August 2025 CEO Blog

Estimated reading time: 3-4 minutes

As summer turns to autumn, more change is ahead

There’s something about late August. The air feels a little cooler, the days grow shorter, and a quiet shift begins. Holidays fade into memory, school uniforms reappear in shop windows, and suddenly our thoughts stretch toward autumn. Before long, we’ll be welcoming another new year.

Building the foundations for AvMA’s future

It seems only yesterday that I was sitting with our board agreeing AvMA’s 2025–26 plan and budget. We spoke then about this being a foundation-laying year, a time to build the internal capacity and systems needed to widen our reach, deepen our engagement, and ensure more people get the support, justice, and redress they deserve. That includes strengthening our fundraising base so that we can do more and reach further.

A bold, values-driven strategy

Our strategy is bold and values-driven. We’re focused on supporting people who have suffered avoidable medical harm and ensuring everyone, especially those from underrepresented or disadvantaged communities, has access to the information and support they need when they need it.

Investing in digital equity: our new website

One of the most visible changes we’re investing in is the development of our new website, set to launch in 2026. This isn’t just a digital refresh. It’s a critical equity tool. Designed with accessibility and clarity in mind, it will help people find support faster, understand their options more easily, and engage with our work in ways that feel empowering.

Why timely patient information and support matters

Too often, people discover AvMA too late. One woman recently shared her experience of devastating complications following surgery, complications that changed the course of her life. For years, she waited and hoped for recovery. But the reality, as she later discovered, was that her condition was irreversible. Worse still, she didn’t know what support or redress might have been available. She told us, “I wrongly assumed help would be forthcoming. How wrong I was.” Her advice to others is simple but powerful: don’t wait, don’t assume, ask questions, understand the risks, and make informed decisions before it’s too late.

A stark reminder for all of us

Her story is a stark reminder of why access to timely information about rights, risks, and support matters. It can’t come weeks or months after the fact. It must be there from the start.

AvMA’s role in a changing healthcare landscape

We’re building that presence not only because we must, but because the world around us is changing. The NHS’s 10 Year Plan speaks of a digital-first future and a commitment to reducing health inequalities. We believe AvMA has a vital role to play in that journey, ensuring safety and justice are central to how the system evolves. Our on-going work on the Harmed Patient Pathway is a key part of this. It will help ensure that people who experience avoidable harm get the compassionate, restorative support they need to begin healing.

Clinical negligence: efficiency must not replace compassion

At the same time, we remain concerned about the Government’s ongoing review of clinical negligence. While we support efforts to improve efficiency, we are clear that this must not come at the expense of accountability or compassion. If the exam question is only “how can we reduce costs?”, then the answers risk being the wrong ones. More patients will suffer, and too many will be left without access to the redress and care they deserve.

Standing together for equity, safety, and justice

As we rebuild our digital presence and double down on our commitment to equity, safety, and justice, we invite you to stand with us. Sign up to our newsletter, share your experience, or, if you’re in a position to, support our work with a donation.

No one should face harm alone

Because no one avoidably harmed by healthcare should be left without answers. And no one should have to face that journey alone.