Our Strategic Advisory Board

Our Board

Mark Smith, Vice Chair

Mark Smith is an Independent Consulting Chartered Scientist and Chartered Chemist.

"I have always been interested in patient safety and the effects of medication and I am a patient and public voice member of the National Patient Safety Response Advisory Panel.

Prior to moving to Barnsley, I was significantly involved in patient and public involvement for mental health in Essex. I believe passionately in parity of access for people with mental health conditions as those with physical health conditions. I also believe that it is a right that residence of Barnsley should have access to the best possible health and social care. I hope that my work as Vice Chair with Healthwatch Barnsley will help in this."

Tony Alcock JP

Tony has lived in the Barnsley Borough all his life and is married with two adult children and one grandson.

Until recently Tony was a Public Governor and Chair of the Patients and Access sub-group at Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Self-Employed, Tony is also a Magistrate on the Barnsley Bench and is a
former Vice-Chair of South Yorkshire Credit Union.

He was an Area Committee member at the Co-operative group, served eleven years as a Board member at Berneslai Homes and was a Standards Committee member of South Yorkshire Police Authority.

More recently, Tony is a member of the NHS Clinical Senate for Yorkshire &
Humber, and a Patient / Public rep. for Patient Safety at NHS Improvement. Tony is also a Lay Reviewer for the National Institute for Health Research at NHS England.

Tony believes the people of Barnsley deserve access to the highest quality health and social care available.

Margaret  Baker

I've been working in health and social care for several years as a volunteer. I have a particular interest in the areas of safeguarding, older people and carers, the latter of which I can safely say that I am an expert by experience, being a full time carer.

I'm proud to have a seat on the Healthwatch Barnsley Strategic Advisory Board and I look forward to future work with my colleagues to help to improve services for people living in the area.

Margaret Lindquist

I trained in psychiatric and general nursing, working mainly with dementia sufferers then became a manager in care homes and in home care.

Whilst working I did a degree and then retrained as a teacher for adults teaching social care in Rotherham and Barnsley, before retiring because of the effects of cancer treatment.

I am a volunteer in a cancer charity and a local primary school.
Being involved in Healthwatch gives me an opportunity to help ensure high standards of care in Barnsley, especially for the elderly mentally ill.

Christine Key

I am a former GP Surgery Manager and enjoyed working within the NHS for almost 23 years, before leaving to become a full-time carer for my elderly parents. I am passionate about health services, and want to ensure that the people of Barnsley receive the best possible care, in terms of both medical treatment and customer services.

Having had a parent who suffered from Alzheimer's Disease, I have a keen interest in issues surrounding Dementia, and have recently been appointed chair of the local Dementia Action Alliance which is a national organisation promoting Dementia friendly community. 

Ian Guest

Ian has lived in Barnsley all his life, but has worked across Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster. He was a member of the AIDS PAG before it was disbanded and worked for the former Community Health Council and was a local elected councillor for 9 Years (1999 - 2008).

Ian was instrumental in helping to set up the Barnsley Foodbank Partnership, and is currently the Treasurer. He worked for Barnsley Citizens Advice Bureau for ten years and then helped to establish a very successful credit union for 11 years and had the position of CEO before taking early retirement to start caring for his parents.

During this time Ian came across many people suffering the stresses of life living on low incomes and struggling to keep going.

Ian’s mother had Parkinson’s disease which led to Lewy Bodies Dementia and she also suffered falls which led to a broken hip and the need for care. Ian’s father is elderly and suffered a broken hip and has limited mobility. He also cares for an elderly lady with learning difficulties who struggles to get assistance from formal support services. Ian is a volunteer for ICAS and assists people who have experienced problems with health and social care services. Ian also volunteers for the British Red Cross and Refugee Council which brings him into contact with asylum seekers and refugees.

Ian is also a member of the LGBT forum and therefore has regular contact with the LGBT community.

As an active member of the community Ian feels that he has contact with many people who use the health and social care services in Barnsley and who need to be represented.

Wendy Hardcastle

I am a retired Nursing Lecturer and have worked as student, Staff Nurse and Ward Sister before becoming a Nurse Teacher, retiring from nursing in 2005. I have worked predominantly in Barnsley and South Yorkshire and this has given me insight into people's health needs in the area.

My experience of caring is two fold being through my work and also my family life. Like many other people I supported my elderly parents and then later my husband. I am a mother of two but unfortunately my elder son died in 2010, after being totally dependent since suffering meningitis in infancy. This resulted in him having complex medical needs for all his 45 years.

With these life experiences in nursing and family care I understand the impact and the difficulties families face on a daily basis, and the necessity for a strong health and social care system and the many advantages this can give to families in our community.

I have been involved in voluntary work ever since I retired and see Healthwatch as a natural continuation of my background in healthcare. As a member of the Strategic Advisory Board I hope to continue to contribute to the improvement of health and social care of all the people of Barnsley.