Finances and Resources Committee

The Finance and Resources Committee (FRC) is established by and accountable to the RCSLT Board of Trustees (the Board) for the strategic oversight of the RCSLT’s finance and resources function. It is a governance committee and reports into the Board of Trustees in the governance structure.

The FRC oversees the strategic objectives in the RCSLT Strategic Plan in the functional areas of:

  • Finance and audit
  • Performance management
  • Contracts
  • HR
  • IT infrastructure
  • Data security and financial elements of all IT spend
  • Health and safety
  • Property management
  • Membership management
  • The RCSLT Heritage

The FRC ensures compliance with the law and relevant legislation or regulations and effectively monitors the financial and business performance of the RCSLT.

Meet the committee

Ann Whitehorn – FRC chair

Ann Whitehorn qualified as an SLT  in 1973 and after working across both adult and paediatric services, developed a  specialism in Voice/Head and Neck.  She served as Head of SLT for Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and as Director of Therapies, particularly working  in the field of Cancer and Supportive Care. Ann also co- led a successful tender for a Community Head and Neck multi-disciplinary team in partnership with Lewisham PCT in 2009, the first of its kind.  She has served two terms as Honorary Treasurer for the RCSLT, and acted as a General Trustee before her appointment as FRC chair.

Dr Amanda Claire Smith

Dr Amanda Claire Smith is a qualified executive coach and mentor, leadership trainer and business owner. Her career has included strategic executive NHS leadership, including head of a speech and language therapy service, specialist clinical practice, education and research. She holds a PhD in Education, ILM Level 7 Certificate in Executive Coaching and Mentoring and is a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management. Amanda has held several senior management positions, including an NHS role as Executive director of Therapies and Health Sciences in mid Wales. As an associate of the Professional Development Centre, she provides coaching and training for the University of South Wales. She also delivers the leadership and personal development module of the BDA Future Leaders Programme. She is also a non-executive director at Nutrition and Dietetic Resources UK.

Carmel Brady

Carmel Brady currently leads the Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Service in Kingston-upon-Thames. She has worked in various locations across the UK as well as Ireland and New Zealand. Carmel is committed to ongoing service innovation and development to meet with changing landscapes and to providing the best possible service to those that need them. Her knowledge, skills and experience in strategic planning and managing change means she often engages in project work. This has involved setting up a community healthcare facility in SW China and facilitating transformation of a national charity. She brings her critical thinking, questioning, experience and commitment to the RCSLT and to the Finance and Resources Committee.

Heather Whitehouse

Heather Whitehouse qualified as an SLT in 2008 from Birmingham City University. She has been privileged to work with a broad range of client groups in both adult and paediatric services across the Midlands region. Her special interests are dysphagia and acquired brain injury. In addition to her extensive clinical background, she has leadership and management experience in the NHS. She now works as a Senior Commissioning and Transformation Manager and is passionate about making a difference to the lives of children and young people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire by improving outcomes and reducing health inequalities. She is currently studying for an MSc in Healthcare Management alongside her full-time employment.
Twitter: @HWhitehouse03

Lizzie Nash

Lizzie Nash qualified as a speech and language therapist in 1999. Since then she’s worked in various NHS paediatric settings and higher education. Her MSc investigated voice outcomes in children following laryngotracheal reconstruction surgery. Currently Lizzie works at Evelina London Children’s Hospital as Deputy Lead for the acute service and as a Clinical Specialist in ENT. She is a school governor for Special Educational Needs at three South London primary schools and has experience as a patient public voice for NHS England.
Twitter: @lizzienashslt

John Humphrey, RCSLT lay trustee

John Humphrey has held the position of Group CEO for Kent County Council’s local authority trading companies since 2019. In 2008, he moved to Germany to lead the turnaround of Admiralty Deutschland GmbH, a UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) owned software and data services business. He returned to the UKHO in 2012 as interim commercial director, was appointed chief commercial officer and deputy chief executive in 2014, before becoming chief executive in 2015. Previously, John worked in technology businesses, including in Canada as a vice president for Verint, a data analytics company.

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