Alison King - Hospital Manager

Alison had always wanted to be a nurse from being a very small girl. Nursing runs in the family. Alison qualified in 1982 and has worked in the NHS for a number of years in various settings, and then moved in to the private sector in 1988. Starting as a staff nurse and moving her way up to being Home Manager/Regional Manager, working for different companies, gaining experience in varied fields from management to crisis management.

Alison joined the team at Cygnet Hospital Hexham in May 2025. She previously served as Hospital Manager at Cygnet St Williams, which she successfully opened in 2019 during an exceptionally challenging period. She brings a wealth of experience, strong leadership, and a proven track record of delivering high quality services. recently obtaining Outstanding in Well led following a recent CQC inspection.

Dr Gbolagade Akintomide - Consultant Psychiatrist

Dr G Akintomide has been a Consultant Psychiatrist with Cygnet Healthcare since June 2018. He completed his higher specialist training in General Adult Psychiatry with subspecialisation in Substance Misuse and Rehabilitation Psychiatry with the London Deanery in 2015.

Dr Akintomide has an interest in research, forensic psychiatry and neuropsychiatry. He also has a Master degree with Distinction in Clinical Neuropsychiatry from the University of Birmingham. He has published work in a number of peer-reviewed scientific journals and he is a peer reviewer for scientific journals. In his leisure time, Dr Akintomide enjoys cycling.

Hayley Porter - Ward Manager

Hayley joined Cygnet in 2020, appointed for the opening of Cygnet Hexham Hospital. Hayley commenced her journey in the mental health field as a healthcare assistant within the NHS, she then went on to study Mental Health Nursing at Cumbria University in 2014 and successfully qualified in 2017. Prior to joining Cygnet, Hayley gained valuable skills and experience within crisis admissions, acute and PICU.

Hayley is committed to ensuring that all individuals receive high quality holistic care, whilst supporting the team to achieve this, as well as their own optimum potential.

With a keen interest in Forensic Mental Health, Hayley hopes to undertake a MSc Forensic Mental Health course in the near future.

Syed Raheman - Senior Support Worker

Syed started working at Cygnet Hospital Hexham in 2020, initially as an agency support worker. He then joined the team as a full time support worker before being promoted to being a senior support worker on Franklin Ward in 2022.