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12th July 2025 and Nina's mam is close to death in an appalling care home. What did anyone do? Nothing in all this time.
John Lawlor, Alison McDowell -
Sent: Friday, November 20, 2020 16:07
To: ND
Subject: Case Reference NB2468
Dear Ms Douglas,
Thank you for contacting my office, I am sorry to hear of your mother’s situation.
I have written to John Lawlor, Chief Executive at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, to raise your concerns and ask he set out his assessment. please find a copy of my correspondence attached. I have also sent a copy to Alison McDowell, Director for Adult Social Care and Integrated Services at Newcastle City Council.
I will contact you again once I have received a reply.
With best wishes,
Nick
Rt Hon Nick Brown MP
Member of Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne East
Maybe these people had too many irons in the fire to deal with Nina's Mam's case properly.
John Lawlor OBE is no longer at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW). He officially retired as Chief Executive on 31 January 2022.
After his retirement, Lawlor went on to serve as Chair of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, a role he assumed in June 2022.
His current roles and activities:
Chair, Tavistock and Portman NHS FT
Overseeing the Trust’s clinical services, education programmes, governance, and strategic planning—including initiatives like the upcoming merger with North London NHS Foundation Trust scheduled for April 2026
Tavistock and Portman
Trustee, Think Ahead
Supporting postgraduate training in mental health social work, affiliated with the Department of Health & Social Care since September 2019
Advisor to Humber & North Yorkshire Integrated Care System
Offering guidance to mental health, learning disability, and autism service providers; his input is limited to one day per week and he recuses himself from related Trust business.
Personal advocacy and public engagement
Actively champions mental health awareness—sharing his own lived experience during events like Great Mental Health Day (January 2024)—and promotes diversity, inclusion, and open culture within the Trust
Tavistock and Portman
✅ Summary of John Lawlor’s Current Commitments
Role Organization Since Key Focus
Chair Tavistock & Portman NHS FT June 2022 Trust’s governance, mergers, clinical & educational strategy
Trustee Think Ahead Sept 2019 Mental health social work training, education
Advisor Humber & North Yorkshire ICS Feb 2024 Provider collaboratives for MH, LD, autism
Public Advocate Tavistock initiatives 2023–2024 Mental health awareness, inclusion efforts
Alison McDowell, the Director for Adult Social Care and Integrated Services at Newcastle City Council, is no longer in the post—she retired in late October 2024, after nearly 30 years working in social care.
Detail Description
Name Alison (“Al”) McDowell
Role Director, Adult Social Care & Integrated Services
Employment Period 2010 – late October 2024
Career at NCC Joined in 2010 (initially Service Manager, then Assistant Director), became Director
Retirement Late October 2024
Started as a social worker in Sunderland (1997) – She worked primarily with older adults before joining Newcastle City Council in 2010
Briefed City Futures Board on care-
Led budget changes affecting lunch clubs (2016–17 austerity) – As part of financial savings, she oversaw integrated impact assessments that proposed reductions in funding for lunch clubs, balancing tight budgets and service delivery
Championed Shared Lives regional initiative – As vice-
Voluntarily removed from Social Work England register – Her registration (SW 12107) was valid until 14 November 2024, after which she voluntarily removed herself from the register