Anne Weyman portrait by Jonny Jonas

Managing an organisation

My successful management of organisations has been underpinned by four essential activities:

Developing vision, values and strategy,
Ensuring good governance and positive relationships with the board,
Robust business and financial planning,
Creating a collaborative and open culture, and establishing strong and effective staff teams.

Influencing public policy
 
I have worked at national and local level with government, politicians and civil servants, to promote critical health and equity issues and effect change.  I have established multi-agency and multi-professional collaboration to influence public policy and professional practice.  In doing so, I have used the legal system and judicial reviews, given evidence to Select Committees and been an active member of Government advisory groups including:

Membership of the Government’s Independent Sexual Health and HIV and Teenage
Pregnancy Advisory groups,
Given evidence to Select Committees and other parliamentary committees, including in
New Zealand,
House of Commons Health Select Committee: 3rd Report 2003,
House of Commons Health Select Committee: 3rd Report 2005,
Setting up and supporting All Party Groups 1,
Setting up and supporting All Party Groups 2.

Legal cases

In 2002 FPA intervened in a judicial review in the High Court in London to resist an attempt by Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) to prevent the sale of emergency hormonal contraception by pharmacists.  In dismissing the case brought by SPUC, Mr Justice Munby said: "The social case put by FPA, and supported in all particulars by the Secretary of State, remains wholly unanswered … SPUC has not attempted to refute FPA’s case and I strongly suspect that it could not even if it wished to".
 
In 2001, FPA brought a judicial review in the High Court in Belfast of failure by the authorities in Northern Ireland to issue guidance on abortion to women and professionals.   In 2002, Mr Justice Kerr confirmed that abortion is legal in certain circumstances in Northern Ireland.  He ruled that although the department should not be compelled to issue guidelines, it would be prudent to do so.   He said of evidence given by FPA: "There are many who would regard the cases presented as providing a formidable argument for a change in the law”. In 2004 FPA’s appeal was successful and the authorities were instructed to issue guidance.
 
In 2006, FPA intervened in a judicial review of the guidance on the provision of confidential sexual health advice to under 16s brought by Sue Axon who wanted parents to be informed. FPA argued that without confidentiality, young people would stay away from services which would put them at risk and this position was upheld by Mr Justice Silber.

Presenting an award to journalist Anna Hodgekiss

Media communications

Journalists and broadcasters turn to organisations that provide an authoritative voice on complex and controversial issues, trusting the views and opinions to be non- judgemental, factually correct and evidence based. I can help senior managers to build an argument that can be debated on hard-hitting current affairs programmes such as Today and Newsnight, and put forward the human perspective through chat shows and consumer magazines. I have written articles for broadsheet newspapers and professional journals.

Newspaper articles
The Guardian 2 July 2009 – Not just pills and condoms
The Guardian 17 October 2004 – Women are eclipsed when the foetus is larger than life
The Independent 27 April 1999 – Podium: Key components of a happy society from a speech by the chief executive of the Family Planning Association to its annual conference.

TV and Radio appearances


Newsnight – 5 April 2004

Today Programme – 8 Nov 2005
– Please allow a few seconds to load
Today Programme – 15 June 2007
– Please allow a few seconds to load

BBC News – February 2009

Read about where I have worked

Contact me

Next Page for where I have worked