Sheila Preston – Public Governor, Suffolk

Term of office started 1 February 2024

I am a retired teacher of Art and Design and specialise in stained glass. After retirement I attended the Creative Writing courses at UEA. The first writing piece I won a prize for was ‘Positive Symptoms’. 

I have been involved with NSFT and its predecessors on a voluntary basis for over 20 years. Nine of those as a Governor. Following a three-year break, I have returned as a Governor. I aim to support improvement and staff morale. I will share my understanding and experience of caring for someone with schizophrenia. 

Aspects around mental health which concern me are prejudice and discrimination. I want the NHS to provide the right, sustained treatment and care for people with severe mental health conditions. This must have enough funding, beds and resources. The NHS Long Term Plan aimed to expand access and timely delivery of quality mental health services and care in the community by 2023/24. I am disappointed it has not met this ambition. We need an increase in mental health nurses and clinicians. 

I have seen how frustrating and difficult it is to make urgent improvements to achieve excellence in the service. I want to see strategies translate from words into action that works.