Rashmi Kumar
Public Advisory Group Member
I am from BAME background and live in the South East of England, an area with significant health, cultural and socio-economic diversity amongst its communities. Many people within this community are living with multiple health and care challenges and deprivation.
There is an importance in sharing personal lived experiences and in understanding key challenges patients are facing every day with access to health and care services. With partnership working, we can all help to bring about positive change for all communities.
I am also trustee of a large Patients Participation Group Network in South London, Surrey and Wessex.
The NIHR Innovation Observatory Public Advisory Group (PAG) play a key role in our patient and public involvement, engagement (PPIE) and outreach. The PAG guide strategic and operational aspects of PPIE and outreach. Operational aspects include, for example, advising on how best to strengthen involvement by patients, service users, carers, community organisations and the wider public in horizon scanning projects or planning appropriate training for PPIE and outreach team members. Strategic aspects include, for example, taking an overview of the PPIE and outreach activities occurring across research programmes, to ensure we deliver against our ambitious co-produced PPIE Strategy