I am a Non Executive Director on NHS Bristol Trust (and currently on the Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust Cluster Board). I have served on various Health Trusts over the last 14 years in a Non Executive role. The Primary Care Trusts are responsible for commissioning health services for our population and Non Executives are lay people providing a Board level strategic role.

Amongst my key roles at Board level (spanning various organisational restructuring) has been providing leadership in Equality, Diversity and Human Rights as well as Public and Patient Involvement.

I initially worked in the Probation Service before moving to Bristol University as a Lecturer - involved mainly in training and education of social work including research on user views of services and publications relating to ‘Groupwork’ theory and practice. Over the last 15 years I have worked as a consultant in health, social care and the voluntary sector including research and evaluations on projects in areas of equality and diversity.

I am a service user of cancer services and was one of the founding members of the User Involvement Group of our cancer network. I was a Trustee of National Cancer Alliance (NCA), one of the first charities working in partnership with service users and clinicians to influence policy and undertake research on service users' experiences. I am currently a member of the British Acoustic Neauroma Association (BANA).