I have overall responsibility for ensuring the Trust is operating effectively and legally, using resources wisely and responding in the best possible way to the changing needs of beneficiaries. A key part of my role is ensuring that the trustees and NAC have the information they need to make decisions or recommendations. I also act as the central contact point for our funders – Diageo and the four UK Health Departments.

I am a member of the Trust’s management team and direct the financial planning and financial management of the Trust. I monitor the performance of the Trust’s investment portfolio. I oversee the Grant payments allocated and distributed to the Trust’s beneficiaries and ensure that financial support is available for them.

I have responsibility for ensuring that we understand the health and wellbeing needs of beneficiaries and have services in place to respond to these. A key part of this is the HNA process which I oversee. I manage the fantastic team of committed H&W staff and also provide support to our volunteers. As part of the management team I also contribute to the smooth running of the organisation as a whole. It is a fascinating and varied role and the high point is definitely that I get to meet lots of beneficiaries and really see where the team are making a difference.

My role is alongside Cheryl’s as first point of contact for beneficiaries to the Health & Wellbeing team. I assist the Director of Health & Wellbeing, and H&W Co-ordinator for complex cases in supporting beneficiaries various health and wellbeing issues. I offer support to beneficiaries by phone, email, or face to face, meeting with beneficiaries to complete Holistic Needs Assessments and work with our beneficiary volunteers to organise volunteer referrals.

My role is alongside Michelle’s as first point of contact for beneficiaries to the Health & Wellbeing team. I assist the medical adviser in supporting beneficiaries with health issues; help with new claims to the trust; and am involved in the administration of research projects such as the cardiovascular risk project. I offer support to beneficiaries by phone, email, or face to face, meeting with beneficiaries to complete HNA’s.

My role focuses on mobility and independence, ensuring beneficiaries are aware of all of the resources they are entitled to and also that are available to them, so that they can make informed choices and live their lives as independently as possible. I also complete HNAs that ensure we are supporting our beneficiaries by identifying any needs they may have and that they are directed to the right support to meet them both within the Trust and externally.

As Health and Wellbeing Co-ordinator (Complex cases) I support a small group of beneficiaries (all of whom lack mental / decision making capacity) as well as their families / carers, in order to ensure their complex health and wellbeing needs are fully met and their quality of life is maximised through the effective use of their resources.

I am a GP and also the Trust Medical Adviser. My role is to help beneficiaries who need to understand more about any health issues due to Thalidomide damage or made worse because of it, for example, pain, pins and needles, Blood Pressure, and surgery such as hip, shoulder and back etc. To do this I chat to individuals on the phone or by email and give advice and/or information. If needed, I can liaise with GP’s and appropriate specialists. I also help with new claims to the Trust, help with clinical research, provide advice and support to the trustees and liaise with other healthcare professionals and doctors working with those affected by Thalidomide in the UK and abroad.

I’m a GP and also a new medical adviser for the Trust. Like Dr Dee Morrison, one of my roles is to offer advice and support to our beneficiaries with health problems caused, or made worse, by Thalidomide. I am also responsible for producing written and online information for beneficiaries to assist them with their health needs. As well as beneficiaries, I will also be producing information packs for health care professionals such as GPs, helping to educate them on the unique aspects of treating someone with a Thalidomide affected body.
My aim is also to build a clinical network of doctors, surgeons and allied health care professionals who are knowledgeable about Thalidomide and its effects, so we have a pool of highly skilled and knowledgeable professionals to refer our beneficiaries to.

Click here to read Susan’s guest blog

I provide support to the Trust’s beneficiaries with regards to finance related enquiries and personal financial management. This includes a number of areas such as, processing payment requests; assisting beneficiaries with creating personalised budget plans to help them manage their finances more effectively; processing requests for Emergency Advances and Major Advance applications; supporting beneficiaries to access their Health Grants effectively; and providing information about wills, trusts and power of attorney for those beneficiaries looking at longer term planning around their finances.

Within the Trust my role focuses on processing grant payment requests for beneficiaries, dealing with suppliers, administering expense claims and providing support to the Finance Director and Finance Co-ordinator. I handle the Trust’s fleet car insurance and AA policies too. I am also a member of the Admin Team and help ensure Trust events and processes run smoothly.

I am PA to the Director and provide support to trustees. My role includes managing the Admin Officers and providing leadership to the admin team, overseeing and improving IT systems and processes, organising NAC elections, managing the office and associated budgets and managing events and meetings and taking minutes. I am also responsible for the HR for the trust (including recruitment and HR policies).

My job is to support the staff in all admin tasks, send out communications to beneficiaries, organise Trust events and answer the phones. I also help Keith to manage the Trust’s fleet car insurance and AA policies, as well as handling the admin for the life insurance. I am the website editor and administrator and I also support Lynsey with the office maintenance and facilities.