Karen Tomlinson
Chairman
East Midlands Ambulance Service
Key facts
Karen joined EMAS as a Non-Executive Director in August 2014, and was appointed to the role of Chairman, starting a two-year initial term on 1 August 2022.
She has worked in most healthcare settings throughout her 45 years career within the NHS, starting her career as a nurse, and progressing to various senior management posts including Executive Nurse, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Operations.
Karen has been a Specialist Advisor with the Care Quality Commission since 2014 and led the implementation of the North Nottinghamshire Covid Programme during 2020/2021, when she returned to frontline duties as Deputy Operations Director for the North Nottinghamshire sites
Richard Henderson
Chief Executive
East Midlands Ambulance Service
Key facts
Richard joined the Ambulance Service in 1996. He is a qualified paramedic and has extensive experience having held clinical and operational senior managerial roles including as a divisional director for EMAS' Lincolnshire Division, and Director of Operations for EMAS. In March 2016 Richard became the EMAS Acting Chief Executive and the Chief Executive in October 2017.
Peter Strachan
Chairman
North East Ambulance Service Foundation Trust
Key facts
Peter Strachan joined NEAS as Chair in May 2018. A graduate of Durham University, Peter returns to the North East from Scotland to join the ambulance service after a career in the railway industry, latterly as chairman of UK Rail and managing director of the Caledonian Sleeper for Serco PLC. He has also served in senior roles with Network Rail and the Department for Transport. He has strong links and family ties to the north east region.
Helen Ray
Chief Executive
North East Ambulance Service Foundation Trust
Key facts
Helen joined the organisation from Northumbria Healthcare, where she was the Chief Operating Officer since that post was formed in July 2018, overseeing urgent and emergency care, medicine, child health and community services with Board level responsibility and emergency planning and preparedness. Helen has previously been joint managing executive director (operations) for North Cumbria acute and community services; deputy chief executive for North Cumbria University Hospitals and Chief Operating Officer for South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust. She trained as a nurse and has held a professional registration for 30 years.
Peter White
Chairman
North West Ambulance Service
Key facts
Peter was Vice Chairman and Non-Executive Director of NWAS for 4 years before being appointed as Chairman. As a Non-Executive Director he held specific responsibility for performance and quality as well as leading on behalf of the Board on EPRR (Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response).
From the Ribble Valley in Lancashire, Peter has enjoyed a varied career policing all areas of Lancashire before being promoted to senior positions including Head of Uniform Operations, Commander of Preston Division, leading on the force’s corporate change programme and finally Assistant Chief Constable responsible for the People portfolio.
Daren Mochrie
Chief Executive
North West Ambulance Service
Key facts
Daren Mochrie, commenced his role as Chief Executive of NWAS on 1 April 2019 and became Chairman of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) on 1 August 2020.
Daren has over 32 years’ experience in the NHS, over 29 years of which have been in the ambulance sector. Prior to his role with NWAS Daren was Chief Executive Officer of the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and prior to that held a number of executive director and senior management positions with the Scottish Ambulance Service.
He is a registered paramedic who has undertaken additional qualifications such as a Diploma in Immediate Medical Care, RCSEd and a Masters in Business Administration.
Daren has a wealth of experience working with other emergency services, 3rd sector and other agencies to deliver care to patients in their local communities.
Martin Havenhand
Chair
Yorkshire Ambulance Service
Key facts
Martin Havenhand joined the Trust Board as Chair on 1 April 2023 and is a very experienced Chair and Non-Executive Director having served on many public, private and voluntary sector boards. Recently he has completed three terms of office as Chair of the Rotherham NHS FT. He also brings a wealth of experience of the Yorkshire & Humber region having been Chief Executive of Yorkshire Forward, as well as being a local authority chief executive operating at board level for over 30 years. Martin is values driven, a champion for equality, diversity and inclusion and a lifelong learner.
Peter Reading
Chief Executive
Yorkshire Ambulance Service
Key facts
Peter joined Yorkshire Ambulance NHS Trust in June 2023 as Interim Chief Executive and took the substantive role in January 2024. Previously he was the Chief Executive at North Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLaG). Peter is a very experienced NHS leader, having worked in (or with, as a management consultant) the NHS for nearly 40 years, 23 years as a Trust Chief Executive. Peter was CEO of the University Hospitals of Leicester for 7 years, during which time three trusts merged into the then second largest trust in England, leading it to achieve the highest rating of 3 Stars for five years running. He is also Co-Chair of the Disabled NHS Directors Network.