Stella O’Brien and Judith Smith appointed new chairs of advisory committees
THIS Institute has appointed new chairs to its two core advisory committees. Stella O’Brien – researcher, citizen scientist and accessibility champion – takes over as chair of THIS Institute’s engagement and involvement advisory committee. Judith Smith, Professor of Health Policy and Management at the University of Birmingham, becomes chair of the scientific advisory committee.
Stella O’Brien, a researcher in knowledge-based systems with a special interest in accessibility, is the new chair of THIS Institute’s engagement and involvement advisory committee.
Stella is actively involved in health technology appraisals, developing diagnostic and treatment guidelines, participation in funding committees for national research projects, and contributing to the governance of clinical trials. She advocates for an evolution of patient and public involvement in the effective practice and organisation of care, and is a citizen scientist for Cochrane Crowd. Her experience, expertise, commitment to high quality evidence, and advocacy for patients make her an excellent choice to lead the committee.
Stella O’Brien said:
Mary Dixon-Woods’ leadership and vision has established THIS Institute as a centre of excellence in innovative, primary research in improvement studies. It’s a privilege to chair the refreshed engagement and involvement committee as THIS Institute expands its influence.
Increasingly, patients are recognised as part of the solution to the many challenges facing healthcare, patient safety and outcomes. Patient and public leadership is emerging across the world in vibrant research partnerships to support and create affordable and sustainable healthcare systems. I look forward to continuing THIS Institute’s outstanding record of innovative work in patient and staff engagement and involvement.”
Stella’s appointment follows the tenure of Anna Burhouse, Director of Quality Development at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, as chair since 2019. Anna worked tirelessly and collaboratively with the institute’s senior leadership team to ensure high-quality consultation and stakeholder engagement.
Anna Burhouse said:
The engagement and involvement advisory committee has been there since the beginning – in fact, it was one of the first of THIS Institute’s committees to be established. The passion and drive of the committee members has meant we’ve been able to ensure that patients and staff are at the heart of what the institute does. We’ve encouraged the use of robust and novel approaches to involvement and engagement, such as the use of arts-based methodologies and the highly participatory methods that Thiscovery has initiated.
“I wish Stella and the committee all the best in ensuring that the voice of lived experience continues to influence the design and innovation coming from the institute.”
The scientific advisory committee at THIS Institute also welcomes a new chair, with Judith Smith, Professor of Health Policy and Management at the University of Birmingham’sHealth Services Management Centre taking up the role in January.
A widely published health services researcher and policy analyst, Judith specialises in the organisation and management of primary and integrated care, healthcare management and governance, and rapid evaluation. She is Deputy Director of the NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research Programme and Director of Health Services Research within Birmingham Health Partners. She is Trustee and Deputy Chair of Health Services Research UK, Visiting Senior Fellow at the Health Foundation, and Senior Associate of the Nuffield Trust.
Judith Smith said:
I am delighted and honoured to accept the invitation to chair the scientific committee of THIS Institute. The institute has gone from strength to strength as the team have designed and undertaken an extensive programme of highly rigorous and relevant research and evaluation that has a laser-like focus on the most pressing quality and safety concerns facing the NHS and healthcare more widely.
“The commitment of THIS Institute to inclusive collaborative studies with clinicians, managers, patients, and the public, and innovative sharing of research findings – these are all matters that are very close to my heart and I look forward to supporting the institute through chairing the scientific advisory committee.”
Outgoing chair of the scientific advisory committee Professor Robert Wachter is Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. His extensive experience and insight have helped guide THIS Institute’s scientific strategy since February 2020.
Professor Wachter said:
It has been a joy to chair THIS Institute’s scientific advisory committee for the past few years. I am extraordinarily impressed by the quality of the science, the focus on solving real-world problems, and the attention to implementation. I wish we had the equivalent of THIS in the United States.”
Professor Mary Dixon-Woods, Director of THIS Institute said:
We are absolutely delighted to welcome our new chairs Judith Smith and Stella O’Brien. Both are outstanding individuals who share THIS Institute’s mission to build an evidence base for healthcare improvement – and to do so in partnership with patients and healthcare staff. Stella takes over from Anna Burhouse, who has been a wonderful and wise chair of the engagement and involvement advisory committee for nearly five years. And Judith takes over from Bob Wachter, who has consistently offered generous and wise guidance and leadership during his time as chair of the scientific advisory committee. I am hugely grateful to Anna and Bob, and very much look forward to learning from Stella and Judith.”