Our team | North East and North Cumbria

Our team

Professor Sir Liam Donaldson

Chair

A recognised international champion of healthcare quality, patient safety and public health. A former vice-chair of the World Health Organisation’s executive board. He is the World Health Organisation’s envoy for patient safety and chairman of the independent monitoring board for the Polio Eradication Programme. Previously he was the chief medical officer for England and the UK’s chief medical adviser, from 1998-2010. In the 1980s and 1990s he was regional director for public health and regional manager of the former northern regional health authority.

Read more about Professor Sir Liam Donaldson

Samantha Allen

Chief executive

Samantha joins us from the South East where she has been chief executive of a NHS Mental Health and Learning Disability Trust for the last five years. Prior to this Samantha has worked in a range of operational management and leadership roles across healthcare. She is also chair of the Health and Care Women Leaders Network at the NHS Confederation, a member of The Kings Fund General Advisory Council and a member of the Chartered Management Institute Board of Companions.