Ann Lloyd Keen takes office as new Chair of Patients Association

 

London, 20th Janaury 2022: The Patients Association is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Chair, Ann Lloyd Keen. Ann succeeds Lucy Watson, who was a Trustee for six years, and chair for five years. 

Ann is a registered nurse and a former Health Minister. Ann is passionate about safe patient care, informed choice and patient partnership, and has more than over 40 years healthcare experience.

On her appointment as Chair, Ann said: “I’m looking forward to speaking up for patients at what is a difficult time for many people who need care.”

Rachel Power, Chief Executive, said: “I welcome Ann to our Board of Trustees as the Patients Association enters its 60^th year. These are challenging times for patients, and we are excited to have Ann, with her wealth of experience in healthcare, join us.

“I’m so grateful to Lucy for her leadership over the last five years. When Lucy took on the role in 2018, none of us could have foreseen what was about to happen to healthcare in the UK. But Lucy’s leadership galvanised us through the pandemic and enabled us to launch our patient partnership strategy, which Ann will now lead on.”

During her time in Parliament, Ann served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Department of Health in the Blair/Brown governments.

Ann holds numerous nursing awards and is an active campaigner on health inequalities and a strong advocate for the patient’s voice.

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About the Patients Association

The Patients Association is an independent patient charity campaigning for improvements in health and social care for patients. Our purpose is to ensure everybody can access and benefit from the health and care they need to live well, by ensuring that services are designed and delivered through equal partnership with patients.

Uniquely for a charity with a remit covering all health and care issues, we work with patients directly: they are our members and supporters, and the people who benefit from our help and information services. Through our helpline we provide information to thousands of people each year about the health and social care system. 

Anybody with an interest in health and care may join the Patients Association and membership is free. This year is our 60^th anniversary and one of our ambitions for 2023 is to double our membership.