Member Symposium

Professor Sharon Arkell MBE is the Director of Strategic Health Partnerships at the University of Wolverhampton and the Independent Chair of the steering group for the review of the NMC Code and revalidation. Sharon is widely recognised for her ability to build high impact collaborations across the health, education, and policy sectors.

Sharon began her career as a registered nurse in the NHS before moving into higher education in 1998. Since then, she has held a range of senior leadership positions, most recently serving as Dean of the Faculty of Education, Health & Wellbeing at the University of Wolverhampton. A skilled and forward thinking strategic leader, Sharon cultivates partnerships that strengthen organisational capability, improve system-wide outcomes, and drive innovation in health education.

She has led transformative initiatives that have widened participation and enhanced access to graduate employment across the West Midlands, delivering impact within a highly challenged higher education landscape. Throughout her career, Sharon has been widely respected for her calm, assured leadership, particularly in steering organisations through complex challenges and high-profile priorities. She has a well established track record of uniting diverse stakeholders around shared goals, ensuring that academic expertise, clinical practice, and organisational strategy come together to achieve meaningful, sustainable results.

Her work is grounded in a commitment to excellence, integrity, and the development of others. Sharon is valued for her ability to inspire teams, lead with clarity during periods of uncertainty, and champion initiatives that advance both institutional ambitions and the broader healthcare ecosystem. Her leadership continues to shape strategic direction, strengthen partnerships, and support the next generation of education leaders.

Professor Melaine Coward trained as a Registered General Nurse at King’s College Hospital, London in the 1980’s.  Upon qualifying she settled into a post in haematology, looking after patients with haemoglobinopathies and malignant blood disorders.  Due to the changes within the profession at that time, she realised the need for further professional education and went to the Royal Marsden Hospital where she completed a bachelor’s degree in Cancer Nursing. 

Melaine specialised in pre-menopausal and male breast cancers, an area of great interest to her due to the specific yet often unmet needs of these patient groups.  An opportunity arose for Melaine to relocate to Brighton where she became the Senior Nurse Manager for the Sussex Oncology Centre.  This post enabled her to underpin clinical practice with evidence but also to develop nurse led clinics within the speciality.  Her interest in education began when she realised that there was a deficit in specialist professional cancer education locally.  She became a Lecturer Practitioner in Oncology, establishing post registration qualifications for the South Coast Cancer workforce.  Melaine appreciated her passion for education and sought a full-time post, which she gained at the University of Surrey.  Melaine became the Pathway Lead for Cancer Education at the University of Surrey; later she moved into senior leadership roles, enjoying developing a team of educators and researchers.  The School of Health Sciences gained many national accolades and rose to top 5 for Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedic Science education under her leadership. For the past 8 years Melaine has been the Head of School for Health Sciences at Surrey, also leading on strategic development projects expanding the portfolio of provision within education and research in health and medical sciences.  Melaine often is invited to Chair national conferences, support the development of health care policy at a national level and works closely with the Professional Regulatory and Statutory Bodies.  More recently, Melaine has further developed her long history of mentoring to become an Executive Coach which she provides for a variety of leaders in different employment sectors. 

Melaine is a Professor of Reflective Practice, publishing and advising nationally and internationally in this area.  She continues to teach and advise on the application of reflective theories within healthcare professions.  She is also Visiting Professor at the University of Highlands and Islands which has enabled her to see the contrast of nurse education across the nations of the UK. 

Recently Melaine moved jobs to work with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a Specialist Advisor for Education and Quality Assurance.  This new challenging role is enabling her to utilise her skills set nationally supporting education providers in the delivery of high quality professional education. 

On a personal note, Melaine is an avid collector of all things penguin and holds in depth knowledge on all 17 species!  

Dr Anne Felton is the Head of the Institute of Health and Allied Professions at Nottingham Trent University.  She founded NTU’s new department, driving the development of an ambitious and expanding portfolio of health education, research, and innovation within the University. Anne champions student-centred pedagogy and has led projects on the participation of people with health conditions in professional education, simulation, and student mental health. Much of her work has adopted a co-production approach with effective and inclusive partnerships.  Anne undertakes qualitative research and has expertise in critical perspectives in mental health practice and risk, work which has been widely disseminated.

Hayley Flavell is a registered nurse with over 30 years’ experience across clinical, operational and executive leadership roles in the NHS. She is currently Chief Nurse at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust (WAHT) and has also worked recently as a Strategic Advisor at the Florence Nightingale Foundation, supporting organisational strategy, quality assurance and leadership development. 

Previously, Hayley was Executive Director of Nursing, Midwifery and AHPs at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust for four years, here she led significant improvements in quality, safety, and governance. This resulted in significant improvements in the overall CQC ratings in several core services and the removal of existing enforcement notices.  

As Executive Lead for Maternity, she oversaw the Trust’s response to the Independent Maternity Review chaired by Donna Ockenden, the maternity transformation programme that followed the publication of the reports delivered substantial safety, workforce and governance improvements. This work contributed to improved Care Quality Commission ratings, including a rating of ‘Good’  in all five domains for maternity services, delivery of the Maternity Incentive Scheme three years consecutively and strengthened trust and confidence with women, families, and local communities.  

