Colin had 30 years’ experience as a social care practitioner and operational manager, before leaving local government to work in the NHS and then for the National Institute for Mental Health and the Care Services Improvement Partnership in a variety of policy development and implementation roles. He joined Newcastle City Council in 2008, and for the past five years has led a substantial change programme within the Council’s adult services, and led for the Council as a whole on partnership arrangements concerned with wellbeing and health. Most recently he has been appointed to a new Head of Service post responsible for a range of early intervention services.