Meet the team

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Andy has chaired the Operational Delivery Network since 2025.

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Maddy is the Deputy Chair of the ODN since 2025, she is also the senior manager responsible for supporting CANDDID’s strategic direction. She has worked extensively across primary, secondary and tertiary NHS care. Prior to joining CWP in 2020, she was an active participant in delivering the Transforming Care Partnership agendas across Lancashire & South Cumbria and Cheshire & Merseyside. Maddy is passionate about the ODN and working with people with lived experience to improve lives – she has lived experience of the impact of autism (Aspergers) and schizophrenia within her family.

Clinical Lead and Deputy Chair
North-West LD and ASD Operational Delivery Network

Consultant Psychiatrist and Strategic Clinical Director
Specialist Mental Health care group and Center for Autism, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Intellectual Disabilities (CANDDID), Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

National Professional Advisor (for People with a learning disability and autistic people)
The Care Quality Commission

Visiting Professor
University of Chester

Mahesh has been involved in the development of the Northwest Operational Delivery Network (ODN) for Autism and Learning Disabilities since its inception in 2017. He has been the clinical lead and deputy chair of the network since its inception.

Mahesh is a Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychiatry of Intellectual Disabilities at Cheshire and Wirral partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP). He has held a number of clinical management roles within the organization and currently holds the responsibility of the Strategic Clinical Director of Specialist mental health services. He has a keen interest in service development and has been involved with the Transforming Care programme since its inception. Mahesh also has a national role as the. National Professional Advisor (for People with a learning disability and autistic people) at the Care Quality Commission for the last 2 years.

Mahesh is a Visiting Professor at the University of Chester and has led and collaborated on a number of research/QI projects.  His research interests are in the area of population health, stratification of needs, standardised assessments and development of sustainable approaches in various health and social settings. Mahesh co-developed the Centre for Autism, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, and Intellectual Disability (CANDDID) which has provided the framework to develop and deliver a range of service improvement approaches/tools, education including postgraduate programmes as well as research.
April 2026 

Waqar has been a project manager within the Operational Delivery Network since 2021, working to supporting colleauges translate strategic intent into delivery. A London School of Economics graduate in Management Sciences, he also holds a Master’s degree in Consulting and Leading in Organisations from the Tavistock, specialising in Psychodynamic and Systemic Approaches.

Combining strong analytical capability with a deep understanding of organisational dynamics, Waqar works in close partnership with senior workstream leads, coordinating and assuring the delivery of multiple complex project plans across the system.

Beyond his formal role, Waqar is deeply committed to community development. He actively contributes to a range of community-based initiatives and is passionate about empowering citizens to take an active role in shaping and strengthening their local communities.

Chris Hutchinson joined the Operational Delivery Network in 2017 and remains committed to the project and over the last seven years has delivered many improvements. A Consultant Nurse for Learning Disability Services and Autism Services at Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT), she has had an extensive and impactful career spanning over 34 years in learning disability nursing. As a Consultant Nurse since 2002, Chris has played a significant role in influencing and shaping services through collaboration with service users and their families. Their expertise has extended to national developments, where they have supported others both locally and nationally in driving change and transformation within the field. Chris’s role as Nurse Consultant/Clinical Lead for Service within LSCFT's Learning Disability and Autism service line highlights their leadership in clinical practice development and service innovation, contributing to the Trust's strategic goals, including the Transforming Care agenda to reduce inpatient beds and strengthen community provision.

Dr Alex in the co-lead of the LD DSD II workstream.

Awaiting further information.

Dr Ceri Woodrow re-joined the ODN to co-lead the LD DSD workstream and is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist working in an Assessment and Treatment Unit for people with Learning Disabilities. She has a keen interest in clinically focused research to enhance clinical practice and patient experience. Ceri’s current research relates to Dynamic Support Registers and Care and Treatment Reviews.

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Maddy has been a co-lead of the Autism Workstream since 2020. She is also the Deputy chair of the ODN and the senior manager responsible for supporting CANDDID’s strategic direction.

She has worked extensively across primary, secondary and tertiary NHS care. Prior to joining CWP in 2020, she was an active participant in delivering the Transforming Care Partnership agendas across Lancashire & South Cumbria and Cheshire & Merseyside. Maddy is passionate about the ODN and working with people with lived experience to improve lives – she has lived experience of the impact of autism (Aspergers) and schizophrenia within her family.

Prof Sujeet Jaydeokar has been involved in the ODN since 2017 and currently leading on the Physical Workstream and is a Consultant Psychiatrist for Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

He, along with Prof Mahesh Odiyoor, was instrumental in setting up the Centre for Autism, Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities (CANDDID), for which he is also the Academic Director and Chair. Prof Jaydeokar is a parent carer of a boy with multiple neurodevelopmental issues. His lived experience and clinical work drives his interests in research and education.

He is a programme lead for the post-graduate qualifications in Neurodevelopmental Conditions at the University of Chester. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. His particular areas of interest are in health inequalities, service development and the phenomenology of neurodevelopmental conditions.

Maria Nelligan, joined the ODN when she became the Chief Nurse Executive at Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) in Sept 2019 and subsequently was seconded to Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) in May 2023 as Interim Executive Director of Clinical Transformation, retiring in May 2024. Maria was a Learning Disability Nurse and her leadership drove the Operational Delivery Network. Maria provided crucial leadership and support, focusing on enhancing professional practice and patient care standards. A testament to her impact, Maria received the highest recognition from the Chief Nurse for England in May 2021, acknowledging her dynamic leadership and passion for improving lives, particularly for individuals with learning disabilities.

Sandy retired in April 2026 (Strategic Lead Clinical Commissioner / Consultant (Mental Health & Disabilities - GM) and had been an keen advocate for the ODN since 2017.

Pauline left her post as ​​​​​​​Programme Director, Cheshire and Merseyside Transforming Care & NHSE in April 2026 and had been strong supporter of the OND since 2017.