Our Team
Health communication and engagement is intended to support NHS decision making and to apply communication evidence, strategy, theory, and creativity to promote behaviours, policies, and practices that advance the health and well-being of people and populations. We created CHCR because we’re passionate about this and its potential benefits.
The Director of CHCR is John Underwood, a Visiting Professor at Buckinghamshire New University.
John is a former journalist with the BBC, Channel Four and ITV News. Over the past 30 years he has advised health and social care organisations – including health commissioners, health providers, professional bodies, inspectors, regulators and the Department of Health and Social Care – on a wide range of complex communication and reputation management issues. He is also on the board of the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners, and he is a member of the Advisory Board of Oxehealth, a successful UK health technology company.
The Deputy Director of CHCR is Dan Charlton.
Dan is a Board level director with over 25 year’s experience working in healthcare. Having begun his career at South Thames Regional Health Authority, he was head of communications and media at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust for nearly 15 years. He is currently Chief Communications Officer at Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, where his responsibilities include strategic communications and engagement, patient and carer experience, complaints, management of the CEO and Chair’s Office and information governance. Dan is undertaking a PhD on leadership and organisational change at Bournemouth University.
CHCR’s Emeritus Director of Research is Dr Bill Nichols.
Dr Nichols is a marketing and communications specialist who worked in France, India and the US as well as the UK before joining Buckinghamshire New University as a senior lecturer in marketing in 2009. He ran his own international communications consultancy before completing a Doctorate of Business Administration at Henley Business School.
The CHCR board membership is:
- Prof. David Sines CBE, Emeritus Professor at Buckinghamshire New University
- Thomas Toscano, Deputy Head of the School of Health and Social Care Professions at Buckinghamshire New University
- John Underwood (CHCR Director)
- Dan Charlton (CHCR Deputy Director)
- Dr Bill Nichols (CHCR Emeritus Research Director)
In addition, CHCR has a Senior Course Lecturer, several Senior Research Associates and three Visiting Fellows. These are:
Shelley Whittaker – our Senior Course Lecturer who teaches our PGCert course in Health Communication, Engagement and Consultation. Shelley has considerable high level experience across the NHS, most recently as Deputy Director of Communications and Engagement at NHS Kent and Medway. Shelley has an impressive academic background including a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education, a Diploma in Transformative Coaching and a Diploma in English and Creative Writing from the University of Kent.
Jane Meggitt – a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Health Communication Research. Jane is an experienced Director of Communications and Engagement who has spent the last 30 years advising NHS Chief Executives, Chairs and Boards and leading national, regional, system and local NHS communications teams in challenging environments, building public confidence for patients, communities, and staff. She has held a series of Executive and Board level communications, engagement and corporate affairs roles and is highly skilled at strategy development in support of large-scale organisational change.
Dr Urszula Wolski – a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Health Communication Research. Urszula is an expert data analyst with significant experience of working with NHS organisations. She is currently an Associate Lecturer in the School of Human and Social Sciences at Buckinghamshire New University and has previously taught at Royal Holloway, University of London and the University of Northampton. She has also been an external examiner at the University of Suffolk and Bishop Grosseteste University.
Our three Visiting Fellows at Buckinghamshire New University are:
- Caroline Docking, Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs at Newcastle Upon Tyyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
- Adam Brimelow, Media Manager at NHS Providers.
- Daniel Reynolds, Director of Communications at NHS Confederation.