The East Midlands Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Senate is looking for new members to join its Senate from Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. The patient and public involvement Senate is an independent body hosted by EMAHSN, it works to spread best practice through its member’s networks – extending its reach through the East Midlands health and care community.

The Senate membership comprises patients and carers with strategic experience in patient involvement and the co-production of health and care services. The Senate provides expert input and advice to EMAHSN programmes ensuring that patient involvement and co-production are at the heart of the organisation.

In this blog Senate member Amanda Roberts shares her experience as well as pivotal moments from her time being part of the Senate.

My background and experience of the East Midlands PPI Senate

The East Midlands Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Senate is recruiting new members from Nottinghamshire. Which has prompted me to share some of the highs of being in the Senate for over six years.

I applied to join the Senate when it was first set up. I hate interviews and emerged from the experience to find I had a flat tyre on my bicycle and had to walk home, pushing my bike and replaying my performance in my head.  Amazingly I was one of those chosen! Still cannot believe my luck after all these years.

I help run a support group for carers of children with eczema and we have built up a following of 7000 people over the last 30 years. My PPI experiences until the point I was recruited to the Senate had been mainly centred on research.  I was a member of various research groups, funding panels and even guideline development groups.

The Senate is an inspirational experience the other members bring such diverse skills and experiences. I am constantly in awe of them and I learn so very much from them.  The meetings consist of an interesting mix of speakers and information sharing, which has broadened my horizons and helped me understand the changing health landscape.  These meetings are interactive, with us sharing our knowledge with speakers.

The opportunities and benefits

Through the Senate, I have participated in a wide range of working groups, attended national meetings, and had the opportunity to feedback on local integrated systems and their plans to engage patients and communities. I’ve been involved in staff recruitment and PPI Bursary selection panels where EMAHSN funded local groups to deliver inclusive public involvement. I have also learnt how to talk to a group of profoundly Deaf people with the help of an interpreter, which developed my knowledge of some of the barriers communities face when trying to get involved. The Senate has enabled me to have these great opportunities.

Over the years I have many good memories. The thing I am most proud of is the work we have done which has culminated in the formation of The People’s Network, which aims to be a region-wide forum where patient leaders like me can connect, share, and develop.  I believe that PPI work is stronger when it is shared, networked and collegiate.

If you are a patient or citizen leader involved in health and care services in Nottinghamshire and want to join a group to help influence more accessible and inclusive health and care innovations, joining the East Midlands PPI Senate might be just the forum for you.  

Join the senate

Applications to apply for the PPI Senate are now open and will close on 30 November 2022. If you are a patient, carer, or member of the public from Nottinghamshire, and have experience of local health and care services we would like to hear from you. Download a copy of the role description and application form here. For further information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.