ICB board

Overview

The board became accountable for its activities from 1 July 2022.

Our statutory board members are:

• chair
• chief executive
• chief finance officer
• chief strategic planning and commissioning officer
• chief clinical officer (chief nursing officer)
• chief place and transformation officer (chief medical officer)
• chief population health officer
• chief people officer
• At least 5 and up to 6 non-executive members
• 1 primary medical services representative
• 1 NHS provider representative
• 1 mental health representative
• 1 council and local authority representative

View dates and meeting papers for our board meetings.

NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly and NHS Devon established joint working arrangements in September 2025, as part of national NHS reforms to reduce the running costs of integrated care boards (ICBs) through a process called ‘clustering’.

To ensure effective and cohesive governance oversight of these arrangements, both Boards delegated most of their responsibilities into a joint committee, called the South West Peninsula Board (and sometimes referred to as the Cluster Board).

This means the NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Board will meet less frequently than previously (likely to be a minimum of two meetings a year). The South West Peninsula Board will meet in public, in the same manner as the ICB Board. Find out more about the cluster arrangements and the South West Peninsula Board and its meetings.

Meet our Board members

John Govett, chair

John was appointed as the Chair of NHS Devon and NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly in September 2025. He previously chaired NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (since autumn 2021) and prior to that spent the two years as the independent chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly integrated care system (ICS) health and care systems board.

John has extensive leadership experience having been; NHS acute foundation trust deputy chair in Essex and as a non-executive director in a variety of industry sectors. For government, he has been the chief executive officer of the UK’s Money and Pensions Service and also been a group chief executive officer in the third (not-for-profit) sector, as well as managing director of Surrey County Council. He also has held board director appointments in the private sector and charity sector.

Mark Hackett, interim chief executive and accountable officer

Mark joined as interim ICB cluster chief executive in March 2026 for an initial 12-month period.

He leads NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly and NHS Devon ICBs as a single South West Peninsula cluster during a period of significant alignment across both systems.

Mark brings extensive leadership experience across the NHS and the wider health system, where he has led major transformations to improve clinical quality, outcomes, and financial sustainability.

Most recently, he served as Interim chief executive of University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (Derriford Hospital).

Prior to this, he was chief executive of Swansea Bay University Health Board (and has been CEO in other NHS Trusts) where Mark has led major service and clinical transformation and improvements in system performance and financial sustainability.

Martin Sykes, non-executive member

Martin Sykes has been a non-executive member and senior independent director on NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly’s Board since it launched on 1 July 2022, and has also chaired NHS Devon’s finance and performance committee on an interim basis over the past year.

He has extensive NHS experience, previously as the Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust director of finance and deputy chief executive.

Martin also held the vice Chair and non-executive director roles at NHS University Hospital Bristol and Weston Foundation Trust, where he chaired its finance and digital committee and sat on its audit committee.

Graham Clarke, independent non-executive member

Graham Clarke has been an independent non-executive member on NHS Devon’s Board since it was established in July 2022.

He has held several high-profile executive and non-executive positions including in his current role as a non-executive member for the Department of Health and Social Care, and on its audit and risk committee.

In previous roles, Graham has chaired the audit and risk committees of NHS Health Research Authority and MIND (the mental health charity). He was also Chair of HUC, which provided 111 services to more than six million people.

Graham also has extensive experience of the pharmaceutical industry in a number of senior commercial roles including at GlaxoSmithKline, GE Healthcare and his own life sciences company.

Neil Walden, non-executive member

Dr Neil Walden has enjoyed a long career as a GP in Cornwall, working as a partner in Marazion Surgery until his retirement from practice in 2019.

Neil has been a member of NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Board since 1 July 2022.

He is a passionate advocate of working in partnership with people, and listening to their experiences of care, understanding what’s important to them to solve problems and create solutions.

This has included bringing together the NHS, providers, patients, and the voluntary sector to co-design an integrated community health and care service in west Penwith.

