Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin Appoints Two New Co-Chairs to Champion Local Voices

News - 7 August 2025

Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin is proud to announce the appointment of two new Co-Chairs, a move that reinforces our commitment to amplifying the voices of local residents at a time of national uncertainty. Despite recent announcements regarding the future of Healthwatch, our mission remains unchanged: to be the independent champion for people who use health and social care services in Telford.
John Terry Simon

Photo left to right- John Brewer, Terry Gee and Simon Fogell

The newly appointed Co-Chairs bring a wealth of experience, passion, and dedication to the role. Their leadership will be instrumental in guiding Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin through this transitional period, ensuring that the voices of our community continue to shape the services they rely on.

“We’re incredibly excited to welcome our new Co-Chairs,” said Liz Byrne, Managing Director of ECS on behalf of Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin. “Their appointment signals our determination to forge ahead, undeterred, and continue being the voice of the public in Telford.”

Meet the Co-Chairs:

John Brewer – John began his career as Head of Human Performance for the Football Association, at Lilleshall, and was part of Sir Bobby Robson’s backroom staff for the Italia 90 World Cup.  He left Lilleshall after 20 years to work for GlaxoSmithKline, before entering academia as a Professor of Applied Sports Science.  He held senior roles at a number of UK Universities, and headed a large educational charity, before retiring and returning to Shropshire with his wife, Caroline, a former GB Olympic Hockey player.  John has held several non-executive roles, including as Non-Executive Director of Telford and Wrekin Primary Care Trust, as a Board Member of UK Anti-Doping, and as Chair of the British Handball Association at the London 2012 Olympics.  He is currently Chair of the National Football Museum in Manchester and has made numerous appearances in the national and local media.  John is also a Trustee of the Shopshire Way Association and regularly competes in local running events.

Terry Gee – Terry is an experienced leader in the voluntary and community sector with a track record of building strategic partnerships, influencing change, and championing community voice. He is currently the VCSE Development and Commissioning Lead at Kingston Council and served as Vice Chair of Telford and Wrekin CVS. A former Chair of the Telford Chief Officers Group, Terry brings deep knowledge of system collaboration, citizen engagement, and equitable access to services.

Quotes from the Co-Chairs:

John Brewer said: “I am delighted to be joining Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin at this extremely important time, and I am looking forward to ensuring that the needs of our local population are at the heart of healthcare in Telford and Wrekin.  I have spent all my career advocating the physical and mental benefits of healthy lifestyles, and I will be working alongside Terry and all our partners to deliver the best possible services and opportunities so that residents of Telford and Wrekin can lead active, long and healthy lives.”

Terry Gee said: “I’m really pleased to be joining Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin as Co-Chair. This is a crucial time for the voice of local people to be heard loud and clear, particularly as systems shift and pressures mount. I’m looking forward to working alongside John, the Board, and the wider team to ensure Healthwatch remains an independent, trusted, and useful force for communities across Telford and Wrekin.”

Looking ahead, “Our priorities for the year ahead remain firmly rooted in listening to local people and making sure their voices are heard—especially around support for Armed Forces Veterans, and Discharge from hospital,” said Simon Fogell, Chief Executive of Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin. “We’ve seen thousands of residents share their experiences, and we’re committed to turning that feedback into meaningful change. Even in uncertain times, our role as the public’s independent voice in health and care is more vital than ever.”

Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin encourages residents to stay engaged, share their experiences, and help shape the future of health and social care in our community.

Get Involved: Join Our Board

As we continue to champion the voices of Telford and Wrekin residents, we’re also looking to strengthen our leadership by recruiting new board members. This is a fantastic opportunity for passionate individuals who want to make a difference in their local community. Whether you have professional experience in health and social care, or simply a strong desire to help others, we’d love to hear from you.

Volunteering with Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin is a chance to support meaningful change, ensure public voices are heard, and help shape the future of local services. If you're interested in joining our board or learning more, please get in touch—we’d be delighted to speak with you.

You can contact the Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin team on:

Email: info@healthwatchtelfordandwrekin.co.uk

Telephone: 01952 739540

Please sign our petition to review the decision to abolish independent local Healthwatch https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/732993 

Background

The NHS 10 Year Health plan proposes to abolish Healthwatch England and 152 local Healthwatch, and transfer functions ‘in-house’ to local authorities and NHS Integrated Care Boards once legislation has passed. This is a result of the Review of patient safety across the health and care landscape, led by Dr Penny Dash.

If this goes ahead as planned, it will remove the only collective, independent and statutory opportunity for the public to hold the NHS and social care system to account.  

Given the Dash review’s aim of “greater emphasis being placed on the patient voice”, and the aim of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan to give greater power to patients, we cannot see how this can be achieved by abolishing local Healthwatch, which has worked for the last 12 years to amplify voices which otherwise may not be heard. There has been a statutory provision of an independent service representing the public voice for over 50 years. 

 

Proposals to bring public voice functions under the control of local authorities or NHS bodies threatens to compromise the impartiality, trust, and effectiveness of these initiatives. Having an opportunity to go to an independent service for advice, help, support or to raise concerns is paramount. Independence is not optional – it is essential for transparency, accountability, and meaningful change.

 

Instead of dismantling independence, we should be strengthening it.

Local Healthwatch petition

Local Healthwatch have put together a petition calling on the government to protect the independence of local voices in health and care and we ask for your support in signing it: Keep independent services that give the public a voice in NHS and Social Care

Why is it important? 

USPs of independent public voice initiatives:

  • Being an independent critical friend – working constructively with local stakeholders, but always with the freedom to raise concerns without fear or favour. Services can’t be held to account by the same bodies that fund or manage them. Independence is essential for honest feedback and meaningful scrutiny.

 

  • Amplifying the collective voices of people at risk of health inequalities – speaking to people experiencing health inequalities and asking about the barriers to accessing services. The new plan relies heavily on individuals feeding back to the services they use. Listening to communities is essential to the successful delivery of services.

 

  • Driven by communities - based on what people with lived experience say, with no other taskmaster or agenda. Designed to be owned and governed by communities with their best interest at heart.

 

  • A bridge across sectors – people do not fit neatly into one box, they often experience and need services across multiple providers. Connecting VCSE organisations, local authorities, health services, and communities to build more integrated and inclusive services.

 

  • Independent, trusted and impartial – people want an independent service because they often lack trust and fear repercussions sharing their feedback direct with those providing their care. They find provider feedback routes difficult to navigate or have shared in the past and feel that they have not been heard.

We believe Government needs to:

  • Invest in and strengthen independent public voice
  • Engage with local Healthwatch leaders to co-design a future that puts people first
  • Recognise the role independent voice can play in supporting the three shifts outlined in the 10 year health plan– by providing constructive challenge and supporting coproduction, particularly with those communities facing the greatest health and care needs.

People need a voice in the future of health and care. This must stay independent.

Please sign and share this petition.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/732993 

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