HEALTH SECTOR ACTIVITIES
Axolotl Associates
Managing Partner 2013 - Present
Healthcare sector advisory and patient advocacy services on both paid and pro bono basis throughout the UK and the EU
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PORTFOLIO OF INTERESTS FOLLOWS BELOW
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Strategic Advisory Board StAB 2023 - Present (Chair 2025)
ERA4Health Partnership: Fostering a European Research Area for Health Research.
European transnational collaborative research funding body for joint programming in priority areas addressing European public health needs.
Associate Staff 2025 - Present
Disease Atlas Project 2025 - Present
Phenomics for People Advisory Group 2020 - 2022
THIN (Advisory Committee) Co-Chair 2018 - Present
Health data is growing rapidly in size and complexity, and the UK holds some of the richest datasets in the world. At the Institute of Health Informatics, we harness this data to better understand disease at both national and global levels. Our unique mix of expertise drives impactful research using large-scale data and advanced analytics.
Public Board Member 2025 - Present
Joint United Kingdom Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services Professional Advisory Committee
JPAC has two distinct remits: 1. To be an advisory committee to the UK Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services, 2. To prepare detailed guidelines for the UK Blood Transfusion and Tissue Transplantation Services.
UKHDRA Alliance Executive Committee 2023 - Present
RWE Network Coordination Centre Selection Panel 2023
National Project on Reproducible Machine Learning Steering Group 2021 - 2023Phenomics for People Advisory Group 2020 - 2023
Healthcare Transformation Academy Advisory Board 2021 - Present
Providing on-demand education to healthcare professionals
EIT Health Innovators Community 2021 - Present
Multi-disciplinary community of innovators building the future of healthcare
EIT Expert Evaluator 2020 - Present
Campus Call 2021 + Education Call 2022
Lay Lead/Member, Technology Appraisal Committee A 2018 - Present
Independent advisory committee - prepares NICE technology appraisal recommendations for the approval of drugs and devices to be used in the NHS.
Lay Expert, HTA Laboratory - Novel Data Sources in HTA Project 2025 - Present
Lay Member, Equality Task and Finish Group 2020 - 2023
Lay Member, Stakeholder Insight Group 2019 - 2022
NHS England
SRAG Stakeholder Data-Enabled Research Advisory Group 2024 - Present
(Ex RAG - NHS Research Advisory Group - four UK nations)
Council Member, Clinical Senate Council, London 2018 - Present
Strategic advice and guidance to commissioners and other stakeholders
Chair/Past Chair, Patient and Public Voice Group 2017 - Present
Clinical Review Panels, eg Moorfields (Project Oriel) Clinical Review
Public Board Member, AHPs into Action Programme 2018-2022
Public Member, HTA Prioritisation Panel (Hospital-Based Care) 2018 - 2023
Co-Chair, NETSCC Patient and Public Involvement Reference Group 2020 - 2022
Lay Expert, College of Experts, NIHR COVID-19 Call 2020 - 2022
Evidence Reviewer (exRater) CED Centre for Engagement and Dissemination 2017 - 2024
Proposal Reviewer, CCF Central Commissioning Facility 2017 - Present
Patient & Public Community (PPC) 2024 - Present
Innovative Devices Access Pathway IDAP Pilot Selection Panel 2023- 2024
Medical Devices Regulations Group (MDRG) 2022 - 2023
Patient Group Consultative Forum (PGCF) 2018 - 2024
Public Governor for Kensington and Chelsea 2017 - Present
Council of Governors - Elected 2017, re-elected 2020, re-elected 2023
Nominations and Remuneration Committee 2018 - Present
Chair, Patient Participation Group, The Chelsea Practice 2024 - Present
Chelsea Rep, Brompton Health Primary Care Network PPG 2024- Present
NETWORKS/PROJECTS
RLS-UK (Restless Legs Syndrome - Willis-Ekbom disease)
Trustee 2025 - Present
Providing help and support to people living with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD). Neurological disorder characterised by an irresistible urge to move to stop uncomfortable or odd sensations. As it usually interferes with sleep, it is also considered a sleep disorder.
Patient Member, JPAC Board
Research Activities Quinquennial Review Panel 2024
Patient and Public Advisory Group 2018 - Present
O Negative First Responder 2018 - Present
Patient Representative 2022 - Present
Multi-stakeholder initiative bringing stakeholders together to agree what real-world data could be collected for highly innovative technologies to generate real-world evidence that informs decisions by healthcare systems (HTA/payers), clinicians and patients.
