Meet the Team

Gita is a clinical psychologist who trained in Glasgow. Clinically, Gita has specialised in working with adults and older adults and currently works in a specialist Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Service in Lancashire. She recently contributed as a co-investigator on a NIHR RfPB funded research project on Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Psychosis with further research development underway.

From 2006 to 2023, Gita was the Director for Psychological Professions at Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Trust, with professional responsibility for psychological professions staff across the lifespan and a range of settings. Alongside this role, Gita also implemented a supervision system for all staff, developed the staff wellbeing portfolio and during Covid, set up the county wide staff wellbeing service/resilience hub.

Gita was a founding member of the Psychological Professions Network (PPN) which started in the North West in 2013. From 2018 – 2023, she undertook a range of projects and roles with Health Education England including National Psychological Professions Development Lead. She continues to co-chair the PPN in the North West. In the North West, Gita has been part of an innovative new roles project seeking to improve psychological professions workforce supply.

Gita has contributed to and chaired committees for the National Institute of Health & Care Excellence (NICE) and was also a member of the Guideline Development Group for the PTSD Guidelines update. In addition, she has been a member of a number of BPS Division of Clinical Psychology Faculties and Groups over the past 25 years.

Liz Kell is a qualified Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, having completed her initial training as a Primary Care Graduate Mental Health Worker in 2004. Since this time Liz has worked in primary mental health services and NHS Talking Therapies (previously IAPT) services as a PWP, a supervisor, a PWP lead and a Clinical Service Manager of a PWP IAPT service, before moving to the University of Central Lancashire was course leader for the PWP training provision from 2016 to 2023 and also worked as Principle Lecturer. Liz is currently Co-Director of the Low Intensity CBT Portfolio within Cedar at the University of Exeter.

Throughout her career Liz has been involved in a number of regional and national networks supporting PWPs and other new roles. Liz has actively campaigned for and supported the recent PWP registration development. She is co-chair of the BPS PWP Training Committee, and was previously Chair of the BABCP Low Intensity Special Interest Group where she now remains as an active committee member. Liz has been involved with the Psychological Professions Network in the North West since its launch in 2013, initially representing the PWP workforce, chairing the first PWP community of practice and Senior PWP network. She supported the development of Senior PWP networks in the North East and Yorkshire and Humber and supported a number of PWP North Conferences. She has been Co-Chair of the PPN North West since October 2021.

Phil started his working life as a teacher in London as part of a scheme called Teach First. Then, changing direction and physical location, he qualified as a Graduate Mental Health Worker back in Lancashire with the NHS in 2006.

He gained a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy qualification in 2010 working for the Blackburn with Darwen Primary Mental Health Team and became Team Manager before eventually, after a stint as Clinical Lead, taking on the role of Service Manager across the Talking Therapy services in Lancashire (excluding Blackpool) and St Helens.

Following an organisational restructure in 2016, he switched codes, becoming Service Manager of several community physical health teams before a role as Strategic Lead for Integrated Community Wellbeing under joint employment with Chorley Borough Council. After a brief secondment as Care Group Manager for Learning Disability and All Age Autism Services he then took on the combined role of Associate Director of Operations over community physical health alongside a lead role for Talking Therapies.

Prior to joining the network Phil spent two years as Head of Transformation at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, leading on the opening of the first combined medical and surgical Same Day Emergency Care Unit and experiencing the Acute side of healthcare delivery in addition to leading a team of Programme, Project and Business Change Managers across a diverse Trustwide portfolio.

Phil has been privileged to work with many fantastic people across many diverse teams. His role in the PPN continues this aligned to his passion for psychological approaches to care.

Elspeth is a register Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP), who has worked in NHS Talking Therapies (previously IAPT) for 15 years. During this time she has worked as a PWP, Senior PWP, Deputy PWP Clinical Lead and an operational Team Lead, with a keen interest in Supervision and Wellbeing of Staff, Safeguarding and the development of new roles in Services. Elspeth worked with Liz Kell on the Psychological Practitioners Community of Practice Kick Starter Event and now Co-Chairs the NW PPN Psychological Practitioners Community of Practice – representing PWPs. In this role, she is a reporting member for Psychological Practitioners to the NW PPN Workforce Council.

This New Roles Leadership Fellow post represents an opportunity to build on and develop understandings and opportunities for the new Psychological Practitioner roles. Both their clinical practice for the benefit of clients across the NHS system and also for Practitioners to grow and develop their careers.

Reb started her interest in psychology when she completed a Psychology degree at the University of Manchester, graduating in 2015. Following this she got on a graduate scheme at Chorley Council as a policy graduate and has spent the last 7 years working at the Council across Policy, Performance and Transformation and Change.

After getting therapy herself, Reb’s interest in therapeutic work and psychological principles was reignited and she decided she wanted to have a career change. This took her to the Assistant Psychologist role within the PPN, where she has the opportunity to build on and develop understanding of Psychological Professions and how to make the PPN impactful for new Psychological Professionals.

Anne brings a wealth of experience to her role of Health & Care Education Officer, with over 30 years in administrative positions. She graduated from the University of Chester with a degree in European Business Studies, which laid a strong foundation for her diverse career. Over the years, Anne has gained extensive experience across various sectors, including travel and aviation, business services, and national non-profit organisations.

Anne's journey with the NHS began nearly 11 years ago when she joined Manchester University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust as an Executive Assistant. During her 8-year service there, she honed her skills in Executive Support, Project Management, and Team Coordination. Her dedication and expertise were instrumental in supporting the hospital's Executive Team.

In 2021, Anne transitioned to NHS England (NHSE), where she continued to excel in her administrative Project Support role. Her nearly 3 years at NHSE have been marked by her ability to adapt to new challenges and contribute to the organisation's goals.

With the organisational restructuring to form the new NHSE in 2023/24, Anne took on a new challenge by joining the Workforce Training and Education sub-directorate supporting the North West Psychological Professions Network (NW PPN) in April 2024. In her current role, she provides invaluable support to the team on various projects, leveraging her extensive experience and skills to drive success and innovation within the network.