Our staff
Meet the team
Find out more about our staff and volunteers.
Stephen Bitti - Chief Executive Officer
Stephen is Chief Executive Officer of Healthwatch Kingston upon Thames. He has 24 years’ health, social care and housing experience working in the public, private and voluntary sectors, including the Public Health National Support Teams at the Department of Health and as a Non-Executive Director of Notting Hill Genesis Housing Association.
As part of his Healthwatch role in Kingston, Stephen chairs a number of groups that include: the All Age Learning Disability Partnership Board, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Group, and the London Safeguarding Adults Board - Safeguarding Voices and Annual Conference Subgroup. He is a member of both the London and the Kingston Safeguarding Adults Boards.
Candy Dunne - Deputy Chief Officer
Candy has been working with Healthwatch Kingston for over six years. Since joining she has enjoyed being part of a number of community projects including: Long Covid, Bereavement, Residential Care and Neurodiversity. She is currently working on Health Inequalities, The Kingston Care Workforce and The Wellbeing and Making Safeguarding Personal Project in partnership with Kingston Council. As part of her role, Candy is the lead in Community Care for Healthwatch Kingston and sits on a number of local boards and groups including The Kingston Carers Board, The Kingston Bereavement Think Tank, K&R EoLC Steering Group, K&R Young People Mental Health and Wellbeing Group.
Candy brings a wealth of experience having lived and worked locally in the borough for the last 10 years. Previously she was involved in a number of projects at the YMCS SPG Corporate Office, these included Health and Wellbeing, Children’s Youth and Family Work and finally with Release Counselling and Mental Health. Candy was involved in the running of a private and community counselling service, that prided itself on providing affordable therapy for people in immediate need.
Hen Wright - Officer Manager
Hen has a wealth of work experience gained by working through a varied career path! She was a TV advertising Sales Manager for ITV And Channel 5, then owned a pub in Kingston, followed by being a travel agent and then culminating in her role at Healthwatch Kingston of which she has been part of the team since September 2020. Hen is a busy mum of two teenagers and had caring responsibilities for her late partner for the last two years prior to his death in May 2021.
Hen co-ordinates the London Safeguarding Voices group, which brings people with lived experience of safeguarding adults together from every London borough, to influence safeguarding policies and procedures across the capital.
Jill Prawer – Engagement Officer (Enter and View)
Jill previously worked at Healthwatch Central West London as Engagement Officer (patient participation groups) and subsequently as Engagement Officer (Enter and View) and so was very happy to resume the role of Engagement Officer (Enter and View) for Healthwatch Kingston, where she leads the project to visit 13 care and nursing homes across the borough with special emphasis on the environment, mealtimes and the activities provided to the residents.
Jill has a background in existential and humanistic counselling and has worked in many charities supporting people with extra needs, including people affected by brain tumours. Additionally, Jill founded and is the chair of a small charity working on behalf of people with the ultra-rare genetic condition Familial Chylomicronaemia Syndrome (FCS), the first patient group for the condition anywhere in the world. Her work in this area has led her to be recognised as an expert patient for FCS and she is often called upon to represent patients at various forums.
Ellis Pearce - Communications and Media Manager
Ellis is an experienced media and communications professional specialising in design, marketing and communication for organisations committed to social good.
As Communications and Media Manager, Ellis oversees the development of the Healthwatch Kingston brand and identity and delivers clear and accessible communication activity to engage local people.
Scott Bacon - Engagement Officer
Scott worked at Healthwatch Kingston in 2019 moving the All Ages Learning Disability Partnership Board and Youth Out Loud! work forward. He has returned to Healthwatch Kingston and is leading on Youth Out Loud! and Making Safeguarding Personal projects. Scott has previously run activities for teenagers with disabilities, worked in sports development and recently worked for The Stroke Association and YMCA. Scott spends his spare time with his family, listening to music, going to gigs and the gym.
