Helen Thomson (Deputy Lieutenant)

Helen was appointed as a Non-Executive Director in May 2019. She is Vice Chair of the Trust, Chair of the Quality Committee, and a member of the Business Committee. Helen is also the Trusts Senior Independent Director which includes duties such as providing support to the Chair, co-ordinating the Chair appraisal process, intervening to resolve issues of concern on the Board, and taking part in the succession planning process for the Chair role where a reappointment or new appointment is necessary.

Helen holds a Master of Arts (MA) in Leading Innovation and Change from York University and a first degree in management from Leeds University. She is a registered nurse and midwife and a registered midwife teacher as well as a qualified coach.

After beginning her nursing career in Leeds, she has held clinical, management and education posts across West Yorkshire. She has held a number of NHS Board posts since 1993 as a director of operations, chief nurse, and, after her retirement in 2014, she returned as an interim chief executive.

She is a former Council member of the University of Huddersfield where she chaired the Audit Committee and a former member of the Independent Reconfiguration Panel of the Department of Health and Social Care.

She was appointed Deputy Lieutenant (DL) for West Yorkshire in 2012 and Vice Lord Lieutenant in 2022.