Craig Harris

Unusually, my first role was a joint post with The University of Central Lancashire following extensive additional roles including Chair of the Nursing Council and Chair of the University’s Student Council.  I became a Staff Nurse after qualifying, working on an extreme behaviour unit; the other part to my role was working as the Faculty of Health Officer of Students for the first 18 months of my career.  

I qualified with my diploma and followed that with a degree in mental health nursing. Over the subsequent five years I completed a post graduate certificate in leadership.  

I have had a variety of nursing roles from 2000 to 2005, including a charge nurse in A&E liaison, a ward manager of women’s forensic services and a senior nurse for adult forensic services.  

Following my departure from clinical services, I became a commissioning manager in what was then the North, Central and South Manchester Primary Care Trust in conjunction with Manchester City Council.  Over a four year period I became a lead commissioner for mental health.  Following this I became the Head of Mental Health Joint Commissioning and more recently have been appointed as the Associate Director of Joint Commissioning.  

My current portfolio encompasses a wide range of commissioning services including the following:

• Mental health and learning disabilities
• Substance misuse
• Older people’s services
• Children’s services
• Specialist services, including bariatric services and HIV and,
  
• I manage the Greater Manchester Network on behalf of the ten Greater Manchester PCTs.  
  

In addition to my main role, I am also a Governor on a local Foundation Trust where I have served for the last two years. As my term is due to end in January 2010, I have just been appointed as a director on a local up-and-coming charity in Manchester for survivors of abuse.  

I also continue to maintain my clinical skills by working with adolescents, occasionally over a weekend, in a local medium-secure forensic service for young men.  

Finally, in addition to the roles outlined above, I am also a Justice of the Peace in Manchester’s Magistrates Court, in which I have been extensively involved in the development of a Mental Health Criminal Justice Liaison Service for the City and am currently scoping out the opportunity for Mental Health Courts for Greater Manchester.  

In my personal life, I am an animal lover and spend downtime either running or kick-boxing. I have just entered my 30s and am now looking to do a masters degree in business administration.