Trust Champion Dyad

David Thomas has been Deputy Associate Director, Primary Care and Community Mental Health Services since March 2021.

He was born into a military family and served as an infantry officer himself for a decade, deploying in that time on operations in Northern Ireland, Kosovo and Iraq. On leaving the army in 2009 David joined the NHS, since when he has undertaken a number of general management roles in a variety of settings, including across a number of West Midlands prisons. Alongside his core duties, David has recently agreed to assume the role of Mental Health Topic Lead for the Herefordshire Armed Forces Covenant Partnership (HAFCP).

Name: John Clack

Job Role: Consultant Psychiatrist with an adult community mental health service

Forces Connection: I joined the Territorial Army in 1996, working with 207 (V) Field Hospital, and later joined the Regular Army as a medical officer from 2001-2019.  I started training in psychiatry in 2005 and from 2011-2019 worked as an Army Psychiatrist on the Salisbury Plain, Germany, and latterly was responsible for military mental healthcare services in the West Midlands, the North West of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.  During my career I have repeatedly deployed on Operations in Northern Ireland, and Afghanistan, and participated in many overseas training exercises.  Through this time I helped to support many service personnel as they made a transition from military to civilian life; and gained detailed knowledge of the medical boarding and Armed Forces Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Schemes.

Why you are a dyad/ part of the Armed forces Strategy group:  I have lived experience of service life; experience of the particular mental health problems that service personnel face, and the difficulties that veterans can experience – particularly as they make the transition to civilian life.  I hope that this experience can enrich the care pathways we offer to veterans and their families, and contribute to an organisational culture that aligns to the values of the Armed Forces Covenant.