Mary O’Grady

Agnes holds a PhD in Community Care from the University of Kent. She is a social researcher with 15 years’ academic experience at UK universities and has recently joined IPC bringing with her a wealth of experience.

Chris has over 24 years’ experience working across the public and voluntary sector in the fields of health and social care, commissioning and community development. He is passionate about self-directed support and finding ways to make commissioning systems more personalised.

Rosie is a qualified social worker and currently completing her training to qualify as a family and systemic psychotherapist. She has worked in a wide range of social work roles, including in adult care, mental health and out of hours social services and practised as an Approved Mental Health Professional and a Best Interests Assessor. Her PhD explored the operation of power in assessments under the Mental Health Act 1983,combining her professional and academic expertise.

Amy has significant operational and strategic experience working within the public and third sectors, supporting Public Health functions (including substance misuse, sexual health and mental health), housing support and adult and children social services. Her previous roles in England and Wales focused on commissioning and working to ensure the best possible outcomes for families and wider communities.

Sally has over 25 years of professional experience at a senior level, within the adult services sector. She specialised in the housing sector, where she operationally and strategically led on the management and development of housing and services for older people, the homeless and care leavers.

Mick is an experienced and effective consultant who has been a senior manager in various roles across the sector. He is a qualified social worker who has worked for local authorities and the NHS and he was the professional social care advisor for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Mick is a Visiting Knowledge Transfer Fellow with the University.

Ellie has experience in a range of applied research and evaluation projects including undertaking literature reviews and designing surveys. She has helped to design and analyse the results of surveys in areas ranging from young people’s transitions to adulthood to adult social care management and decision-making of commissioners in children’s service.

Caroline has over thirty years’ experience in children’s services within local authorities in both strategic and operational roles. Her expertise ranges from early help services through to safeguarding systems as well as managing an early year’s special educational needs team. Holding a PhD, Caroline was Vice Principal of an FE college, and has a background in supporting maintained and independent educational institutions to reduce inequalities.

Sarah is a solution-focused professional with considerable experience of health and social care commissioning in both NHS and local government. Sarah has delivered commissioning functions including procurement, performance management and service improvement, system review, needs analysis and transformation.