Rachel joined the Patients Association as Chief Executive in June 2017, bringing with her over 20 years’ experience of health and social care in the not-for-profit sector.

Since joining, Rachel has overseen a significant period of change, which has included a significantly increased and engaged membership. Rachel was appointed to the NHS Assembly in 2019 and is also a member of the NHS Elective Recovery Taskforce, National Outpatient Transformation Programme Patient and Voluntary Sector Advisory Group, and the National Patient Safety Response Advisory Panel. Rachel also chairs the Patient Coalition for AI, Data and Digital Tech in Health, which brings together a diverse group of patient groups, charities, Royal Colleges and industry.

Rachel’s focus is on building true partnerships with patients throughout health and care services, part of the Patients Association’s five-year true patient partnership strategy. The strategy answers the challenge of rebuilding health and care following the pandemic and overcoming many long-running problems for patients about not being listened to and services that meet their needs.