Leadership Team

The Black Country Provider Collaborative Leadership Team comprises the following people from across the collaborative:

Sir David Nicholson - Black Country Provider Collaborative Chair and Chairman for both Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust and The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust

Sir David Nicholson KCB CBE

Black Country Provider Collaborative Chair and Chairman for both Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust and The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust

Sir David Nicholson joined the Trust as chair on 1 September 2022. He is also chairman of Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, having taken up his position there in May 2021.

Sir David Nicholson’s career in NHS management has spanned more than 40 years and included the most senior posts in the service. He was chief executive of the NHS for seven years from 2006-2013 and then, following a major national restructure, became the first chief executive of the organisation now known as NHS England from 2013-2014.

Since his retirement from the NHS in 2014, he has taken on a number of international roles providing advice and guidance to governments and organisations focused on improving population health and universal healthcare coverage.

His contribution to healthcare was recognised by the award of the CBE in 2008, and he was knighted by Her Majesty the Queen in 2010.

Diane Wake - Senior Responsible Officer for the Black Country Provider Collaborative and CEO of The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust

Diane Wake

Senior Responsible Officer for the Black Country Provider Collaborative and CEO of The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust

A nurse by background, Diane has worked in the NHS for 38 years. She joined The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust as chief executive in April 2017.

Diane trained as a nurse between 1984-1987 and has an extensive background in nursing, occupying senior leadership positions in surgical specialities of urology, colorectal, vascular and breast.

Diane has a wealth of experience in both clinical practice and leadership roles. She was previously chief executive at Barnsley Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust from 2013 to 2017 and interim chief executive at Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, where she also worked as deputy chief executive, chief operating officer and executive nurse from 2007.

Diane has a passion for patient safety and high-quality care and has knowledge and expertise in implementing robust governance processes.

Diane is the SRO for the ICS leading on cancer, elective and diagnostics. Diane is also the SRO for Acute Provider collaboration across the Black Country System and provider lead on the Integrated Care Board (ICB).

Dr Jonathan Odum - Group Chief Medical Officer at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust

Dr Jonathan Odum

Chief Medical Officer for the Black Country Provider Collaborative and Group Chief Medical Officer at both The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust

Dr Odum qualified from Birmingham University in 1984 and his post graduate training and studies were undertaken in the West Midlands (1984-91) and Adelaide, South Australia (1991-93). He was awarded a Sheldon Research Fellowship by the West Midlands Regional Health Authority in 1988 and following completion of the research his thesis was awarded an MD by the University of Birmingham in 1993.

He took up post as a Consultant in General Internal Medicine and Nephrology at New Cross Hospital Wolverhampton in 1993. His clinical interests include diagnosis and management of hypertension and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying and treatment of glomerular disease.

Dr Odum was elected as a fellow of the Royal college of Physicians (RCP) in 1999 and has been an MRCP PACES examiner from 1999 to the present day.

He has a significant interest in service development and as Clinical Director for Renal Services (1995-2005) was responsible for the expansion of renal services at Wolverhampton into Walsall and Cannock and the opening of the satellite Haemodialysis units at Walsall and in Cannock Chase Hospital.

Dr Odum has held several medical managerial positions in the Trust including Clinical Director of Medicine, Divisional Director posts from 2003-11 and was appointed into the post of Medical Director from April 2011.

Within the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Dr Odum is the Responsible Officer for revalidation of doctors, the Caldicott Guardian and the Medical Director of the West Midlands LCRN.

Sohaib Khalid - Managing Director of the Black Country Provider Collaborative

Sohaib Khalid

Managing Director of the Black Country Provider Collaborative

Sohaib has over 27 years of experience working in complex and dynamic healthcare environments, working in partnership with key stakeholders across the public, voluntary and commercial sectors in delivering best care for patients.

Over the course of his career, Sohaib has worked in almost every segment of the NHS, leading, and driving strategic, system and operational business portfolios, routinely working at the senior management team or Board level as roles have increased in seniority, with key examples of the different types of organisations include:

  • Providers (Hospitals, Community Care and Mental Health)
  • Commissioners (Primary Care Trusts, Health Authorities)
  • Regulatory, Strategic and National Governing bodies (Department of Health, Ministry of Health, Regional Government Office)

Through the work programmes of the Black Country Provider Collaborative, Sohaib will support improvements to quality, health outcomes and patient experience through service development and delivery.