Eastern Governors

Maurice was elected as a public governor in November 2022 for a term of two years.

After graduating as a scientist, Maurice had a career in education before taking up a management role with John Lewis Partnership. Following his retirement from the role of Group Organisational Director, he was appointed as a non-executive director of Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust where his responsibilities included Chair of the Trust Board Workforce Committee. He was also Chair of the NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group Primary Care Commissioning Committee, and until February 2024 independent Chair of Symphony Health Services (SHS) who provide primary healthcare and are owned by Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Maurice has a particular interest in developing and improving relationships between primary and secondary care, so that there is better understanding of the challenges facing both sectors, with the aim of improving patient outcomes.

Kay Foster has been a public governor since 2014. She was re-elected in 2017 for a term of three years, and again in 2021 for two years.

Kay is a retired registered nurse/midwife with thirty years of nursing experience. Kay spent eighteen years serving as a nursing officer with the Queen Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps, retiring as a major. She gained a wide variety of experiences with international postings, including Saudi Arabia during the First Gulf War. She has a BSc (Hons) in Health Services Management.

During six years as governor, Kay has been a member of several subcommittees. During the the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kay worked closely with the Budleigh Hub, supporting GP surgeries with referrals for volunteers to help with shopping, prescriptions and phone buddies for the Exmouth Community.

In August 2020, she became a volunteer at the Nightingale Hospital and developed the role of volunteers' coordinator working on the wards caring for COVID-19 patients.

Rachel was elected as a public governor in 2019 and re-elected in 2022 for a further three years.

Rachel is Deaf and her family’s first language is British Sign Language (BSL). Rachel lives in Ottery St Mary. She worked with young Deaf people at Derby College, as an independent support worker, encouraging them to develop independent living skills. She went on to study Contemporary Arts/ Computer Animation, gaining an MA. She became a consultant for a disability board for East Midlands Art Council and was a member of the board of EQUATA, an arts agency for Deaf/disabled. She worked as an  advisory deaf inclusion worker for Devon County Council. Rachel supported hearing families with deaf babies/toddlers. This job centred on giving parents confidence to develop their children’s language skills. She also worked with nurseries and schools to develop the inclusion of Deaf children in mainstream situations. Since developing multiple sclerosis, she has become the full-time mother of two boys.

Nigel was elected as a public governor in September 2023 for a term of two years.

Nigel has a very wide business background, a Masters in Musicology and an MBA. He was a CEO and a successful entrepreneur for forty years alongside several non-executive directorships and some consultancy. He built his HR business to 400 employees and is experienced in complex project management, strategy, business planning and large scale revenue development. He is on the Cranfield Trust register of voluntary consultants providing pro bono consultancy to smaller charities and is working with a community services provider on a five year business plan and governance. A keen singer, he was responsible for developing and managing the friends, patrons and sponsors for the Exeter Festival Chorus for ten years. He hopes to give something back to the NHS which has been there for him and his family all his life.