Welcome to the final session of the NHS APA Virtual Conference 2023. In this session, Claire Murdoch CBE will be the keynote speaker.

Claire will be followed by a live panel Q&A session with Dr Matt Gaskell, James Grimes, and Paul Evans.

Chair of the NHS APA, Danny Hames, will then close this year's event.

The session will conclude at approximately 4.00 pm.

To access this webinar without interruption you will require a minimum internet speed of 2Mbps and ensure your network firewall enables access to BigMarker. To do a systems check on these settings please go to: https://www.bigmarker.com/system_check
  • 1699889219-0668191f18aa53a1
    Kate Hall
    Head of Operations, Addiction & Homeless Services, GMMH NHS Foundation Trust
    Kate Hall qualified as a Registered Mental Health Nurse in 1991 and began her career in addictions as a staff nurse in 1994 on what was then known as the Regional Drug Dependence Unit in Manchester. The unit is now known as the Chapman-Barker unit and, with 36 beds, is the largest NHS inpatient unit, delivering alcohol and drug detoxification, in the country.

    Over the last twenty-six years, Kate has worked in various roles, including keyworker, team and service manager in numerous community alcohol and drug settings across the NW of England and worked as a Deputy Regional Manager with the NTA, leading regionally on the Tier 4 agenda between 2004 and 2006.

    She returned to the Trust in 2007 and now operationally leads on all addiction and homelessness services delivered across GMMH.

    Kate has contributed to publications such as the UKDPC Recovery Consensus Statement and Medications in Recovery. She is a Specialist Advisor with the CQC.

    Kate is the current Vice Chair of the NHS APA.
  • 1698791600-c5703eb3a8cdbdf8
    Danny Hames
    NHS APA Chair
    Danny Hames has 18 years’ experience working in the public and voluntary sectors, within criminal justice, long terms conditions and the drug and alcohol treatment sector. He has worked as a Practitioner, Operational manager and Head of Development. In September 2018 he became the Head of Inclusion which is part of the Midlands NHS Foundation Partnership Trust. Inclusion is the largest NHS provider of drug and alcohol services in England working in both prisons and the community. Inclusion also provides Sexual Health and Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services. Danny is an accredited PRINCE2 and MSP Practitioner and holds a PG Certificate in Drug and Alcohol Policy and a MA in Voluntary Sector Studies.

    Danny is the current chair of the NHS APA.
  • 1698791722-d6e803de445e9fc8
    Claire Murdoch CBE
    National Mental Health Director, NHS England
    Claire has worked for the NHS for over 37 years and is a registered nurse. After holding positions in hospital, community, substance misuse and learning disabilities services, she joined Central and North West London NHS FT as Director of Nursing and Operations in 1999. In 2007, she became the Chief Executive, a position she still holds today.

    In June 2016 she was also appointed as National Mental Health Director at NHSE and has been working with the national mental health team to deliver the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health and more recently NHS England’s Long-Term Plan. In July 2019 she took on responsibility as the Director with oversight of NHSE’s Learning Disability and Autism programme.
  • 1698791735-541203031eae05b2
    Matthew Gaskell
    Consultant Psychologist and the Clinical Lead of the NHS Northern Gambling Service. The service covers the whole of the north of England, with regional clinics in Manchester, Liverpool, Blackpool, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle. He is a leading advocate for reform of gambling regulation and legislation and works closely with government departments and parliaments. He is the topic advisor for the NICE Guidelines on Harmful Gambling. He was programme manager for the degree programme in addictions at University of Leeds for many years, and he is visiting lecturer in addiction at the University of Hull, Leeds, Teeside, Sheffield, and Newcastle. He has over twenty years’ experience working with people with addiction presentations. His research interests include the nature of addiction, treatment and recovery, and public health approaches to preventing & minimising harm.

  • 1698791745-00540c60dc8868e2
    Paul Evans
    Operational and Development Lead for the West Midlands Gambling Harms Clinic
    Paul is the Operational and Development Lead for the West Midlands Gambling Harms Clinic. He has worked for Inclusion, a part of NHS Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust, since 2008.
  • 1698791752-5d6bcc0f676f2ee1
    James Grimes
    James suffered with a twelve-year gambling addiction that started when he was 16. Now five years in recovery, he has used his lived experience of harm in a variety of advocacy roles, including founding and leading a nationwide campaign to end gambling sponsorship in football. He has also developed and delivered education and training programmes for young people and professionals about the risks and harms of gambling.