Meet the TVU team

Advisory team

Professor Charles Easmon CBE, director of the Centre for the Study of Policy and Practice at Thames Valley University (TVU).

Charles has eight years experience as a regional director of education/training and workforce development, with three years as chair of a workforce development board at SHA level.

Charles was a special advisor to the House of Commons Select Committee on NHS workforce and will serve as special advisor for the committee’s forthcoming MMC/MTAS review. He is deputy chairman of the Health Protection Agency and chairs its local and regional services sub committee. He serves on the general council of the King’s Fund, was formerly dean of postgraduate medicine in the University of London and was a senior civil servant in the Department of Health (DH). Charles has also been a non executive director of the South West London Strategic Health Authority, chair of its workforce development board and improvement academy.

Jann Hadfield

Jann is the project lead for Cardinal Health Europe for the MedMined™ integrated infection surveillance and pharmacy management system. She is a healthcare professional with over 22 years experience within the global business and healthcare management, with key skills in the development and introduction of innovative healthcare solutions, general healthcare management, specialised project management and strategic development of new healthcare delivery mechanisms aligned with process improvement. Her experience spans multinational business and global healthcare environments, in both the private and public sectors, within major economies as well as emergent markets.

Stan Thompson, director of the Workforce Development Unit, Thames Valley University.

A former project manager for NHS Executive South East and associate director of Slough PCT, Stan has developed workforce programmes for Reed Health Group Ltd and is project lead for the Health at Work programme for Westfocus.

Programme team

Alastair Evans, senior lecturer in Human Resources Management (HRM) and coordinator of CIPD programmes at TVU.

Alastair was formerly a HR director in the computer software industry and prior to that, policy adviser to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) on organisation and human resource planning. He has published widely on human resource management (HRM) topics, including areas like as recruitment, retention, HR planning, absence management and HR systems.

Howard Shepherdson

Howard is a freelance consultant and part time lecturer at TVU. He has senior management experience in local government at chief officer level in the area of children’s services, HR and change management. He also has strong connections with the voluntary sector. Howard teaches on a range of management courses at the university and has a special interest in local government and the health service. He is a chartered fellow of CIPD.

Deirdre Kelley-Patterson, head of the Centre for the Study of Policy and Practice in Health and Social Care, Thames Valley University.

Deirdre is a psychology graduate with an interest in psychological contracts and career development. Formerly head of subjects at the Human Resource Management Group, programme leader of the MBA executive programme and director of the Small Business Unit at TVU.

Catherine Lynch

Catherine is the programme leader for the MSc in advancing practice and is a specialist in role development and consultancy. Prior to her role at the university, Catherine was the clinical governance manager for a BUPA hospital in Berkshire.