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 &... more

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... more

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... more

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... more

Taruna Mistry | Projects Officer

Email: Taruna.mistry@healthwatchll.com

Telephone: 07732 683494

Taruna has over 25 years’ experience working in the public sector including the Police service and more recently in the local authority in Leicester and Charnwood.

Her recent work has been in Community Engagement , Community Health services and... more

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... more

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... more

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... more

Harsha Kotecha - Chair

Lead work areas - Young People. Volunteering including Enter and View.

The Board will offer a wealth of expertise and insight into health and social care, each bringing a... more

Mark Farmer

Lead work area - Mental Health.

Mark has lived all over Leicestershire and Leicester, bringing insight into urban and rural health challenges. With a varied professional life across the... more

Joe Johal

Lead work area - Social Care.

Joe Johal has previously led the Board of Directors of a County Health Authority in the USA, been trained in health procurement, and... more

Kash Bhayani

Lead work area - Safeguarding & Carers.

My motivation to join Healthwatch is from my keen interest in the cultural heritage of Leicestershire. I’m proud of having been... more

Alexandra Partner

Alexandra has worked clinically as a Diagnostic Radiographer in acute settings for five years and has worked as an academic in healthcare higher education for the past ten years. ... more