Hayley is a values-driven, compassionate, and transformational leader, committed to improving patient safety, experience and outcomes through inclusive leadership, strong clinical governance and fostering psychological safety.  d 

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Diane Hull is a registered mental health nurse with over 40 years of experience in both clinical, operational and executive leadership roles in the NHS.   She has worked in a variety of healthcare settings including primary care, inpatient and forensic services, bringing a wealth of knowledge which includes over 8 years’ experience at Board level.  She has been the Chief Nursing Officer at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundations Trust since July 2023 and was appointed to this role from the Chief Nurse for Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundations Trust.   Prior to this, Diane was the Chief Nurse for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Deputy Chief Nurse for East London NHS Foundation Trust.  

Working in the Deputy Chief Nurse role in East London NHS Foundation Trust and as Chief Nurse in Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Diane led advancements in quality, safety and governance which resulted in significant improvements resulting in Excellent and Good CQC ratings.

Diane has an absolute commitment to patients and families, tackling inequalities particularly those who are care experienced.  This has led to her speaking at multiple national conferences, specifically sharing her personal reflections of growing up in care. She has demonstrable track record of developing services in partnership with staff, and alongside patients and families, embracing co-production of systems, care and treatment.

Evonne Hunt has been Chief Nursing Officer at Medway NHS Foundation Trust since October 2021. She was appointed to this role from Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, where she served as Deputy Chief Nurse. Prior to that, she was a Chief Nurse in the private sector. With over 28 years of nursing experience, she has held director and senior leadership roles in nursing, quality governance, patient safety, infection control, and risk management across acute care, mental health, and commissioning organisations within the NHS and private sector. She has also worked nationally in the Department of Health as part of the Healthcare-Associated Infection Control Improvement Team, which achieved a 50 per cent reduction in MRSA and a 30 per cent reduction in C. difficile nationwide. Evonne also serves as the Trust’s Director of Infection Prevention and Control.Pa

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Since leaving the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC) as a Full Colonel in June 2017, Andrea Lewis RRC has had a privileged career within the NHS. Following undertaking operational roles in planned and unplanned care, she became the Deputy Chief Nurse and subsequently the Chief Nurse at Ashford and St Peters NHS Foundation Trust and since August 2023 has been the Regional Chief Nurse for South East England, NHS England.

Andrea joined the QARANC in January 1994 as a newly qualified Nurse and Private Soldier. She then commissioned in Oct 1996 and during her Army career has undertaken various Clinical and Command and Staff roles. She has deployed with Field Hospitals to Bosnia, Iraq and latterly was Commanding Officer of the UK Military Hospital in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. It was from her tour in Afghanistan that she was awarded the Royal Red Cross for inspirational leadership. Andrea is now the Deputy Colonel Commandant for the Royal Army Medical Service and was previously the Colonel Commandant for the Queen Alexandra’s Army Nursing Corps.

Andrea lives in Camberley and is married to Russell Lewis MC (Grenadier Guards). Russell is an Ex-Regular Officer and now a Reservist. Andrea has a 16 year old daughter Sophie who attends Farnborough Hill School for Girls. Andrea has a BSc in Infection Control and MSc in Healthcare Management and Policy and completed the NHS Leadership Academy Director’s Programme on leaving the Army.n

Alison Machin is Chair of the Council of Deans of Health. She is also a Professor of Nursing and Interprofessional Education and Head of the School of Healthcare and Nursing Sciences at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne. She is a Visiting Professor at Ulster University and a Principal Fellow of the HEA. Previous posts include Dean of the School of Health and Social Care at Edinburgh Napier University and Deputy Faculty Pro Vice-Chancellor at Northumbria University. She is a registered nurse and health visitor.

Alison has also been the strategic lead for a high profile, international nurse education collaborative venture in Malta in partnership with Malta College of Arts Science and Technology. She has worked in higher education since 1999, is an active researcher, an experienced PhD supervisor and examiner. Her research interests include: interprofessional education; nursing and healthcare collaborative workforce development; professional identity; health visiting; and public health; using qualitative methodologies including grounded theory.e

Wellington Makala is the Executive Chief Nursing Officer / Executive Director of Nursing and Director for Inflection Prevention Control at North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT) he took up his role from April 2021. At the time of the appointment, he became the only male BME Chief Nurse working in an NHS Trust and the first African male Chief Nurse ever in NHS.

In 2018, Wellington was proud to be invited to No.10 by Prime Minister Theresa May, to talk about the work he had led in NELFT on inclusion in the workforce and his support for the BME agenda. In 2020, Wellington made the HSJ near miss for the top 50 most influential BME leaders.

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Professor Martin Powell is Emeritus Professor of Health and Social Policy at the Health Services Management Centre, University of Birmingham. He has published a number of articles on Public Inquiries and on whistleblowing. His most recent publication is ‘The New Politics of the National Health Service’, 8th edition (with Rudolf Klein).  

Professor Arlene Wellman MBE, has 27 years of NHS experience, joining FNF as Strategic Adviser in September 2025.

An FNF Scholar alumna, Arlene was most recently the Group Chief Nursing Officer at St George’s, Epsom & St Helier (GESH). She served as GESH’s most senior nursing leader since 2018, initially as Chief Nurse at Epsom and St Helier, and later as Group Chief Nurse.

Arlene played a pivotal role in safeguarding staff and patients as Director of Infection Prevention and Control there, while also leading the nursing, midwifery, and allied health professional workforce. Her leadership was especially impactful during the COVID-19 pandemic, guiding the NHS through unprecedented challenges. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to nursing, Arlene was awarded an MBE in 2021.

A passionate advocate for innovation and inclusion, Arlene spearheaded the development of the award-winning Ask Aunty app, designed to warmly welcome international nurses and midwives arriving in the UK.