
Our Board
Meet the Healthwatch Dorset Local Board

Vivienne Aird
Chair of Local Board
Vivienne has over forty years’ experience of working in the voluntary sector, most recently as CEO of Bournemouth Council for Voluntary Service. Previously, she worked in community health development, advocacy for the rights of carers, and community centre management. She is a trustee of SEDCAT (South East Dorset Community Accessible Transport).
Vivienne is committed to the ideal of a healthcare system which is holistic and preventative in its approach, tackling the root causes of ill health which are often socio-economic in origin. She believes passionately that health and social care services can be improved if they reflect and respond to the views and needs of the people who use them: “In all the settings where I have worked, the need for more responsive health and care services became a key priority. I am committed to achieving this locally through my work with Healthwatch Dorset.”

Margaret Guy
Vice Chair of Local Board
Margaret is a retired public health physician and ex Executive Director of NHS Westminster, and current PPG Chair in Swanage. She brings over 40 years’ experience of working with the NHS to the Local Board – with particular experience of improving the population’s health and wellbeing, reducing health inequalities and improving the quality of health services.
“I believe it is essential to enable people to share their experiences of health and social care services in order to improve the quality of current services – and to help shape future services. Healthwatch Dorset is best placed to give local people a strong voice to influence and challenge how health and social care services are provided in Dorset. It is Healthwatch Dorset’s independence that makes it special.”

Judy Crabb
Local Board member
Judy had worked at Dorset County Hospital for over 35 years before retiring in 2019. Becoming a publicly elected hospital governor representing West Dorset in 2021 has allowed Judy to continue to have a role at the hospital. Also being part of the Your Voice group means that she is part of new developments taking place. Living in a rural community means Judy is always looking at how services are made available for people from the farming community and those who live outside the larger towns. Also as someone with a disability she has had first-hand experience of using many of the services discussed.

Amanda Shirlin-Brown
Special Advisor (Children, Young People & Families)
Amanda managed Family Hubs in BCP until recently and she volunteers with The Friendly Food Club, supporting local families.
“I want to raise the profile of families within the area and to highlight some of the issues they are facing.”

Sue Warr
Special Advisor (Older People)
Sue is the PramaLife manager at Pramacare, managing community-based support for older people across Dorset.
“It’s good to share knowledge and experience as it builds your own knowledge and experience! I think I have both things to contribute and things to learn.”