Health and Social Care Committee appoints palliative care specialists to its Independent Expert Panel

The Health and Social Care Committee established the Expert Panel to conduct independent evaluations of Government commitments in different areas of healthcare policy and enhance Committee scrutiny of the Government. Each evaluation leads to a published Report. 

The five new members are:   

• Anita Hayes, Clinical Quality Lead at Hospice UK  

• Professor Vic Rayner OBE, Chair at Global Ageing Network and CEO at National Care Forum  

• Dr Michael Tatterton, Chief nursing officer at Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Bradford  

• Dr Sam Royston, Executive Director for Research and Policy at Marie Curie UK 
• Dr Sabrina Bajwah, Honorary Consultant Palliative Medicine at King's Health Partners and Clinical Reader at Cicely Saunders Institute 

The Expert Panel is chaired by Professor Dame Jane Dacre, Professor of Medical Education at University College London, former Director of the UCL Medical School, a consultant physician and rheumatologist, and a former President of the Royal College of Physicians. 

The Panel’s core members are:

• Professor Emma Cave 

• Anita Charlesworth CBE 

• Sir Robert Francis QC 

• Sir David Pearson, and  

• Professor Stephen Peckham 

 

Additional new members 

 

  

Anita Hayes 

“As a palliative care nurse for 25 years, I've seen first-hand how brilliant our palliative and end of life care services can be in this country, and just how crucial they are for patients and families. But I also know all too well how stretched and patchy our provision is and that many groups are missing out. I look forward to bringing my knowledge and experience to this panel and hope we can identify a path to a future where everyone gets the high-quality care they need.” 

 

Professor Vic Rayner OBE 

“Social care plays a vital role in the delivery of quality End of Life Care and Palliative care, and I hope that my involvement in the panel will ensure that this is both understood and government commitments now and in the future properly reflect the breadth of people receiving social care at the end of their life, and the settings within which they do this.” 

 

Dr Michael Tatterton 

“I joined the panel as I am passionate about ensuring that people receive the palliative care they deserve. The needs of children and adults are changing – I’m keen to explore the government’s expectations for the palliative care people with life-limiting conditions receive, and whether these expectations are being met.  

“I hope we can undertake a review that provides meaningful insight into whether government policy, expectations and funding leads to the delivery of palliative care services for both children and adults, that enables choice in the place and provider of high quality, responsive and relevant care.” 

 

Dr Sam Royston 

“How we support dying people is a key marker of a civilised society - it shows our true sense of community and fellowship. With this in mind, the expert panel’s evaluation of the state of palliative care in England could not be more critical.  I very much look forward to contributing to this work.” 

 

Dr Sabrina Bajwah 

“I joined this panel because I am deeply committed to holding the government accountable for its promises to reduce health inequalities at the end of life. This urgent issue cannot be ignored, and through my role, I will strive to keep it at the forefront of the government’s agenda, pushing for meaningful action and lasting change.”