Our trustees

Deborah has worked as a manager and Chief Executive in the NHS for 35 years. She was Primary Care Trust Chief Executive in Bristol, working closely with the City Council with many third sector organisations. Within the last five years, Deborah was Managing Director of the West of England Academic Health Science Network, an NHS funded body whose role is to stimulate innovation in the NHS and to spread best practice in care. She has personal experience of dementia care and has a direct connection with Brunelcare services through her father who lives in one of our care homes. Deborah was appointed at Chair of Trustees in January 2019.

Ian is a Chartered Accountant. He has worked in a number of organisations in a Non-Executive Director (“NED”), Executive, Trustee and advisory capacity. He is currently Deputy Chief Executive and Finance Director of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) which represents Finance Professionals within the NHS. He is also a NED at Devon Partnership NHS Trust the NHS Mental Health Trust based Exeter, a Trustee at RICE a Charity researching into the Care of the Elderly and a trustee of the Healthcare Supply Association (HCSA), a membership organisation for procurement professionals in the NHS.

Nick has spent most of his career in local government, but has also worked in the voluntary and private sectors. His background is in housing development and in the nearly 30 years he spent with Bristol City Council – the last 12 as Director of Housing Solutions – he developed expertise in homelessness, private housing renewal, commissioning, strategy and policy development as well as organisational development.

Phil is a partner in Hope Consultancy and Training that works with health and social care organisations to help them navigate the changing landscape of the health and care landscape; and to develop excellent and sustainable care services for older people.  He is also visiting professor at the Institute for Global Health Innovation at Imperial College, London and chaired the Imperial College report ‘Creating Sustainable Health and Care Systems in Ageing Societies’. Phil is a former Member of Parliament (1997-2010) and served in a number of Ministerial roles with responsibilities for local government, skills, charities, social enterprise and social finance. As Minister of State for Care Services his work included development of the White Paper ‘Building a National Care Service’, the National Dementia Strategy, the National Mental Health Strategy ‘New Horizons’, and the National Autism Strategy.  

Tony, an octogenarian and great grandfather, became a tenant of Brunelcare in 2013. His career background includes extensive engineering risk management on behalf of clients such as Network Rail,  Dublin LUAS tram main contractor, MoD Navy and suppliers such as BAe Filton. He also ran a recruitment agency, followed by practice as a counsellor and group facilitator. Tony also volunteers as a Trustee with Bristol Older People's Forum, as a youth mentor with 1625 Independent People, a board member with Driving and Mobility West of England, and is a community navigator with Bristol Community Health.

Harry has been on the boards of numerous companies and organisations for 25 years. His experience spans the NHS, the charity sector, national and local government, academia, regulation and the music industry. He has travelled extensively with his work, leading large-scale transformation, restructuring, merger, acquisition, closure and change programmes. He has specialist experience in HR and organisation design and development.

Kate has worked in social housing for around 15 years. Her career has covered rent and service charge management for small and medium housing associations in London and Bath. Kate has carried out previous trustee roles with Bristol based housing associations and so has a good understanding of what the role requires.