'I have always felt strongly about the inequalities that exist in society, be they related to class, gender, race or more specifically about income and wealth inequalities or health inequalities. This has led me to get involved in projects that aim to tackle disadvantage and promote equality. My recent experience in the health sector has been with bodies such as the Healthcare Commission and the Department of Health. It has included assessing the equality impact of proposed social care reforms, investigating inequalities in the experience of breast cancer services and evaluating services and support for people with learning disabilities and special needs.
A lot of my work involves engaging with disadvantaged or ‘hard-to-reach’ groups which involves using a number of qualitative research methods including depth-interview, focus groups, deliberative methods and action research, that are not only sensitive to the needs of participants, but also empowering and collaborative. I have also been heavily involved in our work to tackle violent extremism and have valued working with Muslim communities as well as with Government departments, regional bodies, local authorities and Prevent partners.'