We are very excited to introduce you all to our new Engagement Manager, Scott Tatum, taking over from Dan Potts, who we are very thankful towards for the incredible work he’s done with us over the past six and a half years.
Since starting with us, it has been clear that Scott will prove to be an excellent addition to our team, and to find out more about him, we asked him some questions about himself, his background and why he joined Healthwatch Essex.
Firstly Scott, please could you tell us a little bit about your background and what lead to you joining Healthwatch Essex?
“Well when leaving school, I worked closely with my father in a family run business in upholstery. Work was hard to come by and I made the decision to return to study at the age of 28 and combine this with working as a lifeguard, personal trainer and gym manager. Juggling study with three jobs and three amazing children was pretty hectic, but I proudly graduated with a degree in the Management of Sport. I learnt so much from this course and it instigated a passion to help people on their physical activity journey and a desire to lead staff in a positive and motivational environment.
I then worked at the University of Essex for 14 years and loved every single minute. I worked in a collaborative way and built fantastic relationships which are still strong to this day. I managed a large team and was inspired by them every day. I left the University of Essex to take up a role with St Helena Hospice and then with Community360. I gained some invaluable skills and knowledge within these roles and, for the past 6 months, I had been working as the lead for Transformation and Change. During this period, I used my passion for helping others to help instigate some brilliant projects that really benefited the community, and again, fantastic relationships were created to enable collaboration to produce amazing outcomes for the community.”
What do you enjoy doing outside of work? Do you have any particular interests or hobbies?
“I have three amazing children and two very special grandchildren who are my world, however, outside of my awesome family, I love physical activity and sport, I still try to play football to this day! I am a very keen endurance athlete when I am not injured! My two biggest achievements being completing an Ironman and a 24 hour running race.”
Why did you think Healthwatch Essex was the right move for you in your career?
“The vision of Healthwatch Essex to ensure peoples voice and experiences influence all health, wellbeing, and care is something I strongly associate with. I have been lucky enough in the past to work closely with the teams and I am inspired by the work they achieve and the impact they have in an innovative and proactive environment. Seeing the motivation within the team due to a brilliant mission, a fantastic CEO in Sam Glover and a forward thinking board were my main reasons for joining.”
What would you like to achieve with Healthwatch Essex?
“I hope to continue the amazing work the Engagement team have produced and look forward to instigating new and exciting projects to ensure the community’s voice is heard. I am looking forward to collaborating with existing contacts and making new relationships with the purpose of helping the community to the best of all of our abilities.”
Finally, how does it feel to join Healthwatch Essex and is there anything in particular you’d like to say to the Essex community?
“It feels amazing to join the Healthwatch Essex team as I know what a fantastic reputation they have due to their amazing work. I can make a promise to the team and the community I serve that I will work hard to ensure their voice is heard and together we can shape health, wellbeing, and care for the better.”