Cited in UK press coverage of health & social care
12 citations
Across 1 topic, first on 27 Aug 2026.
Biography
Rachel Power has been Chief Executive of the Patients Association since June 2017, bringing over 20 years of experience working in health and social care in the not-for-profit sector. The Patients Association is an independent UK charity that campaigns for patient partnership across all areas of health and social care, running a national helpline and engaging patients directly through focus groups, surveys and membership. Before joining the Patients Association, Power worked in hospice care, most recently at Richard House children's hospice in east London. She was appointed to the NHS Assembly in 2019 and chairs the Patient Coalition for AI, Data and Digital Tech in Health. She is known for arguing that patient partnership should be the default operating model of the NHS and for raising concerns about equity and accessibility in the NHS shift towards digital services.
References
- 1.NHS England – Rachel Power author page — Confirms role as Chief Executive of the Patients Association since 2017 and membership of the NHS Assembly
- 2.Rachel Power – HSJ Summit speaker profile — Details NHS Assembly appointment (2019), membership of NHS Elective Recovery Taskforce, National Outpatient Transformation Programme advisory group, National Patient Safety Response Advisory Panel, and chairing of Patient Coalition for AI, Data and Digital Tech in Health
- 3.Rachel Power – NHS ConfedExpo 2025 speaker profile — Confirms Martha's Rule working group membership (2023), National Data Advisory Group and Personalised Care Institute Steering Group memberships, and The Times description as 'the UK's foremost patient campaigner'
- 4.Patients Association appoints new chief executive – RCNi / Nursing Standard — Confirms appointment as Chief Executive in 2017, background of over two decades in health and social care voluntary sector
Expertise
Cited on
Stated areas of expertise
- Patient voice and partnership
- Patient safety
- Health equity and access
- Digital health and patient rights
- NHS policy and reform
- Voluntary sector leadership
Notable achievements
- Appointed to the NHS Assembly in 2019 as representative of patient interests Source ↗
- Chairs the Patient Coalition for AI, Data and Digital Tech in Health, bringing together patient groups, charities, Royal Colleges and industry Source ↗
- Invited by the English Patient Safety Commissioner in 2023 to join her advisory group and be a member of the Martha's Rule working group Source ↗
- Oversaw growth of Patients Association membership from 300 to more than 2,000 Source ↗
What they’ve said
“The fact that every acute hospital in England now offered Martha's rule was "a landmark moment for patient safety".”
chief executive of the Patients Association · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · Martha’s rule now in operation at every acute hospital in England ↗
“While there is a welcome rise in GP numbers on paper, this report that one in three GPs are not working in the NHS is deeply distressing for the patients who already experience frustration and anxiety when trying to access a GP appointment. Long waits, fragmented care and delayed diagnoses are putting people's health at risk.”
Chief Executive of the Patients Association · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · One in three GPs in England do not work in NHS, says BMJ study ↗
“Patients should feel confident that when they book or request an appointment, whether online, on the phone, or in person, their needs will be assessed swiftly and safely by someone with the right training and skills to judge urgency.”
Chief Executive of the Patients Association · Hospital discharge / bed-blocking · 27 Aug 2026 · GPs in England threaten action over online appointment booking plan ↗
“The PAC's findings lay bare what patients have felt for over a decade: despite billions being spent, the NHS is still not delivering the timely care people desperately need.”
Source references
- Martha’s rule now in operation at every acute hospital in Englandtheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
- One in three GPs in England do not work in NHS, says BMJ studytheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
- GPs in England threaten action over online appointment booking plantheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
- NHS failing to cut waiting times as promised in recovery plan, report warnstheguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
- Thousands of patients in England at risk as GP referrals vanish into NHS ‘black hole’theguardian.com · 27 Aug 2026
Contact & links
- Websitehttps://www.patients-association.org.ukpublished here ↗
- Xhttps://x.com/rachelpower222
- LinkedInhttps://uk.linkedin.com/in/rachel-power-91637b129
- Staff pagehttps://www.england.nhs.uk/author/rachel-power/
- Press office phone020 8423 9111published here ↗
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Chief executives, directors and spokespeople of trade bodies, representative associations and charities speaking for the sector. Citations are counted by an automated scan of UK press coverage and may be incomplete. Roles, biographies and contact details are researched and human-reviewed before they appear here; anything not yet reviewed is simply absent rather than shown unverified. See the methodology for how this page is built, or email contact@bridgeheadcommunications.com to correct anything on it.