Meet the team

Gemma Barrow | Healthwatch Manager

Email: gemma.barrow@healthwatchll.com

Telephone: 07732 683462

Gemma has over 10 years’ experience working in local Healthwatch and the Local Involvement Network (LINks).

Gemma has extensive knowledge working in partnership with statutory, voluntary and community sector organisations and has established close relationships with Health & Social Care colleagues.

Gemma has experience of working across the city and county and engages with the public to gather valuable insights of people’s experiences.

Gemma has contributed to over 40 insight reports for Healthwatch, ensuring that findings and recommendations are widely communicated and presented to stakeholders who can make improvements to Health & Social Care services for the people of Leicester and Leicestershire.
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Gillian Jillett | Information and Support Officer

Email: gillian.jillett@healthwatchll.com

Telephone: 07732 683454

Gillian has 8 years’ experience with Healthwatch Leicester and Healthwatch Leicestershire as an Adviser and Executive Assistant. Gillian also worked for 11 years at E.ON UK as Customer Service Advisor, Lead representative and negotiator for Unison in E.ON and also a member of their European Works Council for 4 years.

Gill is the Lead Officer for Dental Services. One of Gillian’s proudest achievements, as a member of NHS England’s Local Dental Network, is her involvement in introducing Emergency Dental Services from 8.00am-8.00pm, 365 days of the year across Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland and Lincolnshire. less

Shirin Shahid | Community Outreach Lead (BAME & Hidden Voices)

Email: shirin.shahid@healthwatchll.com

Telephone: 07885 214565

Shirin has worked with many different community organisations and individuals from different walks of life for 34 years. She has worked for local authorities, the voluntary sector and gained extensive experience in community engagement in Leicester and Leicestershire.

Being multilingual and using Asset Based Community Development, Shirin connects well with children, young people and families aged from 0+ who are lonely, isolated and requiring support to improve their lifestyle by accessing improved services and information.

Shirin is a committed and passionate individual ready to engage and involve marginalised groups to access appropriate services. As part of her role, Shirin wants to identify gaps and responses to longstanding access barriers and issues to improve the services for the future.
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Ashleigh Theobald | Projects Officer

Email: ashleigh.theobald@healthwatchll.com

Telephone: 07732 683499

After finishing my degree, I worked in the tourism industry year-round, moving between hot and cold climates for 4 years. It’s not long after moving to Leicester 2017, I secured my role with Leicester Tigers, trying to tackle health and wellbeing among children and adults for the next 2 and a half years.

I’ve always been very passionate about helping others, especially within the area of health and wellbeing, so being at Healthwatch Leicester and Healthwatch Leicestershire in my role, feels like a perfect fit.
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Jackie Owen | Projects Officer

Email: jackie.owen@weareecs.co.uk

Telephone: 07732 683493

Jackie has over 40 years’ experience of working in the Health and Social Care sector. Having qualified as a social worker in the 1970’s she worked in a number of Local Authorities and from 1993 worked for Staffordshire County Council as District Manager Adult Social Care and as Head of Older People’s services until 2009. She then joined Staffordshire LINks as Chief Officer. In 2012 She had a 3-year spell working in Supported Housing until returning to Healthwatch Staffordshire becoming manager until her retirement in January 2020.

Jackie has extensive experience of partnership working and is proud of the many collaborations with partners in Health and Housing that have led to the development of award-winning initiatives which improved the provision of joint services for Adults and Older People in Staffordshire. She is very pleased to have been able to bring her skills and experience to Leicester/Leicestershire Healthwatch to help the team contribute to the delivery of improved quality and access to health and social care services for the people of Leicester/ Leicestershire.
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Karren Winters Cavalôt | Digital Engagement and Social Media Officer

Email: karren.winters-cavalot@healthwatchll.com

Telephone: 07732 683470

A Registered Nurse Karren worked in the NHS for 16 years as a Staff Nurse then as a Ward Sister before becoming the hospitals Operations Capacity Manager.
She then moved into private nursing becoming a Fertility Nurse Specialist in IVF.
Completing her teaching qualification she spent the next 6 years as a Learning Manager, managing a team of teachers, IT tutors and teaching assistants before moving to Staffordshire to take up a role as Head of Learning and Development. Whilst there she sat on the Adult and Child Safeguarding Board for 3 years and on the Sudden Unexplained Incident panel which investigated and reported on sudden deaths.
She has worked on a number of internal and external projects and communications in mental health, addiction, homelessness and safeguarding
Karren joined Healthwatch in 2020 as Information, Projects, and Communications Officer at Healthwatch Staffordshire before moving to Healthwatch Leicester and Leicestershire in 2022. She is passionate about improving health and social care services ensuring people are aware of information and care services in their local community.
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Dulna Shahid | Volunteer Coordinator

Email: dulna.shahid@healthwatchLL.com

Telephone: 07732 683452

I have over 10 years’ experience working in the Early Years Education sector as a Practitioner, helping children of all ages develop using the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. I have worked alongside other professionals such as educational psychologist, public health nurses, teachers and SEND coordinators to support young people.

I have experience of working in a busy public facing environment and I am passionate about helping others. I enjoy building relationships and rapport with people. So now being part of Healthwatch Leicester and Healthwatch Leicestershire I feel I can help others and bring in inclusivity, diversity and equality.
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