Ian Paterson
The former consultant surgeon carried out hundreds of so called ‘cleavage-sparing mastectomies’ on breast cancer patients at Solihull Hospital, and Spire Hospitals in Solihull and Little Aston.
The doctor is currently suspended by the General Medical Council, and being investigated by police, and all his former patients who had a mastectomy have been recalled to be examined for signs of cancer after he carried out the unrecognised procedure on them.
His former patients will no doubt be waiting to hear whether the police will be charging him with any criminal offences after the botched operations, and whether he will be struck off by the GMC in 2014.
Professor Steve Field
The Edgbaston GP was named chief of GPs in August, and already he has shaken-up the standard of practices across England.
From April 2014 he will lead inspections by the Care Quality Commission and a quarter of GP practices in each Clinical Commissioning Group area will face inspection every six months. GP out-of-hours services will be inspected from January.
Prof Field, who states he is a champion of equality in the NHS, hopes to improve the standard of GP services and access to care for the most vulnerable in society.
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Julie Bailey
The campaigner formed the campaign group Cure the NHS and pushed for a public inquiry into death rates at Stafford Hospital following the death of her mother Bella, who died at the hospital aged 86.
Despite being forced out of town in a backlash against her whistle-blowing, Ms Bailey hopes to establish the campaign as a charity in 2014, and set up independent branches around the country in a bid to support other communities to hold hospitals to account.
She also plans to give lectures in the New Year, and continue to campaign for increased staffing levels and protection for NHS whistle-blowers.
Ms Bailey was awarded an CBE in the New Year’s Honours.
Toby Lewis
The Chief Executive for Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Hospitals Trust, Mr Lewis will be overseeing the Midland Metropolitan Hospital project, which is the final stages of approval.
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The Trust are waiting for the final agreement from the Department of Health and Treasury next year to get the go ahead to build the super-hospital in Smethwick and hope to start work by 2016. The huge development project is earmarked for the Grove Lane site and will replace Sandwell Hospital in West Bromwich and City Hospital, in Winson Green.
Paul Devlin
Chief Executive at the recently established Healthwatch Birmingham, a group set up by the government in health reforms outlined in the Health and Social Care Act in 2012, to help patients have a voice about their local NHS services.
Mr Devlin, who is passionate about improving health care in the city, will be driving for people to approach the group with their feedback on services including GP surgeries, walk in centres and hospitals.
As Healthwatch gains trust from the public, watch out for Mr Devlin who will no doubt be sharing with us what people really think about Birmingham’s services- both good and bad.
Hannah Hiles on five faces to watch in education
Tim Boyes
In a time of austerity and sweeping changes to the education landscape, head teachers in Birmingham are taking on collective leadership of schooling in the city.
Tim Boyes, head teacher at Queensbridge School in Moseley, was elected chair of Birmingham Education Partnership (BEP) by his peers in November.
A head teacher for more than 10 years, Tim’s challenge in 2014 will be to drive forward the BEP to achieve its vision of improving education and safeguarding vital services.
Along with vice-chair Sarah Smith, executive head of St John’s Primary School in Sparkhill, Tim’s first priority will be to investigate how schools can work together to drive improvements and support each other.
Elly Barnes
Birmingham City Council’s LGBT schools advisor Elly Barnes recently saw her work to stamp out homophobic bullying in schools praised by Schools OUT, a national organisation that works for equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in education.
Around 40 schools in the city, including 12 primaries, have taken part in her Educate and Celebrate programme, which trains teachers to tackle the use of homophobic language in the classroom and help pupils feel comfortable with diversity.
Elly was voted number one in the Independent on Sunday’s Pink List 2011 for her commitment to LGBT in education and was highly commended by the TES Teacher of the Year Awards in 2012.
Professor Cliff Allan
Professor Cliff Allan took up the post of Vice-Chancellor at Birmingham City University in 2013 at a time when the university is investing significantly in its campus.
Formerly deputy vice-chancellor at Sheffield Hallam University, Professor Allan oversaw the opening of BCU’s £61 million Bauhaus-inspired Parkside block in September as the new home for the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD) and the university’s School of Media.
And 2014 will see further campus development in Eastside, with the second phase of the £180 million move to the city centre due to open in September 2015.
Jessica Ward
Jessica Ward, who became principal of Elmhurst School for Dance in Edgbaston in 2010, will have a busy 2014 as her school celebrates its 10th anniversary in Birmingham.
One of the oldest vocational dance schools in the country, the associate school of the Birmingham Royal Ballet moved to the city in 2004 and prepares students for professional careers in ballet and other dance genres.
Former dancer Jessica became a teacher after suffering a serious injury and ensures a strong focus on her pupils’ health and wellbeing. The school will see celebrations and investment in its anniversary year, including new accommodation for sixth form students.
Graham Hardy
Head teacher Graham Hardy begins 2014 with a fifth “outstanding” Ofsted report for Calthorpe School and Sports College under his belt.
The Highgate special school, which has 340 pupils aged two to 19 on its books, will see an extra 60 pupils arrive in March.
And in September the school opened its centre for 19- to 25-year-olds, to help bridge the gap between school and adulthood with work placements and vocational training.
Described by Ofsted as a “national leader of education”, Graham will be looking forward to another successful year as he enters his 25th year at the school.
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