PPIEP Contacts at Oxford Health BRC
Professor Edward Harcourt
Patient and Public Involvement Academic Lead
Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oxford, appointed a MBE for services to Interdisciplinary Research. His research focuses on ethics, in particular moral psychology. He has published on topics including the philosophy of mental health and mental illness. Professor Harcourt is a director of the biennial Oxford Summer Schools in Philosophy and Psychiatry and as of October 2022, Professor of Philosophy in the University’s Department of Psychiatry, where he leads on Patient and Public Involvement at the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre.
Cora Reilly-McGeown
Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Participation Manager
Cora has previously worked as the Patient, Carer and Public Involvement and Engagement Manager at the NIHR Clinical Research Network Thames Valley and South Midlands, and as an Events and Marketing manager at NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, for Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Cora has over ten years’ experience working in patient and public involvement in research. She is passionate about embedding patient and public involvement in research and supporting researchers to include the voice of people who are not traditionally involved, and often under-served in research, through community work. Involving people with lived experience of mental health difficulties (e.g., patients, service users and their carers), to develop better research in a meaningful way that serves the needs and interests of patients and carers.
Emily Tammam
Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Participation Administrator
Emily was previously Operations Lead for a small local charity, as well as having worked clinically as an IBCLC.
Emily is keen to support the OH BRC PPIEP team, to ensure that the voices of PPIEP contributors are heard within the mental health research field. She is particularly passionate about involving contributors very early in the research process, where their ideas and lived experience can have significant impact.
Douglas Findlay
Patients and Research Group Co-Chair
I came relatively late to Patient and Public Involvement, having worked on the industry side of health and care for most of my working life. Regarding my personal involvement in health and social care, I have been both a service user and a carer across the whole spectrum of services on offer. In my late teens I was treated and spent time in care for what was then called manic depressive illness. My ethnic roots meant that my mental health was rarely acknowledged, let alone discussed and this was due mainly to the culturally accepted belief that mental health issues hinder people from achieving expected aspirational life goals. I have been a peripheral member of the OH PAR for a number of years and it is its tireless work in integrating patients and the public into MH research that persuaded me to become more involved with the group. I volunteer locally, regionally, and nationally on two main themes, patient safety and mental health.
PPIEP contacts in the MH-TRC Mission
Dr Lesley Booth
MH-TRC Mission PPIEP Lead
Lesley brings eight years of leadership in Patient and Public Involvement, Engagement and Participation (PPIEP) within the medical research charity sector. Formerly Deputy Director at CamRARE, she developed its PPIE strategy supporting rare disease communities. At Bowel Research UK, she was the first patient employee and later Director of Research and PPIE, shaping its research programme. A social scientist by training, she has built strategic partnerships across sectors. Prior to charity work, she spent over 20 years at York University, where she led community relations and strategic projects. Lesley received an MBE in 2012 for her contributions to York.
Jade Symons
MH-TRC Mission Executive Assistant
As the MH-TRC Mission Executive Assistant, I support the PPIEP initiative by assisting in strategic planning, managing day-to-day operations, and overseeing critical tasks. I coordinate communications, manage schedules, and facilitate smooth collaboration across teams to ensure efficient project execution. With a background in forensic mental health and a BSc in Psychology, I am deeply committed to promoting equitable participation in mental health research for individuals with lived experience, ensuring respect for diverse cultural, social, and personal identities. I am passionate about driving inclusive research practices and supporting initiatives that amplify underrepresented voices.
