Involving the public

ANGELA COULTER

Public Advisor and Member of the DARE UK Programme Board

Angela Coulter is an NHS patient and a health services researcher with significant experience studying patient and public views of healthcare, their experiences and outcomes. She has published more than 350 academic papers, reports, books and book chapters and was the founding editor of Health Expectations, the first academic journal to focus on patient and public involvement. Now semi-retired but still involved in research and policy analysis, Angela’s previous roles include chief executive of Picker Institute Europe and director of the Health Services Research Unit at the University of Oxford. She lives in an Oxfordshire village.

JOYCE FOX

Public Advisor

With personal experience as a carer, and with long-term health conditions, Joyce cares deeply about public involvement at all levels: in their own care, in service design and improvement, and in research. She has held a range of operational and strategic involvement roles with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), and other organisations locally, regionally and nationally. Joyce works closely with the DARE UK programme delivery team providing advise from a public perspective on key programme delivery activities and decisions.

RACHEL HILL

Public Advisor

Rachel is a former languages teacher with long term experience of living with a mental health condition. After forced retirement left a huge gap in her life purpose, she now endeavors to use her experience to inform, encourage, inspire and motivate others. She is passionate about survivor / service user collective activism to create impact and shape future decisions about what is helpful, needed and potentially beneficial. Not only for those suffering but for the policy makers who decide where funds are spent in the research and treatment of mental illness. She cares deeply about public involvement at all levels and believes more effective use of data can work toward a more equitable society.

ANDREW KELL

Public Advisor

Andrew has worked across technology, innovation, and healthcare, with experience in clinical trials, the NHS, and assistive technology development. He is committed to using data responsibly to support research while protecting individual privacy. His cross-sector background provides insight into the potential of data-driven research and the importance of public trust. As a member of the Public Advisory Group, he advocates for clear, ethical use of data — ensuring it is handled fairly, transparently, and in ways that deliver meaningful public value.

ANGELA KING

Public Advisor and Member of the DARE UK Programme Board

As an active patient advocate and public involvement collaborator for over 30 years, Angela has personal experience of long-term illnesses and of cancer-related end of life caring for three loved ones. Angela serves on advisory committees and commissioning boards/panels (mostly in the NIHR) and is involved in research studies in a variety of roles. She co-authors articles and papers, delivers workshops and lectures and presents at conferences. Angela’s background is in the voluntary sector in a variety of roles including crisis helpline volunteer, Trusteeships and CEO of a national charity. She has also undertaken and co-delivered leadership development courses and one-off workshops.

MAISIE MCKENZIE

Public Advisor and Member of the DARE UK Scientific and Technical Advisory Group

Maisie’s experiences as a carer for multiple family members with serious medical conditions led to an interest in public involvement and patient engagement. She currently supports two of the National Institute for Health Research policy research units as a patient representative on its collaboration groups, which focus on data use in research and clinical trials, and is a member of useMYdata. Maisie has worked in operational management, health promotion and disease prevention for the NHS in a non-clinical capacity. She currently works as an adult mental health first aid associate and trainer with Mental Health First Aid England.

CHRIS MONK

Public Advisor and Member of the DARE UK Scientific and Technical Advisory Group

Chris is the COO of Decoded, a company that teaches people about data science and technology. He is passionate about the power of data to transform the way that we do things in business and life. Outside of work, Chris is a long-standing volunteer with St. John’s Ambulance and South Central Ambulance Service, where he sees first-hand the primary care needs of the public that he believes could be better met by more effective use of data. Chris is also passionate about the ‘big questions’ relating to the use of data for health research, in particular, how the public can be persuaded to share their data and how the privacy of data subjects can be safeguarded.

FRANCESCA MONTEIRO

Public Advisor

Francesca’s background in neuroscience, medical affairs and patient engagement reflects her interest in how people engage with healthcare and decision-making. She has worked across the NHS, pharmaceutical and charity sectors, and currently supports patient and public involvement (PPI) in research for a national health charity. Alongside this, she contributes to digital health and rare disease initiatives, advising on PPI strategy and community outreach. Her motivation to work with DARE UK is shaped by both personal and professional experience, and a belief that data research should be transparent, inclusive, and guided by the people it is designed to serve.

ANGIE NAGMELDIN

Public Advisor

Angie is passionate about empowering individuals within her community. She moved to the UK back in 2005, she has 25+ years of professional experience where she harnessed a diverse set of skills due to her work in Corporate, Private and Charity Sectors. Angie’s neurodiversity along with her mixed heritage have granted her a unique perspective in representing and advocating for marginalised diaspora within the UK. She has been involved in projects across sectors and agencies. She currently volunteers with Project Salama, a domestic abuse registered charity as well as the Riding for the Disabled {RDA) charity. Angie is currently part of the DARE UK & TREvolution Public Advisory Groups, her mission and motivation to join is to give a voice to the voiceless and make sure they are represented and accounted for in every aspect of public services.

KAMIL STERNICZUK

Public Advisor

Kamil is a patient and public contributor to research in various roles. His interests include multimorbidity, health literacy and service improvement among many others. He particularly enjoys creating content and public speaking. Teacher by education, he is retraining to be a software engineer.

NIA TAYLOR

Public Advisor

Nia has worked and volunteered for several charities during her career and now in her retirement in west Wales. She was Chair of the Patient Liaison Group of the British Pain Society for 5 years. She became a participant in UK Biobank in 2007 and has had a strong interest in how patient and public data is used for public benefit while at the same time protecting privacy and preventing unscrupulous profiteering. She is on a number of PPI groups with a particular interest in severe mental health and long-term conditions.

FARHEEN YAMEEN

Public Advisor

Farheen is a South Asian woman passionate about health data and research. Living with multiple long-term conditions (MLTC), she is deeply interested in how data can improve healthcare, especially for diverse communities. Farheen is a Public Adviser in Applied Research Collaboration North West Coast (ARCNWC) and a member of HDRUK PIONEER Acute Medicine Data Hub. She is especially interested in how data can help to reduce health inequalities and give a stronger voice to patients like herself.