Neil has previously been a Clinical Leader of NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly’s west integrated care area, and a member of the west Cornwall integrated care board. He was a Locality Lead GP and Clinical Director of Penwith’s primary care network and is a member of the Penwith Integrated Care Forum.

Neil has an excellent appreciation of the complexity attached to partnership arrangements in primary care networks working together and will use this to ensure plans are patient-centred and informed by clinical evidence.

Tarn Lamb, non-executive member

Tarn Lamb, who has been a member of NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Board since 1 July 2022, is an England committee member of the National Lottery Community Fund, and also the chief executive officer of Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change.

Tarn has a depth of leadership, systems change and business development experience at both executive and in a variety of non-executive roles in the charity and social care sector.

She is a champion of equity, diversity and inclusion with the skills to bring diverse audiences together to achieve shared community outcomes.

Loba Patel MBE

Lopa Patel MBE is a digital founder, Chair and non-executive director with strengths in governance and risk oversight, particularly within the public sector.

A champion of entrepreneurship, innovation, AI and technology, she has founded two ventures in online media and a data-driven marketing consultancy.

She joined NHS Devon’s Board as an independent non-executive member in January 2025.

As the Chair of Diversity UK, Lopa has played a pivotal role in advocating for diversity, equality, and inclusion within healthcare and beyond, shaping policies and practices that support underrepresented communities.

Lopa has been recognised with many accolades including an MBE for services to the creative industries and an Honorary Doctorate conferred by the Open University.

Robert Williams, non-executive member

Robert is a former non-executive director at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, with a career rooted in management consulting and advisory work across public and private sectors globally.

He specialises in business transformation and organisational change, with healthcare systems experience spanning our NHS to the US, Middle East and Australia. He continues to work with organisations developing innovative, digitally enabled approaches to strategic change.

A graduate in Occupational Psychology, Robert previously served as Vice Chair of Trustees at Step One Charity, supporting people across Devon with mental health needs, learning disabilities and neurodiversity.

He is particularly proud of his time as Chair of Governors for a Berkshire school for children with complex learning needs, leading the funding, development and opening of a new specialist school. Having lived in Devon for 12 years, Robert and his family support their son, a young adult with special needs.

Dr Smitesh Patel, primary care and medical services representative

Dr Patel is statutory Primary Care and Medical Services board member, covering general practice, pharmacy, optometry and dentistry sectors.  

Dr Patel brings a comprehensive clinical background across primary and secondary care. He is currently a GP at Oak Tree and Pensilva Surgery in South East Cornwall and the Clinical Director for East Cornwall Primary Care Network.

He also provides remote consulting to support strategic and business development in other primary care networks and sits on the Cornwall GP Collaborative Board. 

Kim O’Keefe, NHS provider partner member

Kim is an experienced and energetic professional leader with a strong background in strategic and operational experience at a senior management level, developed across both UK and South African healthcare systems.Read more

Kim’s nursing career began in South Africa, where she completed both her general and mental health training before returning to the UK in 1999.
 
Since then, she has held various positions within the NHS and completed an MSc in Professional Health Care Studies. Kim is deeply committed to workforce development, leadership, cultural competency, and promoting a just culture in the workplace. Evidence-based practice is central to her inclusive approach, and proud to serve as an honorary professor of nursing at the University of Plymouth.
 
Kim took on her joint role with CFT in late 2019 and since May 2020 was also the Deputy Chief Executive at RCHT. Her current role is acting Chief Executive Officer RCHT.
 
In the 2020 Queen’s New Year Honours list, Kim was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM).

Debbie Richards, mental health partner member

Debbie took up post as chief executive of Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in October 2021.

Originally from Cornwall, Debbie returned to Cornwall from Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust where she was executive managing director of mental health, learning disability and autism services and executive lead for provider collaboratives.

