Four leading healthcare professionals have joined the Health and Life Sciences Board for the Liverpool City Region.
Managed by the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the board sets out the development and direction of the sector, as well as driving forward the sector’s economic growth. They also support the growth of regional companies and help attract inward investment.
The new members are:
- Dr Dawn Lawson – Chief Executive, Liverpool Health Partners.
Dawn has a PhD in health psychology and a Masters in Public Administration, she has a wealth of experience working in research and innovation across academia and the NHS. - Dr Steven Powell – Chief Diagnostic Officer, Rutherford Diagnostics. Previously Steven had a successful career as a doctor at the Royal Liverpool Hospital, he has progressed through several medical leadership and healthcare management roles. He is now developing diagnostic services across the UK.
- Nicola Wilson – Chief of Staff, Northern Health Science Alliance. A qualified Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, Nicola has 15 years’ experience of service design and leadership of further and higher education mental health and wellbeing services. She has also previously lead a team of NHS health professionals working in collaboration between the North of England and regions across Europe.
- Cliff Kirby – Chief Executive Officer, CAL International & NeedleSmart. Cliff has spent his career in the world of engineering, innovation and product development. Cliff has several business interests across the Liverpool City Region – starting his career as a Design Engineer, Cliff is the CEO of CAL International (a Design and Development Engineering Consultancy), he is also the founder and CEO of NeedleSmart – a unique and innovative product/s addressing the immediate issues around sharps injury and disposal.
The Health and Life Sciences Sector is critically important to the Liverpool City Region and is one of the key growth sectors identified in the City Region’s Growth Strategy, which is central to driving sustained development of the economy over the coming decades.
This is based on the region’s distinctive assets which includes one of the largest biomanufacturing clusters in the world; Sci-Tech Daresbury; the Liverpool Knowledge Quarter (including the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University and the Royal Liverpool Hospital) and the redeveloped Alder Hey Hospital.
The Health and Life Sciences sector currently contributes approximately £4.5bn into the local economy and provides jobs for over 125,000 people (20%) of the city region workforce.
Dr Steven Powell, said: “I am delighted to join this board which provides crucial guidance and drive for this vital sector. I hope my experience in both the public and private sector plus the development of a life science business will assist the board, alongside the links I have to numerous healthcare organisations across the region including hospitals, academic groups and research agencies.”
Nicola Wilson, commented: “The figures show just how important this sector is to the future prosperity of the city region. I’m confident my background in engagement and collaboration within the NHS as well as my current role with the Northern Health Science Alliance, will provide real support to enhance the global competitiveness of our growing sector.”
Dr Dawn Lawson, said: “I am very pleased to be part of this board, growing the capacity and capability of Liverpool to design and deliver health research to improve the outcomes of the people of Liverpool”
Full board list:
- Peter Timmins (Chair)
- Bernard Ross, CEO & Founder, Sky Medical Technology
- Simon Bryson, Director, Proveca
- Dave Burrows, Founder, Damibu
- Steve Powell, Chief Diagnostic Officer, Rutherford Diagnostics
- Cliff Kirby, Chief Exceutive Officer, Needlesmart
- Geoff Davison, Chief Executive Officer, Bionow
- Kevin Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, Medilink North of England
- Lorna Green, Chief Operating Officer, Innovation Agency
- Dawn Lawson, Chief Executive, Liverpool Health Partners
- Aiden Kehoe, Chief Executive, Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Anthony Hollander, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Impact, University of Liverpool
- Robin Leatherbarrow, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Liverpool John Moores University
- Seth Crofts, Dean – Faculty of Health and Social Care, Edge Hill University
- Peter Winstanley, Director of Strategic Projects, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
- Colin Sinclair, Chief Executive, Liverpool Knowledge Quarter
- Sue Higginson, Principal, Wirral Met College
- Margaret Carney, Chief Executive, Sefton Council
- Matt Biagetti, Investment Manager, Invest Liverpool
- Nicola Wilson, Chief of Staff, Northern Health Science Alliance