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Heartbeat: Hello my name is… Lorraine Harper

February 8, 2023

Non-executive directors play an incredibly important strategic role in any organisation and ours is no different; they bring knowledge and skills to the boardroom alongside an open and independent perspective and a duty to uphold the highest standards and integrity in leading the organisation.

Non-executives are full members of the board of directors: they are appointed and expected to participate in committees, scrutinise the performance and objectives of the organisation, ensure the integrity of financial decisions and maintain oversight of clinical and quality standards.

Our most recent non-executive director is Lorraine Harper, who joined SWB in January 2023.

Lorraine brings with her a wealth of research experience to the Trust. Currently Professor of Nephrology at University of Birmingham, she has focussed on the management of patients with inflammatory kidney disease at University Hospitals Birmingham. She has helped support the development of a regional network of nephrologists and rheumatologists to support best practice in the management of vasculitis. Lorraine has published over 100 research papers in scientific journals as well as reviews and book chapters in the fields of inflammation and nephrology. She was recently appointed as Birmingham Health Partners Research and Health Innovation Director to help bring the benefits of research rapidly to patient.

She is a strong supporter of academic training and development, ensuring research is embedded as normal in healthcare and is the National Institute of Health and Social Care Research Academy Associate Dean responsible for academic training pathways. She is committed to increasing the diversity of individuals engaged with research and chaired the working group that developed the NIHR fellowships awards for research in local authority and changes to the awards for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals.

She is an enthusiastic communicator on the theme of translational renal research and regularly presents at both local and national level. She has been a member of several committees, including chair of the inaugural UK Kidney Research Consortium Glomerulonephritis Clinical Study Group. She was Honorary Secretary of the UK’S Renal Association.

Welcome to the Trust Lorraine!