Dr Alan McEwen, Air Traffic Controller
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Alan McEwen worked 25 years as an air traffic controller for 36 Officer, operating in some of the most complicated and congested airspace in the world. He became a leading figure in the creation of ATC resilience engineering, delivering year on year safety improvements to help NATS improve aviation safety whilst European and Global aviation expanded by 3-4% pa.
Alan re-designed and delivered a competency scheme necessary for the increase in traffic levels. Through this, he implemented five essential protocols by which ATCOs are now trained and assessed: Def Con (flexing beyond and returning safely to normal ops) , Visual Scanning, Challenge, Active Listening, and Situation Awareness. This innovation achieved a 25% annual reduction in safety incidents, earning his team the National Safety Award in 2006.
Alan and his team went on to develop 25–30 training modules that improved emergency response and overload situations, making NATS a global leader in ATC risk management. In recognition of this, Eurocontrol asked Alan to deliver a safety culture assessment program for all 30 European member states. This was completed in 2014, and the team won the Ergonomics and Human Factors President’s Medal for their contribution to airspace safety.
Alan has since applied his expertise to the healthcare sector, working with numerous hospital trusts, colleges, and associations. Outside of work, Alan is a keen skier.
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Professor Henrietta Hughes OBE
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Professor Henrietta Hughes OBE started in September 2022 as the first Patient Safety Commissioner, an independent role recommended by the report First Do No Harm.
Acting as an independent champion for patients, Henrietta leads a drive to improve the safety of medicines and medical devices by ensuring that patient voices are at the heart of the design and delivery of healthcare in England. A practising GP and Visiting Professor at the Institute of Medicine, University of Greater Manchester, Henrietta is a member of the Health Honours Committee and the guiding group of the Women’s Health and Care Leaders Network.
Henrietta was previously the National Guardian for the NHS and a Medical Director at NHS England. Henrietta has held executive and non-executive roles in the NHS and is Chair of Childhood First, a children’s charity.
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