Skip to content

Who we are

The APPG-FDNH consists of Parliamentarians from both Houses across all the main political parties in the UK. The Group’s members are interested in raising awareness of and building support for the recommendations in “First Do No Harm”, the report of the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review, and to ensure the implementation of the recommendations by the UK Government and others.
Baroness Julia Cumberlege

Baroness Cumberlege CBE DSG DL

Co-Chair
Baroness Cumberlege was a Minister in the Department of Health from 1992 to 1997. In 2018 she was asked by the Secretary of State for Health & Social Care to chair the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review. The Review reported in July 2020. Lady Cumberlege is also in the implementation stage of a major NHS review of maternity services, “Better Births”.

Sharon Hodgson MP

Co-Chair
Sharon Hodgson is the Member of Parliament for Washington and Sunderland West and Shadow Minister for Veterans. From 2016 to April 2020 she was a Shadow Public Health Minister. She is an Officer of the APPG for Valproate and other Anti-Epileptic Drugs in Pregnancy and Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Surgical Mesh.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

Vice-Chair
Lord Hunt has been Shadow Spokesperson for Health since 2012, prior to which he served five years as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Department of Health. He has served as Minister of State for the Department of Health, and was Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Ministry of Justice.

Lord Patel

Lord Patel

Vice-Chair
Narendra Babubhai Patel, Baron Patel, KT, FMedSci, FRSE is a British obstetrician and cross bench peer, and a former Chancellor of the University of Dundee. He was President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists from 1995 to 1998, having been Honorary Secretary from 1987 to 1992 and Vice-President 1992–95. He has been awarded honorary fellowships from a number of other Royal Colleges.

Lord O'Shaughnessy

Vice-Chair
Lord O’Shaughnessy was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health between 2016 and 2018 and a Government Whip (Lord in Waiting) between 2016 and 2017. He is Vice-Chair of the APPG for Valproate and other Anti-Epileptic Drugs in Pregnancy.

Baroness Ritchie

Vice-Chair

Cat Smith MP

Vice-Chair
Cat Smith is the Member of Parliament for Lancaster and Fleetwood and Shadow Minister for Voter Engagement and Young People. She is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Valproate and other Anti-Epileptic Drugs in Pregnancy.

Yasmin Qureshi MP

Vice-Chair
Yasmin Qureshi is the Member of Parliament for Bolton South East and Shadow Minister for International Development. From 2016 to April 2020 she was Shadow Minister for Justice. She is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hormone Pregnancy Tests.

Emma Hardy MP

Vice-Chair
Emma Hardy is the Member of Parliament for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle Shadow Minister for Further Education and Universities. She is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Surgical Mesh.