Debbie has many years of senior level experience in clinical service delivery in mental health, community services and acute NHS trusts and in health and care commissioning and transformation. She began her career in Cornwall as a probation service officer before leaving the county to train as a social worker.

Alison Bulman, council and local authority partner member

Ali is the strategic director for care and wellbeing in Cornwall Council and the statutory director of adult social services (DASS). 

Ali has worked in adult social care in various roles for over 30 years and has experience of driving significant improvement in services and outcomes for residents. 

Ali is the local authority member of the ICB and is a key strategic leader across the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care System.

Simon Gittoes-Davies, chief finance officer

Simon is a qualified accountant starting out originally in the private sector and over the last 30 years working with the NHS.

Following 8 years as a substantive finance director, he has worked both as an interim director of finance across all NHS sectors and in roles including programme director and financial recovery director for a number of NHS organisations. He has also worked on financial strategy and change programmes and more recently as an acute hospital director of finance, and as programme director for NHS England leading the national programme to reduce the cost of specialised high-cost devices.

Simon has a strong philosophy and belief in people being the key to organisational success and in the core value of the NHS in caring for our population.

He has 2 teenage children who keep him busy and loves to get out on a long bike ride including some across the UK and Europe.

Libby Ryan-Davies, chief strategic planning and commissioning officer

Libby originally joined NHS Devon in August 2024 as a Transformation Director before taking up the joint role in April 2026.

Her role has been to lead and drive the out-of-hospital delivery programme and the development of a medium-term plan to support our local communities as an alternative to hospital.

Prior to her role with Devon, Libby was the Integrated Health Community Director for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and Strategic Programme Director at Hywel Dda University Health Board in Wales.

Susan Bracefield, chief clinical officer (chief nursing officer)

Susan is an experienced NHS executive nursing leader with over 35 years’ service across provider, commissioning and national organisations. Throughout her career, which began as a registered adult and children’s nurse, Susan has maintained a strong focus on clinical leadership, quality improvement and patient safety.

Previously holding twin roles for the ICB of chief nursing officer and chief operating officer, Susan led the establishment of the clinical executive function and oversaw major programmes to improve urgent and emergency care, patient flow, elective recovery and system quality governance.

She served as acting chief executive, providing leadership during a period of significant organisational transition and system redesign.

Susan holds an MBA from the University of Exeter and is committed to strengthening integrated, neighbourhood-based models of care that improve outcomes and experience for people at any stage in their lives.

Chris Reid, chief place and transformation officer (chief medical officer)

Originally from the North East, Chris spent the first part of his career as a medical officer with the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

On leaving the service he has been a GP partner in Dorset and then New Zealand where he also held various leadership and governance roles with Northland District Health Board and The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners.

Chris worked as a GP in Cornwall for 3 years before taking up the position of chief medical officer for the integrated care board in 2022. When time allows, Chris enjoys some photography and windsurfing.

Peter Collins, chief population health officer

Peter is an experienced and skilled chief medical officer and secondary care consultant who has operated at a senior level in the south west for almost two decades.

Having originally trained as a liver specialist (hepatologist), Peter worked at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust for more than 15 years.

He has since held deputy and chief medical officer roles for trusts in Bristol, Weston-super-Mare and, most recently, Salisbury, where he led an improvement programme across areas including strategy, operational and culture.

Patrick Weir, chief people officer

Patrick joined the integrated care board at its formation in 2022, moving from Cornwall Council where he was head of people and change. Patrick has previously held senior roles in HR, organisational change and community development in local government, and has extensive experience of organisation and service design.

As well as corporate roles, he has worked in and with local communities on service innovation, resident participation and community health and wellbeing, and is passionate about the opportunities of good service design and great engagement to secure better outcomes for people, and more satisfying working lives. 

Patrick lives with his family in Falmouth and loves to get out in the open air. 

Monthly messages from our Board

Each month a member of our Board records a short message giving a summary of the day’s Board meeting. Each monthly message is available to watch.