European Patients' Academy on Therapeutic Innovation
Fellow 2021 - Present
Training Fellow 2019-2021
Executive Group Member 2021 - Present
Sharing patient data to help others, ensuring effective safeguards - confidentiality + anonymity of data
Patient and Citizen Involvement Group PCIG 2020 - Present
Pooling patients and citizens, patient advocates, patient engagement consultants, clinicians, researchers (eg statisticians and economists), HTA agencies, government, industry and others.
Patient Expert, Pool of Experts 2022 - Present
EU public-private partnership funding health research and innovation
Successor to IMI Innovative Medicines Initiative
Patient Representative 2023 - Present
Research Presentation Awards Judge
ISPOR Europe 23, Copenhagen, Denmark
Awarded Patient Representative Travel Grant
ISPOR - International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research
(The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research)
Patient Fellow 2024 - Present
Speaker, DIA Europe 2024 in Brussels
DIA a global association that mobilizes life science professionals across all areas to engage with patients, peers and thought leaders in neutral environment on today's issues and tomorrow's possibilities.
Academy Projects Patient Network 2022 - Present
Clinical Trials for Rare Diseases Project 2022
Academy of Medical Royal Colleges speaks on standards of care and medical education across the UK.
Patient Partner 2018 - Present
Patient and family advisors helping to improve Canadian healthcare
Collaborating with healthcare providers, researchers, administrators, and policymakers.
Mental Health First Aider 2018 - Present
Our vision is to improve the mental health of the nation .
This has never before been needed so much.
PREVIOUS ROLES/PROJECTS
NHS-Galleri Advisory Group 2022 - 2024
Focus group with useMYdata for NHS-Galleri Trial
Community Pioneer 2021 - 2024
Open, international, and diverse coproduction community
NHS Innovation Accelerator NIA
Interviewer, NIA Fellowship 2018 - 2024
The Academic Health Science Networks Network, 15 AHSNs operating as the key innovation arm of the NHS
Patient Expert Board 2021 - 2023
Collaborative task force with patients to develop Patient Engagement plan around new research site - from research process to architectural elements in the new site, accessibility, etc.
Lived Experience Partner, Beneficial Changes Network 2020 - 2023
Beneficial Changes Network (BCN) was a collaborative group of health + social care stakeholders and people with lived experience who wanted to harness and capture the benefits of changes that had taken place through COVID-19 and beyond and evaluate these changes, to share the knowledge and embed the learning of local experiences across the entire health and care sector.
Lay Panelist: 2017 - 2023
Neuroscience Panel, BRC Biomedical Research Centre
Patient and Public Panel, UCLH
COVID-19 Evidence Network for Supporting Decision-making McMaster Health Forum, Canada
Prioritisation Committee 2020 - 2021
European Patient Expert 2018 - 2023
Initially UK Patient Expert then European Patient Expert
Patient Member, Scientific Advice Working Groups
Member, Involvement Leads Network 2017 - 2022
Academic Health Science Network - NHS, academia, local authorities, third sector, and industry: facilitate change to improve outcomes for patients.
Facilitator 2021
Primary Care Digital Health Evidence Pitching Event
DigitalHealth.London Accelerator Programme
Oversight Group Member, Public Dialogue on Data for Public Benefit 2020 - 2021
Assess public attitudes on use and dissemination of healthcare data to researchers and scientists in public and private companies
Remote Credentialing Task and Finish Group 2020 - 2021
Remote Credentialing Task and Finish Group
Patient Reference Group 2021
Development / implementation of the Government’s response to IMMDS Review - Challenge, Advice and Scrutiny to the Government’s response to the Review.
Member, Kensington and Chelsea Committee 2019 - 2021
Central West London Branch, Healthwatch 2017 - Present
NHSx
Public Member, NHSx National Data Collaborative 2019 - 2021
National Data Collaborative for Health and Social Care
+ Information Governance IG Working Group
Patient and Stakeholder Group 2020 - 2021
Federation of 34 General Practices in Westminster caring for more than 246,000 registered patients.
Patient Expert, Pool of Experts 2019 - 2022
World's biggest public-private partnership in the life sciences
Patient / Public Member 2019 - 2021
Google Health PUG - Patient User Group
Patient and Public Advisory Group 2018 - 2021
Health and social care policy-making with a focus on interactions between the health and social care systems.
