I became self-employed as a mental health user consultant in1992. I have used mental health services since 1978. At the beginning of the 1970s I gained an HND Business Studies and a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Marketing. In 1997 I was appointed as a Mental Health Act Commissioner which in 2009 transferred to the Care Quality Commission. I work two days a month in this role. In 2000 I was appointed Honorary Fellow of Brunel University Centre for Citizen Participation. From 2002 until 2011 I was an INVOLVE Group member and a member of their Empowerment working group. I also work with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) as a peer reviewer and from 2008 to 2010 I was appointed as a member of the Health Technology Assessment (HTA) panel for psychological and community therapies. From 2011 I have been a member of the Research for Patient Benefit West Midlands panel. I was chair of European Network of  (Ex)-Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (ENUSP) from 2004 to 2010.  I have a particular interest in conducting and participating in research and cross disability issues. I am a respected service user/survivor researcher.