Region: East of England

What experience/interests do you have in terms of public health research: Abi is an experienced patient and public representative and collaborator.  She hopes that sharing her lived experiences will enable public health researchers to connect their work with health and wellbeing services, so that, working together, they improve the mental, physical and environmental health of our communities.

What are your hopes and aspirations as part of the Board: The Board should ensure we include patients, carers, the public and communities in everything we do; all groups are of equal importance.   We also have a responsibility to ensure that public health research and innovation remains relevant and responsive to health care research and service provision, and that community involvement becomes an integral part of all public health research.

Region: East London

What experience/interests do you have in terms of public health research: I have been involved in public research since 2015 I have been part of PPI member in many research projects such as gestational diabetes project from University of Birmingham. Several projects from Queen Mary University including women’s diet during pregnancy, universal plasma study. I have a keen interest in women’s health and am part of a group called Elly Charity where we try to improve pregnant women’s health through supporting them with language barriers.  

I also work for the NHS in collaboration with Public Heath Tower Hamlets, currently working on a project to improve health outcomes namely diabetes, heart and lung condition for the local population. 

What are your hopes and aspirations as part of the Board: I am very passionate and dedicated around improving the health and wellbeing of women. I chaired the local Maternity Voice Partnership for four years and have made a difference to women’s life. Being part of the board where I will be able feedback through my own experiences as a BAME woman to improve the lives of other people and be their voice on their behalf. 

Region: South West

What experience/interests do you have in terms of public health research: 15 years of working in the community has ensured my interest is ensuring everyone's voices are heard in public research, particularly from underrepresented groups, young people and those from deprived local communities. My interests vary from dentistry in young people, women's health, diabetes, transplants and heart surgery to topics such as suicide awareness, mental health, nature based medicine and unpaid carers issues.

I have spent the last 15 years in public, patient and community engagement sharing diverse, lived experiences to ensure NHS and NICE guidelines cover these in their updates and dissemination. I am a lay examiner for the Royal College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians, NIHR lay reviewer, committee member for Research Programme for Social Care .

What are your hopes and aspirations as part of the Board: Ensure the lived experiences of people are embedded early into researcher's proposal by providing support. To produce high quality research that reflects real life and can be applied in practical terms in the community, ensuring engagement from councils, CCG, voluntary settings as well as NHS. I hope to look into AI and digital use in research, but also address barriers, privacy trust and its safe use for sharing data across Public Health settings. My aspiration to have SCPH boards in every region of the UK and establish a source of accessible free contact for every community, public health and wider SCPC staff for support and guidance.

Region: East of England

What experience/interests do you have in terms of public health research: I have over 10-years experience reviewing medical and surgical, data, social care and innovations at all stages of the research cycle for applicants, funders, publishers and for ethics panels.

Of the research themes I have done, I would say that I have had more involvement in cardiovascular research than most other disease areas.   As an ex-staff nurse I have an abiding interest is disease, surgery, medicine, recovery, anatomy, physiology, and rehabilitation, and it is because I occupy the middle ground of being a patient and having been a nurse that I bring the perspectives of being a recipient of care and a care deliverer that seemingly makes my contributions valuable.

What are your hopes and aspirations as part of the Board: My hopes and aspirations are that I bring to the board a grounded perspective of what it is like to be a patient, what it is like to be a carer and what it is like to work in the NHS front line not as the NHS would like to imagine how it works but how it really does and doesn’t work.  Much of the NHS, especially at the managerial and political level, sees itself often through rose tinted glasses, and people like me know the reality and like Banquo's ghost we appear at inconvenient times and rightly so.  My hope is that I can help the Board bring tangible improvements to tangible problems.

Region: London

What experience/interests do you have in terms of public health research: I am passionate about public health research that focuses on tackling inequalities, intersectionality, and improving inclusion for underrepresented communities. My interests include neurodivergence, mental health, and long-term health conditions, as well as making research more accessible, culturally sensitive, and reflective of lived experiences. Drawing on my own experiences as a neurodivergent South Asian woman living with multiple long-term health conditions and physical disabilities, I bring an intersectional lens to my work. I am especially focused on addressing the barriers faced by individuals who experience multiple layers of marginalisation. Alongside my public contributor roles, I have over twenty years of professional experience in communications, accessibility, and community engagement, and I am passionate about ensuring that public involvement is inclusive and meaningful for all. 

What are your hopes and aspirations as part of the Board: I hope to amplify the voices of people with lived experience, particularly those who are often underrepresented in public health research. I want to promote inclusive practices and ensure that public involvement is valued as an essential part of shaping research and decision-making. My aspiration is to contribute to creating an inclusive and supportive environment where diverse voices are heard and respected. I am also keen to work with others on the Board to improve accessibility and encourage greater understanding of intersectionality in public health research and involvement. 

Region: East Midlands

What experience/interests do you have in terms of public health research: I have six years of experience in the non-profit sector, supporting racially minority charities, many focused on health inequalities. My work has deepened my commitment to tackling health disparities and ensuring public health research includes lived experience. I also contribute to health and racial equity discussions as part of HIEM’s Expert People’s Panel.

What are your hopes and aspirations as part of the Board: I want to help shape public health research to reflect the realities of diverse communities. As a Black Caribbean man living with a chronic illness, I understand first-hand that barriers can exist within healthcare for racial minority people. I hope to use my lived experience, professional background, and advocacy work to contribute meaningfully to discussions and ensure that underrepresented voices are heard.

Region: South West

What experience/interests do you have in terms of public health research: My interest in public health research is wide ranging. I have a desire to be a part of raising public health standards as I believe that in the longer term working towards prevention of health problems by research into causes is better than looking to solve health problems later on. 

What are your hopes and aspirations as part of the Board: I believe wholeheartedly in the value of public contributors to the research process. We give a different perspective and my hope as part of the Board is to bring my experience as a public contributor to enhance research from its outset, to conclusion. 

Region: North East

What experience/interests do you have in terms of public health research: I joined the local Research Design Service Consumer Panel in 2015 and have reviewed many plain English summaries since then. Through this role, I joined the PPI arm of the UNFAIR Health Inequalities (Newcastle) project as a co-applicant in 2022, which involved me listening to people in community groups in underserved areas. I learnt what challenged them and gained a broader understanding of what's involved in improving public health. 

 What are your hopes and aspirations as part of the Board: I would like to learn more and contribute a perspective to the debate based on that understanding. My learning during the UNFAIR project highlighted the importance of relieving poverty (expensive) and treating everyone with respect (free) to achieve healthy living for all members of the public. 

Region: Yorkshire and Humber

What experience/interests do you have in terms of public health research: Caring for a family member suffering from long-term multiple conditions, Meniers, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Diabetes and now MCI COPD: these responsibilities have made me understand some key physical, psychological and social challenges patients (and families) face in their lives everyday, and how with little support, health and quality of wellbeing can be significantly improved. 

I am from Yorkshire with significant health, cultural and socio-economic diverse communities, many experiencing and living with multiple health and care deprivation, social isolations and poor mental health support. Sitting on a Partnership Board as a Community Member where decisions around commissioning services involved co-production, giving communities a voice and ensuring those at senior level heard their views.  I have participated and contributed as co-applicant and community researcher on some research studies for improvements of health and care services.