Patient and Carer Network PCN 2017 – 2021
Patient Involvement Unit, Network of volunteers who support and shape the work of the RCP
Patient / Public Member 2017 - 2019
Deep Mind Health - Patient / Public Involvement & Engagement Group
Digital Patient Reference Group 2017 - 2024
Medical Curriculum Review Group 2018 - 2020
Strategic Lay Forum 2016 - 2020
Participant/Facilitator/Speaker 2017 - 2020
Training: Systems Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion, Digital Leadership, Capitol People, Artificial Intelligence, Effective Lay Partner
JDR Champion 2017 - 2020
LEARN to help people Join Dementia Research
Dementia Friends Champion, Alzheimers Society
Lay Representative: 2017 - 2020
Value Added Quality Council
Patient Experience Coordinating Committee
Chair, Patient Participation Group PPG 2011 - 2021
Belgrave Medical Centre, Westminster. GP Partnership dissolved in 2021
PRIOR EXPERIENCE
Zoological Society of London + FZS
Vice President, Trustee and Council Member 2003 - 2013
Also Finance + Remuneration + Strategy committees
Royal Institution of Great Britain + FRI
Trustee and Council Member 2005 - 2011
Also Audit (Chair) + Nomination committees
Royal United Services Institute + FRUSI
Trustee and Council Member 2007 - 2010
Also Executive + Finance committees
Consultant + FAC + FRSA + FLS
Independent Policy Advisor 1998 - 2013
European/American security and conservation policy
[Also Partner at DA Ventures]
French Armed Forces
Military Liaison Officer MLO 1981 - 1998
Attachments/secondments on five continents
[including two years at NY Investment Bank]
Selected Projects
Together for brain research
2025 "Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Neuroscience of Pain"
Patient Reviewer, ERA-NET NEURON Cofund Meeting, Bratislava, Slovakia 9/25
2024 “Bidirectional Brain-Body Interactions”
Patient Reviewer, ERA-NET NEURON Cofund Meeting, Madrid, Spain 09/24
2022 "Cerebrovascular Diseases"
Patient Reviewer, ERA-NET NEURON Cofund Meeting, Riga, Latvia 09/22
NetZeroAICT
(Artificial Intelligence Computerised Tomography)
Pioneering Sustainable Healthcare through AI
Steering Committee + Patient Advisory Group
2025 Annual Consortium Meeting - 10.25 Heraklion, Crete - Delegate
2024 Annual Consortium Meeting -12.24 Nice, France - Delegate
Pioneering Sustainable Healthcare through AI
Cultivate Diversity, Amplify Voices: Broaden Patient Partnerships Across Pharma
Foster expansive collaborations with a range of patients to empty your echo chamber
- Expand patient touchpoints beyond patient centres of excellence, integrating their perspective within all commercial teams for a comprehensive patient-centric approach
- Embed patient centricity at every level to make patient involvement instinctive across all teams, not just centres of excellence
Sustainibility, Collaboration, and Innovation
2024 Conference, Brussels 12-15.3.24. Awarded Patient Fellowship
Panelist - Levelling the interaction between Patients and European National Competent Authorities (NCAs) - Challenges & Possible Pitfalls
HEOR - Health Economics and Outcomes Research
2023 Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark - 12-18.11.23
Awarded Patient Representative Travel Grant
Research poster Presentation Awards Judge
Harnessing the patient voice to build confidence in the use of patient data to save lives and improve outcomes
Better patient care pathways and models of care can be leveraged from the use of data
The Era of Digitization
Future of Health Virtual (2) - 18.06.20
Digital Health Transformation - The Era of Digitization | Richard Ballerand
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Fellow 2025 - Present
RSPH exists to improve the health of the public, and the greatest improvement can only be delivered through societal change – whether that is Government action, business reform, or changes to public attitudes. We strive to secure and promote this societal change through our policy and research
Lay Fellow + Member Medicine and Society Council 2018 - Present
The Royal Society of Medicine is one of the UK’s leading providers of continuing learning for healthcare professionals. We bring people together to have the medical conversations that matter.
Training Fellow 2019 - 2021, Fellow 2021 - Present
1 Discovery of Medicines & Planning of Medicines Development; 2 Non-Clinical Testing & Pharmaceutical Development; 3 Exploratory & Confirmatory Clinical Development; 4 Clinical Trials; Regulatory Affairs, Medicinal Product Safety, 5 Pharmacovigilance & Pharmacoepidemiology, 6 HTA Principles & Practices.
