Side-by-Side patient member, Academy of Research and Improvement, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; England

I have years of experience, both as a patient and as a carer. As such, I’ve seen healthcare working well and not so well, and I’m pleased to have an opportunity to put my experience to good use. I’m a big believer that good communication is essential for good care, and if we all work hard at listening well and conveying our messages appropriately, good things will happen. A quality improvement exercise raised my awareness of the importance of the patient voice in developing better services, and I haven’t looked back. I’m passionate about inclusivity and accessibility for all, and I’m a fan of Plain English!

Since 2019, I’ve been involved in various healthcare research projects, from conception to output. I’ve helped to produce patient-facing literature, reports and papers, and along the way I’ve learnt about a lot about health research and improvement.