Michelle Gardener is a public advisor, board-level contributor and former non-executive director in social care, with a professional background spanning law, National Health Service independent complaints, advocacy, quality assurance, governance, communications and service improvement. She is recognised for bringing public-interest scrutiny, governance insight and a focus on accountability, inclusion and public benefit across complex multidisciplinary settings.
Michelle’s roles span health, social care and data, digital transformation, research and primary care. Chair of the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester National Knowledge Mobilisation Public Advisory Group; Board Public Advisor for the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex; Board member and Vice Chair of the Kent, Medway and Sussex Secure Data Environment Public and Patient Advisory Group; and Chair of the National Health Service Kent and Medway Digital and Data Involvement Group and the West Kent Health and Care Partnership Patient Participation Group Chairs’ Forum.
Wider experience includes International Board and trustee leadership. Deputy Chair of a Medical Research Ethics Committee; member of the Kent County Council Corporate Assurance Board; served as an Expert Voice Partner on the National Boards: Chief Nursing Officer for England’s Research Strategy; the Cancer Board and the Cancer Genomics Test Evaluation Group. She has been a co-applicant on a National Evaluation and Adoption Team and is a co-applicant for a PEDRI project Kent, Medway and Sussex, and the Health and Care Professional Internship Programme. A contributing author North-West Digital Enabled Nurse-Led Research Project.