Participant/Facilitator/Speaker 2017 - 2020
Training: Systems Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion, Digital Leadership, Capitol People, Artificial Intelligence, Effective Lay Partner
Fellow 2017 - 2018
Improvement Leader Fellowship
Activities: Applied Improvement science, Collaborative Learning Events
PGC (Distinction) European American Security 1996 - 1998
Activities: Schloss Hofen, Österreich, Chateau de Klingenthal, Alsace
PhD programme Psychology 1994 - 1998.
"Decision-making under stress in conditions of risk and uncertainty". Thesis not submitted after TBI, also Teaching Assistant/Demonstrator
Activities:
President: Birkbeck Students Union BCL, Deputy-President: University of London Union ULU, Board Member: London Nightline
BSc (Hons) Psychology 1991 - 1994
Evening degree, also WPF Diploma in Counselling
Activities: Birkbeck College Governor + London University Senator
PGCE course Business Studies 1988 - 1989
Teaching A level Economics and Business Studies
Activities: Diversity and equality groups, also p/t MLO
MA course War Studies 1985 - 1987
Dissertation: "Warfare as driver of technology", also p/t MLO
Activities: Instructor, college sub-aqua club
BSc (Econ) (Hons) Accounting and Financial Management 1981 - 1983
On scholarship, also p/t service as MLO
Activities: Oxford University Officers Training Corps
Diploma (Legal Studies)
First year Assas (Paris II), then via correspondence Panthéon (Paris I).
Activities: Scuba-diving club, (+ paralegal for Ashurst Morris Crisp on IBM's EC Antitrust Case Rebuttal 1981), also p/t Military Training
REFERENCES
Prof Suzanne Rastrick OBE
Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, NHS England
Richard sat as an external 'patient & public voice' member of the NHS England programme board overseeing implementation of the AHP Strategy for England. He added considerable value through excellent preparation before meetings, which enabled him to offer incisive and relevant questions of members, with observations based in lived experience. He possesses excellent scrutiny, analysis and challenge in such board forums.
Dr Simone Botti
CEO at Metabomed Ltd
While working with Richard on a project for the RI, I was exposed to his depth of knowledge and experience in an exceptionally broad range of disciplines, and to his selfless commitment to issues and projects that he championed. Since then I have been looking for other opportunities to work with Richard again.
Dr Marc Fehlmann
Past: Director General, Basel Historical Museum
Richard is an extremely astute strategic and financial adviser. He has been highly committed to the arts and their funding. We were most impressed with his ability to draw on his varied connections in multiple networks to consistently achieve excellent results. Richard is a highly cultivated and most charming individual and patron. I recommend him fully - without reservation
Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham
Consultant to Airbus Helicopters and Airbus UK
I worked with Richard as a fellow Trustee at the RUSI for several years. I found him to be an excellent colleague, with very good judgement and insight as well as deep knowledge of the financial and governance issues involved in trusteeship. He is very clear and articulate and is prepared to take on difficult issues with both courage and common sense. I enjoyed working with him and respected and trusted him totally.
Rachel Mathews
Programme Manager at National Voices
I worked with Richard while I was leading the Patient and Public Involvement Theme in a National Institute for Health Research-funded project. I enjoyed working with him and Richard is a thoughtful and reflective person who brings personal and professional experience and insight to his roles. Richard is confident working with people from different backgrounds and is respectful and curious in his approach. He cares about the quality of healthcare and is interested in scientific developments. I'd be happy to work with him again!
Dr Martin Cooke
Head of Corporate Engagement at World Animal Protection
I have worked closely with Richard on ZSL Council and in the Finance and General Purposes Committee. Richard is insightful and determined, a source of clear and well reasoned advice.
Stephen Kingsley Esq
Partner at Keystone Law
I have known and worked with for some eight years. Richard was a valued member of the Council of the Chelsea Society, where his deep and varied knowledge was greatly appreciated.
Dr Gwynneth Flower
Past: Hon Treasurer, Royal Institution, Chair, National Meteorological Programme
I have known Richard for more than 10 years and have always held him in high regard. He is an astute and very capable business manager with wide ranging contacts and equivalent experience. He works well in every situation in which I have observed and can get on well with all types of people. His commercial experience is extensive and I value his views and contributions to business development.
John Norton Esq (Requeiscat in Pace)
Past: Lay Partner at North West London Lay Partner Group
Richard who I have now worked with long enough to appreciate his talents brings enormous value to any activity which is fortunate enough to have his input. He is already involved with a considerable number of important health oriented institutions and groups. I know that anybody who is looking for a person dedicated to the interests of the individual patient would be wise to have Richard by their side.
LET'S CHAT
CURRENTLY ON GREENWICH MEAN TIME
