Keep Our NHS Public is run by its Steering Group (SG), made up of delegates from its 75+ local groups, and the Executive Committee (EC), which is an elected body from members of the SG. The EC meets monthly and the SG meets bi-monthly. Our current Executive Committee were elected in June 2019, and elections will be held again in 2021 and biannually after that.
Keep Our NHS Public also employs a professional team of activists to carry out its campaigning. We are also very proud of our growing list of patrons. You can find out more about our staff, patrons and EC members below. Campaigners and friends who have passed away are memorialised on our In Memory page.
STAFF
Tom Griffiths - Head of Campaigns
Tom joined the Keep Our NHS Public team in June 2018 working as our Campaigns Officer (now Head of Campaigns) to lead our national efforts to build Keep Our NHS Public's campaigning and influence.
Contact: [email protected]
Samantha Wathen - Press and Media Officer
Samantha was one of the founding members of Swindon Keep Our NHS Public where she has proved herself to be an excellent health campaigner. Samantha joined the national Keep Our NHS Public as our part-time Press and Media Officer in April 2018.
Contact: text/call 07776 047 472 or email: [email protected]
National Administrator - Finn Smith
Finn Contact: [email protected]
Campaigns Officer - Lucy Nichols
Lucy Contact: [email protected]
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Dr Tony O'Sullivan, EC member and Keep Our NHS Public Co-Chair from December 2015
Tony is a member of Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign (SLHC) which successfully took Jeremy Hunt to court to prevent the closure of the local A&E and entire acute hospital in 2013. Before retiring he was consultant paediatrician in childhood disability in Lewisham. Tony has served as co-chair of Keep Our NHS Public since December 2015 and he was a founder member of Campaign for the NHS Reinstatement Bill from June 2014. He is vice-chair of Health Campaigns Together since April 2018.
Dr John Puntis, EC member, KONP Secretary from 2017, KONP Co-Chair from 2019
John is Chair of Leeds Keep Our NHS Public which he helped set up in 2011. He is a retired paediatrician who specialised in gastroenterology and nutrition at the General Infirmary in Leeds, where he was Secretary to the Senior Medical Staff Committee and Chairman of Leeds West Research Ethics Committee. John worked as an NHS doctor for 40 years. He is a Member of Doctors for the NHS and Doctors in Unite, he joined the Executive Committee of Keep Our NHS Public as Secretary in June 2017. He became co-chair in July 2019.
Professor Wendy Savage, EC member from 2015 and Honorary Life President
Wendy Savage started her clinical training at the London Hospital Medical College in the East End of London in 1957.
Wendy qualified from Cambridge and the London Hospital Medical College in 1960. In 1985 elected Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists during suspension from practice on false charges of incompetence. Reinstated in 1986 as Honorary Consultant at The London Hospital, now Royal London Hospital. She became Honorary Professor at Middlesex University. Wendy is a founding member of Keep Our NHS Public in 2005 and is our honorary Life President in recognition of her great and vital contribution. She is a leading advocate and campaigner for women's rights in childbirth and fertility. In 2018 she won the BMJ Award for Outstanding Contribution to Health.
Carol Ackroyd, Executive Committee (EC) from December 2015
Carol has been a member of Keep Our NHS Public since 2013 and on the Executive Committee since December 2015. She is Secretary of Hackney & City Keep Our NHS Public. She has previously worked both as manager and commissioner of community NHS and social care services. She aims to put skills developed deciphering NHS policy and directives to better use, helping to end privatisation and save the NHS.
Caroline Bedale, EC member from October 2023
Caroline is the Socialist Health Association delegate on the KONP steering group, and member of Greater Manchester KONP
Mike Forster, EC member from July 2022
Mike is chair of the HCT Committee (following merger of Health Campaigns Together and KONP in July 2022)
Candy Gregory, EC member co-copted from January 2024
Candy is a the delegate for Save Our NHS in Kent (SONiK)
Colin Hutchinson, EC member from October 2023
Colin is the chair of Doctors for the NHS
Tone Horwood, EC member and Treasurer from June 2019
Tone Horwood is a member of Bristol Protect Our NHS and since July 2019 he is a member of the Keep Our NHS Public Executive Committee and KONP's Treasurer.
Dr Louise Irvine - Executive Committee
Dr Louise Irvine is a GP in South London and secretary of Doctors in Unite. She is currently secretary and former co-chair of Health Campaigns Together. She stood twice against Jeremy Hunt in the general elections of 2015 and 2017.
Steve Lancashire, EC member co-opted from January 2024
Steve is a member of Southwark KONP
Sally Ruane, Executive Committee
Sally is a member of Save Our NHS Leicestershire
Ron Mendel, EC member from October 2023
Ron is a member of BristolProtect Our NHS
Debby Monkhouse, Executive Committee
Debby is the Co-ordinator of Defend Dorset NHS which took a Judicial Review to the Court of Appeal to try to prevent the closure of Poole Hospital A&E and Maternity units, and the relocation of the Children's unit to the border of Dorset, out of reach of the majority of residents in an emergency. She also co-ordinates the battle to save Swanage Ambulance Car. Debby is a CBT Therapist and Town Councillor.