Dame Jo joined the board in November 2016 as a Non-Executive Director and was appointed as Chair, succeeding Sir David Henshaw in February 2019; she was reappointed by the governors for a second three-year term to February 2025.
Jo has enjoyed a successful 30-year career in social services in the North West, including ten years at Director level, before becoming Chief Executive of the Royal Mencap Society for five years. Dame Jo joined the Care Quality Commission as a Non-Executive Director in 2008 and held the position of Chair between 2010 and 2013. In addition, Dame Jo has had considerable experience as a Trustee in the voluntary sector, including with the NSPCC.
Previously in her career, she has been involved in shaping public policy on a number of issues including in her role as Chair of the National Advisory Council on Children’s Psychological Wellbeing and Mental Health and as part of the team that developed the National Service Framework for Children. She was also Co-Chair of the national working group that led to standards in hospital care for children following the enquiry at Bristol Royal Infirmary. More recently Jo was a member of the Dilnot Commission looking at how we deliver a fair, affordable and sustainable funding system for social care in England.
Dame Jo has received a number of honours in recognition of her achievements, including a CBE for services to Social Services in Cheshire, as President of the Association of Directors of Social Services and a DBE for her work with people with a learning disability.