Written by ARC NWC Public Advisor Naheed Tahir

I’m a patient representative at the British Medical Association (BMA), a role that can sometimes feel challenging and political, but it also gives me opportunities to make a real difference. At ARC North West Coast, I co-chair the Seldom Heard Forum, which brings together communities who often face multiple barriers to engaging with health and social care. Our aim is to offer a safe space for them to share the issues they experience, no matter how complex or sensitive.

One example that stands out to me was when members of the Chinese community attended the forum. An international student shared her struggles navigating the UK healthcare system, particularly that she had never known about GPs, something many countries do not offer. I took this feedback to my next medical students committee meeting, and it was immediately acted upon: a welcome pack would be created, including guidance on accessing GP services. This isn’t just valuable for international students; many students leaving home for the first time in the UK also lack this guidance. It was a tangible, direct impact of the Seldom Heard Forum and a reminder of why having public advisors is so important. Being a public advisor has allowed me to be a voice not just for my own community, but for all communities.

In July, at BMA House in London, I attended a General Practice Committee meeting and had the chance to listen to Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Social Care. His speech focused on the NHS 10-year Health Plan and its potential benefits for both GPs and the general public. While much of the speech appeared carefully prepared and supported by his advisers, he emphasised neighbourhood health services being GP-led and recognised the resilience of GPs in challenging circumstances, a reality I witness firsthand, not least because my daughter is a GP herself.

He highlighted collaboration across organisations to improve the NHS, with promises to shift funding from hospitals to communities, embrace technology, and ensure resources reach the most deprived areas. While the vision was encouraging, the practical details of how these plans would be implemented were not fully clear, and research was mentioned only briefly.

This is where our work as public advisers and researchers becomes vital. Evidence already exists that can support key areas of the Health Plan:
1. Hospital to community: What works in hospital wards and virtual wards
2. Analogue to digital: How artificial intelligence and other interventions are effective
3. Sickness to prevention: How NHS Health Checks are improving population health

By ensuring research findings are translated into meaningful improvements, we help make policies like the 10-year plan more than just promises. We collaborate with academics, public advisors, patients, carers, and experts by experience to turn evidence into practical tools and service improvements. This is impact in action.

For me, being a Public Adviser has been a deeply personal journey. It has allowed me to speak openly and from the heart, sharing reflections, views, and stories drawn from life experience. Being given a platform within an organisation like CLAHRC (now ARC) gave me a sense of purpose I didn’t know existed. Research, I’ve realised, is as much an art as it is a science. It has opened doors to knowledge and insights I hadn’t yet explored, and it has shown me the power of lived experience in shaping the future of health and social care.

ARCFEST reminded me of why we do this work: to ensure that research reaches the communities it is meant to serve, and that those communities are not just participants but active partners in shaping outcomes. That is the real impact of public involvement.