Public Health Wales Board changes

In March, the Minister for Health and Social Services made two announcements concerning Public Health Wales’ Board membership.

Jan Williams has been re-appointed as Chair of the Public Health Wales Board for a second four year term, from 4 September 2021.

 Jan Williams said:

“I am honoured to have been appointed for a second term, and look forward to continuing my partnership with Tracey and to working alongside my colleague Board members, as we look to the next stage of Public Health Wales’ development as the National Public Health Institute for Wales.

 “The last year has seen staff across the organisation work tirelessly and selflessly to  protect and support the people of Wales, as the global covid-19 pandemic has taken hold across the country; they have been outstanding am I am privileged to  be continuing  in my role as chair.”

Non Executive Director Mohammed Mehmet has served on the Board on a role share basis since October 2020. The Minister has also appointed Mohammed Mehmet as the full time Local Authority Board role for 2021/22, following Alison Ward’s retirement as the Chief executive of Torfaen County Borough Council, which has also seen her stand down from her role share with Mohammed.

Commenting on the changes, Jan Williams said:

“We owe Alison a great debt of gratitude. In her two separate terms on the Board, Alison has been an exemplary Non-Executive Director, providing wise counsel and making a significant impact. She has been an effective ambassador for Public Health Wales, using her many networks and connections to promote and support our system leadership role. We will miss her greatly. 

“I am delighted that Mohammed will now step into the Local Government role on a full time basis for the coming year. He brings with him a wealth of expertise and experience and all Board colleagues join with me in welcoming his fulltime appointment.”

About the Board

The Public Health Wales Board is the Governing Body of the organisation, with Non-Executive and Executive Directors being full and equal members sharing corporate responsibility for the decisions that it makes.

The Board has the responsibility for setting strategic direction, determining strategic risk appetite and overseeing strategic risks, setting the tone and culture, developing and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders and partners and for monitoring delivery of Public Health Wales’ aims and objectives.

Biographies 

Jan Williams has senior leadership experience across the whole healthcare system in Wales, with a strong track record in organisational leadership and development, in improvement science and in the fields of investigation, inspection and regulation as they relate to generating improvements in policy and practice.

Jan was educated to postgraduate level at the University of Wales and the University of Aberdeen.  She joined the NHS in 1979 and held a number of senior posts at NHS Trust, Health Authority and Health Board level; Jan also held senior posts at national level and in Welsh Government.

Prior to her appointment as Chair of Public Health Wales, from 2013 to 2017, Jan was the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) Commissioner for Wales, Cheshire and Merseyside police forces. This involved membership of the IPCC Governing Body, oversight of independent investigations into the forces concerned and the production of learning recommendations to improve policy and practice. 

In addition to her role in Public Health Wales, Jan is a Board member of the Human Tissue Authority and an independent member on the Home Office Domestic Homicide Review Quality Assurance panel.

Jan holds an OBE, for services to the health sector.

Mohammed Mehmet has thirty years’ experience of local government in England and Wales, including being Director of Education in Islington, Director of Children Services in Peterborough and, for eleven years, Chief Executive of two counties in Wales: Denbighshire and then Powys.

He has served on national ministerial boards, including the Public Services Board and the Merthyr Tydfil Education Recovery Board. Since 2018 he has been a Non-Executive Director of Hyfren Dyfrdwy Water, and more recently a trustee of Macmillan Cancer Support and MIND in Enfield.