Three Non-Executive Directors appointed to the Northern Trust

The Department of Health has announced the appointment of three Health and Social Care Trust Non-Executive Directors to the Northern Trust.

New appointees to the Trust are Carol Diffin and Professor Terri Scott as Non-Executive (Lay) Directors. Their appointments commenced on 18 December 2023 and will end on a date not later than 17 December 2027. Kathy Mackenzie has been appointed as a Non-Executive (Finance) Director from 1 February 2024 to a date not later than 31 January 2028.

Carol Diffin has 39 years’ experience working in the statutory Health and Social Care sector. Carol qualified as a social worker in 1984 and has worked primarily in statutory Children’s Services across Belfast HSC Trust, Southern HSC Trust and in the Northen Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency. Throughout her career Carol has held several senior management positions, including Director of Children’s Community Services/Executive Director of Social Work in the Belfast HSC Trust from September 2018 until September 2022. Carol is currently an Associate Consultant with the HSC Leadership Centre and an Associate with Clinical Leaderships Solutions.

Professor Terri Scott has held senior leadership appointments at Ulster University, Northern Regional College, Institute of Technology, Sligo, Dublin City University and Invest Northern Ireland. Terri retired from Ulster University in 2022, where she led the portfolio for Academic Operations. Prior to this, Terri was CEO & Principal of Northern Regional College for seven years. Throughout Terri’s career she has led complex change and transformation programmes and also been a Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) overseeing major capital programmes.  Terri is an experienced Non-Executive-Director and has formerly held public appointments to the Boards of OF7QUAL (the UK qualifications regulator), Intertrade Ireland, Industrial Development Agency, and Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation. Terri has also served on the Board of Grangegorman Development Authority (Dublin) since 2018 and was reappointed in 2022.

Kathy Mackenzie worked in the education system for a number of years after receiving an MA from Dundee University.  Returning to university and obtaining a Post-Graduate Diploma in Accounting saw Kathy change direction and set up her own bookkeeping business working with small businesses in the Causeway area and specialising in Forensic accounting and Payroll services.  Until her recent retirement, Kathy worked for 29 years on the voluntary Board of Management of Triangle Housing Association which provides homes and care for people in need throughout Northern Ireland.  Whilst with Triangle Kathy chaired the Board on two occasions for a total of 5 years and at various times throughout her tenure was Chair of Finance, Housing and Development, Audit and Risk, and Remuneration Committees.

HSC Trust Non-Executive Director positions require a time commitment of one day per week and attract a remuneration of £8,883 per annum.

These appointments are made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland.

16th February 2024