The Team
Registered UK charity Transform Healthcare Cambodia no. 1154437
Sue Smith OBE
Director and co-founder of Transform Healthcare Cambodia
Sue is a co-founder and director of our charity. She was director of nursing and patient safety at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust when she was involved in setting up the charity. She is currently the deputy chief executive and executive chief nurse at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust. Sue has a strong background in clinical nursing and patient safety and has led a number of innovations to understand and reduce mortality and morbidity.
Director of Battambang Provisional Referral Hospital
Kak Seila has been the link with the founder since 2011 when Edwin Pugh invited Sue Smith to join him on a trip to Cambodia. While there Sue asked to visit a hospital and the idea for the charity was born. Kak Seila is the medical director of the Battambang Provincial Referral Hospital and he leads the hospital's liaison programme with the charity. He is also instrumental in liaising with local, regional and national government officials which is essential to ensure the charity is meeting local need. Kak has become a friend to all the directors and many people who have travelled to Cambodia; having hosted many trips at the hospital and travelled to the UK to share good practice with his UK counterparts.
Director of Transform Healthcare Cambodia
A registered nurse and senior lecturer at Teesside University School of Health and Social Care, Graham takes an interest in the volunteering aspect of our charity. He visited Cambodia for the first time in 2010 and spent some time working at an orphanage. When in UK practice Graham worked in accident and emergency and cardiothoracic intensive care unit. He is continuing his studies and is in the fifth year of a doctorate in health and social care. Graham has successfully led groups of students in trips to Cambodia as their second year placement. He also enabled two nursing associates to undertake an overseas placement in Cambodia; the first two nursing associate students in the UK to do so.
Battambang Provincial Referral Hospital Coordinator
York Sottha was chief nurse at the Battambang Provincial Referral Hospital and liaised closely with the charity on visits and education programmes alongside Dr Seila. He worked with director Graham Jones to organise student nurse trips which included spending time in the local school of nursing. Now retired, he continues to have a close association with the hospital and the charity. York has become a friend to all the directors who have got to know him through trips to Cambodia and the UK
Director of Transform Healthcare Cambodia
Claire takes a lead in the "Comms" aspect of our charity. After a 17-year career in finance and public relations at British Gas Northern, Claire moved to work in the NHS and was the head of communications at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust until December 2015.
Director of Transform Healthcare Cambodia
Melanie takes an interest in the legal aspects of our charity. SHe is a partner at Ward Hadaway Law Firm. Melanie originally trained as a barrister before qualifying as a solicitor in 1992. She is listed as a leading individual in Chambers Guide to the legal profession, is detailed as highly commended in the Legal 500 and is listed in the International Directory of Best Lawyers.
Director of Transform Healthcare Cambodia
Michael, an associate chartered management accountant and currently works in the provider sector of the NHS as assistant director of finance at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. The trust is of the largest acute teaching hospitals in the UK with a turnover of £1.4bn. Michael has responsibility for financial reporting and planning. He has worked in the NHS for over 20 years in a number of other senior finance roles, including the North East Strategic Health Authority, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Michael is also a Trustee for County Durham Boys and Girls Club
Director of Transform Healthcare Cambodia
Jan takes in the interest in the day to day organisational aspects or our charity. She is a (recently retired) registered Nurse at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust.
Jan started working for the NHS in 1979 as a student nurse at Westminster Hospital London and then as a district nurse in London, Cumbria and Morecambe.
Director of Transform Healthcare Cambodia
Paul was a senior partner at King Street and Lancaster University Medical Practice; a GP practice in Lancaster. He retired in 2019. Over the years Paul has been involved in GP training, being an accredited trainer for 23 years and has a special interest in respiratory care, travel medicine and occupational health.
Director of Transform Healthcare Cambodia
Catherine is a registered nurse, midwife, family planning nurse, health visitor and commissioning lead and has recently been offered the honour of a clinical visiting professorship at the University of Central Lancashire. She is currently working in the national team at NHS England and NHS Implementation as the deputy head for safeguarding. Her passion includes bringing influence and change for safety, quality, safeguarding, patient engagement and making every contact count. Catherine was a Transform Healthcare Volunteer in 2018 which gave her insight into the challenges of poverty, isolated healthcare with limited resources in a developing country.
Director of Transform Healthcare Cambodia
Dan is a senior lecturer in public health and research methods at Teesside University in the UK. His PhD in 2021 focussed on the association between physical activity, motor skills and school readiness in early years children. Dan’s main research interest revolves around early years health outcomes and trajectories, specifically the benefits of physical activity for childhood health and development. Dan has been aware of Cambodia for a great part of his life as his dad Graham has been involved in the charity for over a decade. He joined Graham on a trip to Cambodia in 2017.