ÃÛÌÒAPP

Women at ÃÛÌÒAPP Hospitals are being celebrated for leading innovation in the north of England.

Working across a range of specialist fields, some of our innovative female leaders are celebrated in the ‘s North Innovation Women campaign to mark International Women’s Day on March 8 2026.

The initiative shines a spotlight on 500 innovative and inspirational women across the North – as suggested by peers – gaining much deserved recognition for leading and supporting innovation.

We have a rich history of innovation, bringing together ideas and improvements to help meet some of the challenges we face.

Innovation is an enabler to helping achieve some of the our key objectives and to ensuring we remain at the forefront of advances to provide high quality care and the best outcomes for patients.

Charlotte Fox, business innovation manager at ÃÛÌÒAPP Hospitals, who herself was nominated, said:

I'm delighted to see so many of our talented colleagues recognised for the work happening across our hospitals and the wider health and life science sector.

Each of these women bring fresh ideas, determination and compassion to their work every day and are playing a role in leading innovation to improve patient care, and support our healthcare colleagues to deliver the very best services.

Innovation is only possible when we are willing to push boundaries and find better ways of doing things and I’m incredibly proud to celebrate their achievements.”

ÃÛÌÒAPP Hospitals’ colleagues who were included in North Innovation Women are working across a range of services including health and life sciences, private and international healthcare, digital and data partnerships, medical physics, clinical engineering, research, physiotherapy, respiratory nursing, quality improvement, and corporate risk and assurance.

Commercial and innovation team

• Charlotte Fox, business innovation manager
• Michelle Waugh, innovation project manager
• Julie Marsh, head of communications
• Audrey Barton, communications manager
• Melanie Shield, senior commercial business manager
• Michelle Dixon, commercial business management
• Mhairi Spurr, commercial manager for health and life science, and operations manager for Diagnostics North East

NICE External Assessment Group – ÃÛÌÒAPP Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

• Kim Keltie, lead healthcare scientist
• Emma Belilios, business manager and project coordinator
• Alison Bray, lead healthcare scientist, medical device development, clinical engineering

Research

• Jo Noble – associate director of operations
• Angela Birt, clinical research general manager
• Layla McMullen, industry manager

Service Improvement

• Joanna McCallum, associate director

Corporate risk and assurance

• Natalie Yeowart, head of corporate risk and assurance

Allied health professionals and clinical entrepreneur

• Suzanne Vernazza, physiotherapist and founding Director, Know Your Floors

Nurse and clinical entrepreneur

Dr Karen Marshall, senior nurse and creator of