Data Access Committee

Meet the DAC Members

 

Ian Campbell – Chair, DAC 
Former Pharmacist, Newcastle Hospitals 

Ian Campbell is a retired pharmacist with over 40 years’ experience in clinical practice, specialising in cancer and renal services. He has chaired multiple governance committees and contributed to research across Newcastle Hospitals and local universities. Ian currently chairs the Tyne and Wear South Research Ethics Committee and brings significant expertise in clinical governance and research ethics to his role as Chair of the NENC SDE Data Access Committee. 

  

Amanda Taylor-Beswick – Vice Chair, DAC 
Digital Social Scientist, University of Cumbria 

Professor Amanda Taylor-Beswick is a digital social scientist whose research focuses on technology’s role in health, social care, and education. An award-winning academic and qualified social worker, she is recognised for her expertise in digital competencies, ethics, and policy. Amanda brings valuable insight into digital transformation and lived experience research to her role as Vice Chair of the NENC SDE Data Access Committee. 

  

Arne Wolters – Vice Chair, DAC 
Head of Improvement Analytics, CNTW | Implementation Lead, NIHR ARC NENC 

Arne Wolters is Head of Improvement Analytics at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust and Implementation Lead for the NIHR ARC NENC. With a background in econometrics, Arne specialises in applying statistical methods to health data to support decision-making. He has led national analytics programmes at the Health Foundation and has extensive experience in developing secure data environments, bridging healthcare and academia, and supporting research that drives better patient outcomes. 

 

Gareth Coakley – DAC Member 

Associate Chief Clinical Information Officer, NENC ICB Clinical Lead (North Cumbria Place), NENC ICB, GP, I also have roles with NHS England doing GP appraisals as well as with North West Ambulance Service as a MERIT doctor. 

Graduate of NHS Digital Academy and a Master's in Digital Health from Imperial College London.  

  

Nehal Hassan – DAC Member 
Pharmacist and Public Health Researcher, Newcastle University 

Nehal Hassan is a pharmacist and public health researcher at Newcastle University, specialising in co-developing digital health interventions. With expertise in mixed-methods research and experience working within safe data environments, her work focuses on developing AI tools to predict and prevent disease in high-risk populations. Nehal is particularly interested in supporting clinical decision-making and empowering patients to engage in their own care. 

  

Joe Millar – DAC Member 
Research and Development Manager, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust 

Joe Millar is the R&D Manager at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, supporting mental health and learning disability research. With over 15 years’ experience in NHS research, Joe has a strong background in research governance, having worked across NHS organisations and NIHR research networks. He brings valuable expertise in study-wide governance and data protection to his role on the NENC SDE Data Access Committee. 

  

Emily Turnbull – DAC Member 
Informatics Manager, North East Ambulance Service 

Emily Turnbull is Informatics Manager at the North East Ambulance Service, where she leads on information development, analytics, business intelligence, and information governance. With nearly 20 years’ experience in NHS informatics and a background that includes work with the Department of Health, Emily brings extensive expertise in NHS data, confidentiality, and secure data sharing. She is passionate about equality, diversity, and inclusion, and is committed to developing the region’s digital, data and analytics workforce. 

  

Dr Daniel Weiand – DAC Member 
Consultant Medical Microbiologist, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 

Dr Daniel Weiand is a Consultant Medical Microbiologist at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. His clinical interests include nephrology, urology, transplantation, and vascular surgery. He is also actively involved in medical education, clinical informatics, and quality improvement. Daniel is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists and has a Master’s in Clinical Education. He trained across the UK, including Aberdeen, Sheffield, and Leeds and is a member of the NHS-R Community. 

  

Jon Rees – DAC Member 
Associate Professor, University of Sunderland | Research Fellow, Helen McArdle Nursing and Care Research Institute 

Dr Jon Rees is Associate Professor of Applied Research Methodology at the University of Sunderland and a researcher at the Helen McArdle Nursing and Care Research Institute. With a background in clinical medicine and psychology, he has over 20 years’ experience in research design, statistics, and evaluation. Jon also works with Sunderland City Council and HI NENC, with interests in health behaviour, male mental health, suicide prevention, neurodivergence and addiction. 

  

Aaron Jackson – DAC Member 
Research Governance Manager, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 

Aaron Jackson leads research governance at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, overseeing a wide range of commercial, academic, and NHS-sponsored studies. With a background in patient-facing research and over a decade of experience in research management, he provides expert advice on study design, setup, and regulatory compliance. He also acts as sponsor representative for NuTH-sponsored research. 

  

Kim Keltie – DAC Member 
Lead Healthcare Scientist, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 

Kim Keltie is a Lead Healthcare Scientist at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, specialising in health technology assessment and analysis of observational data. She leads the Newcastle External Assessment Group, supporting NICE’s Health Technology Evaluation Programme. With expertise in using national datasets like Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Kim plays a key role in evaluating the safety and uptake of health interventions and contributes to research focused on improving evidence-based care in the NHS. 

  

Liane Cotterill – DAC Member 
Senior Governance Manager and Data Protection Officer, NENC ICB 

Liane Cotterill is a Senior Governance Manager and Data Protection Officer at the North East and North Cumbria ICB. With over 16 years’ experience in information governance and 9 years in corporate governance, she provides expert support across NHS settings. A qualified IG professional, Liane ensures compliance with legislation and policy, helping organisations meet their information governance responsibilities and embed best practice across systems. 

  

Chris Lloyd – DAC Member 
Public Member – Chair of the Patient Engagement Group 

Chris brings extensive healthcare experience from the private sector, having held senior roles with Siemens Healthineers, IBM Watson Health, and Simpler Consulting (USA). He is also actively involved in public and patient involvement, serving as a Cumberland HDRC Community Advisory Panel Member, NIHR NENC ARC PICE member and Cumberland Liven Experience contributor. Outside of health, Chris volunteers locally and is also a working musician. 

  

Linda Pepper – DAC Member 
Public Member – Chair of the Patient Engagement Group 

Linda has a background in health and adult education, beginning her NHS career in the 1970s as a psychiatric nurse before moving into roles championing the patient voice. Since 2003, she has worked independently in public and patient involvement and engagement (PPIE), supporting national NHS-related initiatives. Her current roles include membership on the MHRA Women’s Health Expert Advisory Group, participation in various pharmaceutical task and finish groups, lay examining for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and serving as a public governor at Newcastle Hospitals, following 12 years at Northumbria. 

  

Roland Finch – DAC Member 
Public Member – Deputy Chair of the Patient Engagement Group

Roland has a background in construction, working across the UK as a Quantity Surveyor in both local authority and private sector projects. His interest in healthcare research has seen him take on multiple roles, including study participant, researcher, and contributor to trial management, steering and funding groups. His involvement spans diverse areas such as dentistry, adult social care, medical devices, and data protection. Roland is particularly focused on public involvement, championing clarity, understanding and inclusion across all communities. 

  

Rosemary Nicholls – DAC Member 
Public Member – Deputy Chair of Patient Engagement Group 

Rosemary has supported the NENC Research Support Service since 2015, reviewing plain English summaries and contributing to multiple research projects, including as a co-applicant on Newcastle University’s UNFAIR Health Inequalities study. With a background in education, she offers a non-clinical perspective to public involvement in research and recently joined the Tyneside Research Ethics Committee as a Lay Plus Member.