29th April 2025
Blaithnid Hughes, Head of Service for Anaesthetics, Theatres and Critical Care Services at the Southern Trust, has graduated from the prestigious Centre for Democracy and Peace Building Fellowship programme.
The seven-month programme brings together emerging leaders from across all sectors, creating the space for discussion and reflection on some of Northern Ireland’s most complex problems.
Blaithnid was delighted to represent healthcare and be the first Southern Trust participant amongst this year’s cohort.
Commenting on the benefits of the Fellowship, Blaithnid said: “The wealth of experience from my peers in all sectors of business and civic society has been invaluable. To achieve modernisation and reform, I feel strongly that leaders in health need to look beyond the immediate healthcare boundary and work with our connections from other sectors. There is such valuable learning out there”.
Eva Grosman, Chief Executive Officer at the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building and founder of the programme added: “Having representation from the health sector brings a vital perspective to the table, grounded in real-world patient care, system pressures and community impact. The programme provides a unique platform for fellows to connect across sectors, drive innovation and shape policy thinking, hence health is essential, particularly with the current challenges facing the NI health service”.
This year’s Fellowship kicked off in September 2024 in the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings, with First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly. Next was a three-day residential to Oxford’s Harris Manchester College where the group had seminars and inspirational talks, focusing on systems thinking, leadership, framing how we communicate and cyber security. January saw the Fellows embark on a two-day residential to Dublin hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ireland as well as other sponsors of the programme.
Blaithnid added: “This experience has given me many fresh ideas, new leadership skills and cross-sectoral insight which I hope will strengthen the delivery of my service at the Trust, to the benefit of our patients and service users”.
For further information on the Fellowship Class of 2025 and timelines for applications to the Class of 2026, please visit www.democracyandpeace.org.
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Blaithnid Hughes, SHSCT Head of Service Anaesthetics, Theatres and Intensive Care Services, receiving her Certificate of completion for the Centre of Democracy and Peace Building’s Fellowship Programme, Class of 2025, at a ceremony held on 3rd April in Royal Hillsborough Castle from Darragh McCarthy, Founder and CEO of FinTrU and serving Chair of the Fellowship Advisory Board.