St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust chair Christopher Smallwood has announced that Dr Judith Hulf and Stella Pantelides joined the trust as non-executive directors on 1st January 2013.

Judith is the responsible officer and senior medical adviser to the General Medical Council. Prior to this she was a consultant general and cardiothoracic anaesthetist at University College London Hospital until 2009 and President of the Royal College of Anaesthetists 2006-2009. Judith has chaired many important taskforces including the Swine Flu (H1N1) Critical Care Clinical Group for the Department of Health and the Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) sub-group. She was awarded a CBE in June 2009.

Stella has extensive commercial and human resources experience gained through senior leadership roles in a wide range of organisational settings. She combines the running of a successful consulting company on workforce and organisational strategy with a number of public appointments, including the Judicial Appointments Commission and non-executive director on the Service Personnel Board at the Ministry of Defence.

Judith said: “I am delighted to be joining St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at such an exciting and challenging time. I am looking forward to learning about the trust’s extensive range of clinical services, education and research opportunities and to supporting the trust’s forthcoming application for Foundation Trust status.”

Stella said: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining St George’s. I look forward to putting my experience and knowledge to use for an organisation that has such an excellent reputation in serving its local community.”

Christopher Smallwood said: “I am very pleased to welcome both Judith and Stella onto the trust board. Their expertise and experience will help us further strengthen the board at an important time for St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as we continue with our bid to become a Foundation Trust.”

Both Judith and Stella’s appointments have been made in accordance with the OCPA Code of Practice. All non-executive appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Judith and Stella have declared no political activity over the last five years and hold no ministerial appointments.

Judith has been appointed to the St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Quality and Risk Committee and Audit Committee and Stella has been appointed to the St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Workforce Committee and Finance and Performance Committee. They will each receive remuneration of £6,096 per annum.

Notes to editors

High resolution photos are available on request.

For more information and for high resolution photography, please contact the Communications Unit on 020 8725 5151 or email: communications@stgeorges.nhs.uk. Outside working hours, please page us by calling 0844 822 2888, leaving a short message and contact details for pager SG548. High res photos available on request.

What are non-executive directors?

Non-executive directors come from a range of professional backgrounds with a wide range of skills and experience that reflect the needs of the trust. Although members of the board, non-executive directors are not part of the St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust executive management team, and are effectively independent experts in their field employed to challenge the trust and provide expert leadership and guidance.