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FOxTROT – PPI Group

Members of the FOxTROT PPI Group

Alison Allam

Alison lives in Yorkshire and has an active interest in health and social care research, holding a PhD in Social Policy and a Masters in Disability Studies. Alison is specifically interested in how the use of ‘big data’ can improve the quality of life and outcomes for patients.

Alison has co-written several peer reviewed papers around how PPI can be effectively and meaningfully integrated into clinical trials. Alison is currently involved with several organisations including National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), Cancer Research UK (CRUK), University of Kent, and the Royal Marsden Hospital. Alison also holds a role in the strategic oversight of health and social care inspections and regulations.

Libby Cooper

Libby has twice been diagnosed with cancer and has been a carer for both her husband and mother following their cancer diagnoses.

These experiences helped her serve effectively as a Research Insight Panel Member for Cancer Research UK and a Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) representative for the CRICK, and DATA-CAN, the Health Data Research Hub for cancer.

Libby is a Lay Panel member for the University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre and reviews proposals for the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre. She acts as a Review Panel Member for UCL’s PPI Bursary Fund and is a PPI representative for a five-year NIHR research programme that is testing out the use of new molecular diagnostics to identify bacteria and antibiotic resistance. Libby is also a PPI representative for a three year study on student diversity in medical training.

Libby’s professional life has been dominated by the desire to help people in the UK and international charitable sector to understand the process of designing, conducting and disseminating research in order to improve beneficiary outcomes and develop policy. This has been achieved through her roles as Director of The Community Research Advisory Centre at North London University, as the founder and Director of Charities Evaluation Services and then as Director of Amber Analysis.

Cathy Gladwin

“In April 2015, I began a 6 week roller-coaster, which had started because I did my bowel cancer screening test. The treatment I had was standard; surgery followed by a period of rest before a series of chemotherapy sessions. Since that time, I’ve been heavily involved with Bowel Cancer UK as a volunteer.”

Monica Jefford

“Although it’s been 16 years since my initial cancer diagnosis, its impact continues to be felt. I have since become involved with the National Cancer Research Institute, National Cancer Action Team, National Research Ethics Committee, Bowel Cancer UK and patient groups at the Royal Marsden to name just a few organisations.”

Pete Wheatstone (Chair)

Pete lives in Yorkshire and is the chair of the Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Group and is also a member of the FOxTROT Management Group and Steering Groups. He spent a number of years in a variety of Technical Sales & Marketing and IT roles before being diagnosed with Stage 3 bowel cancer in 2014.

Following his recovery, Pete became involved in Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) roles within cancer-related and healthcare data research programmes and organisations across the UK and Europe. He chairs a number of PPI Groups and sits on many research management and steering groups across the UK. He also works with Bowel Cancer UK and Bowel Research UK and other prominent cancer charities.