cultural growth across the Paramedic profession at national strategic levels. It forms an advocacy and enabler for the next generation of Paramedic leaders who will continue our legacy and the profession’s trajectory. I hold strong values, behaviours and an ethos – leading with compassion, integrity and a unified vision. My innovative concepts enabled our leadership team to thrive at delivering key national / strategic clinical workstreams against unprecedented challenges. My preliminary findings formed a conceptual paradigm presented at our Royal College’s International Education Conference, and an evolved iteration at the AACE Ambulance Leadership Forum.
I continue to evolve my theoretical and experiential learning developed via my NHS leadership coaching and mentoring. My personal insight, impact and adaptability as a senior leader and charity trustee is further refined by my NHS Leadership Academy award in senior healthcare leadership and my voluntary role as NHSE Clinical Senate Assembly Member. Combined with this second term, it will augment that fulfilment and provide a strong influence for our professional family. Ultimately holding the Royal College’s ethos, interests and future aspirations at our core as we navigate our new strategic journey.
In summary, I continue to provide the knowledge, skills, experience, credibility and voluntary time commitment to further the Royal College’s strategic objectives; supported by an altruistic drive, and an aligned vision via the critical lens the position of Trustee demands.