Public Engagement and Patient Support (PEPS) Committee

Our Public Engagement and Patient Support (PEPS) Committee helps to spread the work About Antibiotic Resistance and the importance of managing our current antibiotics to professionals and the public.

  • James Amos
    James Amos
    PGCert infection, prevention and control, PGDip general hospital practise, MPharm Master of Pharmacy, BSc (Hons) Pharmaceutical science
    PEPS Committee Member

    James is a Senior Medical Affairs Advisor in the field of Antimicrobial Stewardship working for Pfizer UK.

    Before leaving the NHS James was a clinical pharmacist working across the acute, intermediate and community settings in Kent. He represented his NHS Trusts at regional antimicrobial stewardship forums and has implemented his Trusts antimicrobial audit cycle with the aim of improving antimicrobial stewardship.

    James’ remit included monitoring and advising on the use of antibiotics in the acute hospitals, Intermediate hospitals, primary care, paediatric and dental services across Kent and beyond.

    Before undertaking his pharmacy degree James worked in the pharmaceutical industry for a mid-sized research company in the field of pharmacognosy to develop medications for multiple sclerosis and oncology patients.

    James is active in research, previously collaborating with the Universities of Kent and Greenwich in the field of Pharmacy practise, with a focus on educating and empowering patients to take responsibility for their healthcare

    James’ aim for joining the PEPS Committee is to use the skills he has developed in his current and previous roles to improve the use and knowledge of antibiotics and the rise in antimicrobial resistance. He feels that ANTRUK is an important charity as it provides a focus and funding to develop the antibiotic pipeline whilst educating the public and healthcare professionals.

  • Professor Angharad Davies
    PEPS Committee Member

    Professor Angharad Davies is a clinical academic and honorary consultant medical microbiologist at Swansea University Medical School. She is also Vice-President for Learning of the Royal College of Pathologists.

    Angharad qualified in medicine from the University of Cambridge. After gaining her MRCP, she undertook her specialist training in medical microbiology and virology at the Royal Free Hospital, London. She the completed an MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowship at University College London. Angharad has a PhD in aspects of dormancy in tuberculosis.

    Professor Angharad Davies is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She has a particular interest in education and training in antimicrobial resistance and stewardship. She leads the education and training workstream of the Wales Antimicrobial Resistance Delivery Board, and founded and leads the All Wales Antimicrobial Resistance Educators project (AWARE project | AWARE (antibioticaware.com). At Swansea, Angharad leads undergraduate and postgraduate modules on antimicrobial resistance and pathogen genomics, and infection and immunity teaching on the graduate entry medicine course. She also Infection Specialty Lead for Health and Care Research Wales.

    Why I decided to join ANTRUK PEPS committee

    Antimicrobial resistance is without doubt one of modern medicine’s greatest challenges. I am looking forward to working as part of the ANTRUK PEPS committee. I want to assist ANTRUK in its important work of raising the profile of antimicrobial resistance among patients, the public and policy-makers, through education and awareness.

  • Dr Neil Todd
    Dr Neil Todd
    BA(OXON), MBChB, FRCPath
    PEPS Committee Member

    Antibiotic resistance poses one of the gravest threats to human health and continued progress in provision of modern medicine. The return of untreatable infections is already a reality in many parts of the world and new treatment options are slow to emerge.

    I am a Medically trained Clinical Microbiologist and have worked in the NHS since 1984 in Bristol, Leeds and York. I have long experience in managing a clinical diagnostic laboratory and providing advice for the management of the full range of human infections.

    My interest in Antimicrobial Stewardship dates back to the early 1990s long before the term was coined as it has always been clear to me that controls on the use of antibiotics are crucial in limiting their adverse impacts including emergence of resistance.

    I have also researched antibiotic resistance in enteric coliform bacteria with publications describing the molecular evolution of extended spectrum beta-lactamases in the UK.

    During my 34 years working in the NHS the emergence of resistance amongst nearly every type of microorganism we see in our laboratory has been startling and now poses challenges on an almost daily basis in deciding how to treat infections. New options for therapy are desperately needed and ANTRUK is a vital opportunity to progress this effort.

    Neil says:

    “Antibiotic resistance poses one of the gravest threats to human health and continued progress in provision of modern medicine. The return of untreatable infections is already a reality in many parts of the world and new treatment options are slow to emerge.”

  • Alison Staples
    PhD
    PEPS Committee Member

    Alison has worked in the voluntary sector for over 20 years. In that time she has been involved in developing education programmes and public engagement activities on both a local and national scale. In her role as a fundraiser she has worked with service managers at organisations such as Keep Britain Tidy and The National Library for the Blind to develop successful funding bids.

    Alison sees ANTRUK as an extremely important charity following the death of a close family member from a hospital acquired superbug and her own intensive cancer treatment which left her very vulnerable to infection and reliant on effective antibiotics.