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Executive Directors

Our trust has seven Executive Directors, Paul Scott (Chief Executive), Alex Green, Dr Milind KaraleTrevor Smith, Nigel Leonard, Frances Bolger who all hold their own portfolios. Zephan Trent and Denver Greenhalgh sit on our board as non voting members:

Paul Scott - Chief Executive

Paul was appointed Chief Executive of EPUT in September 2020, having previously been Chief Financial Officer at Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, where he also led system development and integration.

Paul has extensive experience at board level and across the NHS. He held the position of Chief Financial Officer at Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust, where he also led system development and integration. Prior to this he was Executive Director of Finance, Strategy and Performance at Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust, where he was responsible for leading long-term partnerships as well as information and IT.

He previously held senior roles in the East of England Ambulance Service and at Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust. Paul is motivated by improving the way our health and care services work in partnership to deliver improvements to the services we provide.

Alex Green - Executive Chief Operating Officer

Alex was appointed as Executive Chief Operating Officer in December 2020.

She has a wealth of experience having worked in health and social care for more than 25 years

Alex Green was appointed as Executive Chief Operating Officer in December 2020.

Her portfolio of services includes mental health services, community physical health and learning disabilities across the Trust.

Previously she was the Director of Health and Care delivery for West Essex at EPUT and Essex County Council. She has a wealth of experience having worked in health and social care for more than 25 years.

Dr Milind Karale - Executive Medical Director

After completing his specialist training in Psychiatry from Cambridge and Eastern Deanery, Dr Karale joined as a Consultant Psychiatrist in 2007.

Dr Karale is a Consultant Psychiatrist, the trust's Caldicott Guardian and Executive Medical Director on the board of directors for EPUT.

After completing his specialist training in Psychiatry from Cambridge and Eastern Deanery, Dr Karale joined as a Consultant Psychiatrist in 2007. He has worked as a Consultant Psychiatrist in various services including Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, Assertive Outreach Team, Mental Health Assessment Unit, Community Mental Health Team, Crisis Team, Essex rTMS service and he currently provides clinical input to the Community Mental Health Team in Loughton, Essex.

Dr Karale is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and has a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Forensic Psychiatry (merit) from Institute of Psychiatry at Maudsley. He has been involved in medical management for the last twelve years, working as Clinical Director for Clinical Governance, Deputy Medical Director and Medical Director from 2012. As a Responsible Officer, he is responsible for the performance of doctors with prescribed connection to EPUT.

His areas of interest include; Medical Leadership, Patient Safety, Clinical Governance and Crisis & Mental Health Assessment Services. His interest in patient safety led him to organize several patient safety conferences and seminars. He was the member of Clinical Leaders Network on Patient Safety. He has keen interest in teaching and has written several chapters in books for MRCPsych examination. He is on the Board of Examiners for The Royal College of Psychiatrists. He chaired for the Anglia Ruskin University Health and Wellbeing Academy and worked for the Care Quality Commission as a Clinical Advisor in Psychiatry.

Milind’s portfolio includes:

  • Medical leadership and medical directorate
  • Research
  • Caldicott Guardian.

Frances Bolger - Interim Executive Nurse

Frances retired in 2022, but will be supporting the Trust whilst a new chief nurse is being recruited.

Frances first commenced her nurse training in 1985 and following qualification, commenced her midwifery training in 1989. ​​​​​​​

Frances’ nursing and midwifery career has spanned a number of organisations including Ipswich Hospital, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, NHS England, Norfolk and Waveney ICB, and more recently, Mid and South Essex ICB. Over her career, Frances has undertaken a variety of senior positions including the roles of clinical director, director of midwifery and chief nurse.

Frances retired in 2022, but will be supporting the Trust whilst a new chief nurse is being recruited. She will continue to work closely with the wider executive and nursing teams to support the delivery of safe and quality care within the organisation and the delivery of the CQC action plan.

Susan Young - Interim Chief People Officer

Susan is an experienced Human Resources (HR) professional who has worked in both central and local government and the NHS. 

Susan is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development with over 20 years’ experience in HR, organisational development and broader transformation in the public sector at Board level as both an Executive and Non-Executive Director. Susan is Interim Chief People Officer (CPO) at the Trust, pending a permanent appointment.

Trevor Smith - Executive Chief Finance and Resources Officer

Trevor has worked as an Executive Director across a range of NHS services for more than 20 years.

Trevor has worked as an executive director across a range of NHS services for more than 20 years.

Before joining EPUT, Trevor was Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer at Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAH). During his time there Trevor actively supported PAH’s financial and quality improvements as well as securing funding for the hospital redevelopment.

Trevor's portfolio includes:

  • Business development
  • Contracting
  • Finance
  • IT
  • Information
  • Estates and Facilities.

Nigel Leonard - Executive Director of Major Projects and Programmes

Nigel is Executive Director of Major Projects and Programmes on the Board of Directors for EPUT.

Nigel Leonard is Executive Director of Major Projects and Programmes on the Board of Directors for EPUT.

Nigel has worked in the NHS for over 30 years in a variety of planning, governance and project management roles in acute, community and mental health organisations. He has worked as a Programme Director delivering changes in mental health services in Essex and led the roll out of the Covid-19 Vaccination Programme across Mid & South Essex and Suffolk & North East Essex CCGs.

Nigel is a qualified company secretary and has an MSc in project management. He is also a member of the Association for Project Management.

Nigel’s portfolio currently includes the Essex Mental Health Independent Inquiry and oversight of the Trust’s Freedom to Speak Up service.

Zephan Trent - Executive Director of Strategy, Transformation and Digital

Zephan was appointed as Executive Director of Strategy, Transformation and Digital in April 2022.

Zephan was appointed as Executive Director of Strategy, Transformation and Digital in April 2022.

Prior to this he was Director of Strategic Transformation / Locality Director at NHS England and NHS Improvement in the East of England, where his responsibilities included the regional mental health programme, the regional learning disability and autism programme, Integrated Care System development, and Strategic Change.

Zephan has a wide range of experience from senior roles in the NHS including strategy and policy development, strategic finance, transformation, analytics and business intelligence.

Denver Greenhalgh - Senior Director of Corporate Governance

Denver is Senior Director of Corporate Governance for EPUT.

Denver has worked in the NHS for more than 25 years. She began her career as a newly qualified podiatrist and then, working as a senior clinician, specialised in clinical biomechanics.

Her first leadership role was as a District Chief Podiatrist in 2002, since then she has worked in operational management and leadership roles in both community and hospital based services.

Denver has an MSc in Integrated Healthcare Governance and has been a Director of Governance for the past 8 years. Her most recent role prior to joining EPUT was Director of Governance at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, having been part of the leadership team that successfully delivered the merger of Colchester Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust and The Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust.

Denver is passionate about high quality, safe, compassionate care.

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