Katherine Murphy

Katherine Murphy is chief executive of the Patients Association.

Katherine joined The Patients Association in 2003 as Head of Communications having come from a background in Nursing. She was appointed Chief Executive in 2008. As Chief Executive, Katherine has been at the forefront of most of the recent campaigns at The Patients Association, and has initiated a number of other high profile initiatives that have featured largely in the media including:

- The Care Campaign
- Patient Stories
- Malnutrition
- Pain
- Dignity and Compassion

Katherine is a dedicated and tireless campaigner with a very strong interest in the rights and responsibilities of the patient and a true patient advocate. She is passionate about making sure the patient's voice is central to every decision and that the patient voice is heard and translated into genuine quality improvement for all. The co-creation of policy and partnership decision making must be present in all health and social care encounters.

Katherine continues to set the strategic direction of the Patients Association; during her time with the organisation Katherine, has worked with the Department of Health, National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA), Care Quality Commission, Cabinet office, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Royal College of Nursing, Nursing and Midwifery Council and all the of Medical Royal Colleges and other health and social care regulators.

Katherine sits on many Committees and Boards always representing the views of the patient and making sure the rhetoric from politicians is translated into reality for patients and the public.

For the past 18 months Katherine has dedicated her time and energy working in partnership with many NHS Directors of Patient Experience, cascading good practice through joint conferences on the patient journey in the hope that this will translate to good patient experience and outcomes.

Katherine is a Non Executive member of the Independent Ambulance Association and also sits on the Prime Minister’s Nursing Care Quality Forum.

In 2011 Katherine was nominated by the London Evening Standard as one of the capital’s 1000 most influential people.