Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) group

This group have now combined their skills and joined the National PPI group within the National Trials Programme where they continue to assist us in our research.

PPI members

• Hardeep Aujla
• Jagruti Lalseta
• Paul Haywood
• Peter Read
• Rajesh Patel
• Robin Bowler
• Sue Page

Previous PPI member stories

Peter Read

Over the years I have had major heart surgery to replace the mitral valve twice. This is the reason I became a UHL Volunteer. I visit the cardiac ward at Glenfield weekly to speak to patients about their own/my own experience in relation to cardiac surgery. I am also a member of Take Heart Leicester, the Adult Cardiac Patient Support Group. For these reasons I got involved with the PPI group. It is also a way of me giving something back.

Paul Haywood

My father had plastic valves put into his heart 40 years ago and he lived until he was 88. I heard Professor Murphy talk at our Rotary Club and heart surgery has advanced significantly in that time but the unexpected still happens and if I can help in any way to reduce this then I would like to.

Ian Shuttlewood

I am a member of Take Heart Leicester (THL), the Adult Cardiac Charity covering Leicester hospitals. THL runs an Adult cardiac support Group with many events to meet the needs of patients, ex-patients and carers. This includes social events from a walking group to lunches, dinners, boat trips and a monthly support group coffee morning. Money raised through donations is used to provide much needed equipment for cardiac patients. I became aware of THL following my own heart attack in 2014 and have been a hospital visitor on the cardiac wards since 2016. Before retirement I worked for the Ambulance service and still enjoy meeting and talking with patients.  Ian was previously a cardiac surgery research volunteer, in which role he visited in-patients who had volunteered for one of the research programmes where he was on hand to see how the patients were progressing and to answer any non- medical queries that they had.

Cardiac surgery research volunteer role

One of the main projects of the volunteer role was how to get members of the public involved in research. We see the role of a volunteer as being similar to the existing patient volunteer but more "research" orientated. After a period of negotiation with both the University of Leicester and University Hospitals of Leicester, we succeeded in finding a member of the public who already had patient volunteer experience. Following a very successful 6 month pilot phase we were given approval to make this role permanent within Cardiac Surgery Research.

The role involved:

• Talking to and supporting research participants - some patients did not feel at ease talking to doctors or the research team but would talk to a volunteer
• Helping to explain clinical terminology in lay terms
• Reporting any issues or concerns to the research team
• Offering support to participants
• Help to present a positive image of research participation.

Robin Bowler

My name is Robin Bowler and am retired having had a long and enjoyable career as a Civil Engineer working largely in hydraulics and public health (centred on the water industry). With a technical and scientific background I have always been interested in research and development and its practicable application.

Thus there is albeit a very tenuous link between the heart and blood flow and my background in hydraulics with its design of pipe systems, pumps and valves.

Why Cardiac surgery?

Like many I have an affinity with events that have had a major impact. My father, soon after he retired suffered circulatory problems and sadly passed away too early in life. I suspect that over the 30 intervening years, and thanks to research, outcomes are now improved; but I’m sure there is a long way still to go.

Whilst I have no medical background I hope to be able to provide help and support to the group in whatever limited guise that may take, such as volunteering to help in studies etc.

PPI Patron

Alan Birchenall, MBE

We are honoured that Alan Birchenall, MBE, Ambassador for Leicester City Football Club has kindly agreed to be the Patron of the Leicester Cardiac Surgery Patient & Public Involvement Group. We hosted a British Heart Foundation Public Engagement Event on the 26 April 2018 where Mr Birchenall kindly came along to speak about why it is important for him to lend his support to our group and how he is looking forward to being involved in our public events to promote heart surgery research.