School of Pharmacy Research & Scholarship Seminar

Thursday 16^th November, 1pm – 2pm, Hopkins 101

Mildred Foster and Alison Provins, The Oxford Academic Health Science Network (Oxford AHSN)

“Patient and Public Involvement – Why do it?”

We will explore this often asked question and seek to demonstrate why the need to consider Patient and Public Involvement when educating our future healthcare providers is gaining momentum.

The Oxford Academic Health Science Network (Oxford AHSN) is a partnership of NHS providers and commissioners, universities and life science companies working to improve health outcomes and prosperity in the Thames Valley region through the widespread adoption of clinical innovations.

The Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Experience theme underpins everything the Oxford AHSN does. It ensures that working with the public, patients and carers is integral to the work of the AHSN. Sustainable healthcare depends on people being actively engaged in maintaining their health, managing long term conditions and being involved in designing healthcare systems.

To achieve this we need a well-informed population, professionals working with patients and carers and person-centred healthcare that responds to what patients and the public need and say.  We are building a network that will create change in individual care, organisational culture and systems of care. We are working with our partners across the Oxford AHSN region to make this happen.

Mildred Foster has a background in biomedical research and experience in clinical research and science funding working for Oxford University and The Wellcome Trust. She joined the Oxford AHSN Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Experience team in August 2015. She is project manager of the ‘Leading Together Programme’.

Alison Provins has a background in financial services and now runs her own small business helping other organisations to improve their customer service. She has worked as a lay representative for Health Education England for several years. Alison actively seeks to increase the use softer skills within the NHS as a way to improve quality of care. She is part of Reading University Executive Stakeholder Group for the School of Pharmacy advocating for skills like empathy and communication to be included in medical student training. In 2016 she completed the ‘Leading Together Programme’.

Pizza and refreshments will be available from 12.50pm, or bring your own lunch along. The talk will start promptly at 1pm

ALL WELCOME