Meet the Board

Barbara  gives a lot of time volunteering for the local community. Barbara has been involved in health and social care projects previously. She brings a lot of experience from the lay person’s perspective.

Barbara volunteers her time at Barking Community Hospital working at the tea bar on a weekly basis. She has lived in Barking all her life and is interested in seeing Healthwatch Barking and Dagenham make a difference to the individuals who use the services.

Val Shaw has been a resident of Barking and Dagenham her whole life. After various jobs, including being a legal secretary she was made redundant and therefore decided to put something back into the community by volunteering.

Val volunteers at a number of the different places including the Broadway theatre, Barking Community Hospital and assisting the local council. She is interested in improving health and social care services for everyone. As well being on the board Val is also an Enter and View Representatives and the Healthwatch Champion for Longbridge Ward.  

Robert Caldeira has worked in the NHS for over 20 years. He specialises in governance and risk management and has held senior positions within a number of acute hospitals.

He has worked for Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals on two occasions and is very passionate about the NHS and the delivery of local services to meet the needs of the local population.  

Zahra runs B&D Somali Womens Association. The vision of the association  is to become a resource centre and hub for women in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham and living in surrounding boroughs.

The organisation  wants to be part of a community that enables individuals to make informed choices maintain good health and achieve their potential regardless of their health, education and social circumstance. Zahra shares the same vision and is passionate about her involvement with Healthwatch and making a difference.