CNWL's new Head of Lived Experience Workforce is Fran Lepori

CNWL is excited to announce that our new Head of Lived Experience Workforce is Fran Lepori, appointed after a national recruitment process.

Fran started her career in CNWL 11 years ago as the first Peer Support Worker at the Gordon Hospital. Since then, Fran has progressed through several peer and lived experience roles within the Trust, as well as spending some years outside of the organisation gaining healthcare and management experience in a range of health settings, most recently as the Service Manager for a London ICU, before returning to CNWL in 2020 to join the Lived Experience Workforce leadership team. 

Fran has experience of creating and delivering training, undertaking research, public speaking, consulting and supervising and has supported the growth of our CNWL Lived Experience Workforce from having 38 to now 140 lived experience roles, making it the largest peer workforce in the country.

Fran said: “I feel immensely honoured to be taking up the role of Head of Profession for such an incredible workforce. Having started my peer career here many years ago and being fortunate enough to be in a leadership role to the Lived Experience Workforce for some time now, CNWL feels like a professional home. I am excited about this next chapter for us as a workforce and what our work can give to our communities. I look forward to continuing working with many of you that I know, making new connections with those of you I don't know so well and hearing your thoughts on how our workforce can support you, your teams and the people you work with. Please do let me know if I can come and visit you in your services by emailing rebecca.oneill16@nhs.net"

Dr Ryan Kemp, Director of Therapies added: “The lived experience workforce is part of our therapies family and Fran will join our therapies heads of profession team. It is an exciting time for lived experience staff and for the services that benefit from their presence. This period will need all our fantastic lived experience, peer support and peer trainers to work together and I know that Fran has the skills to make this happen. I look forward to working with her and her workforce in the years to come.”

Maria O’Brien, Chief Nurse, said, “Congratulations Fran! Your appointment, with all you bring, is a real opportunity to build on all that has been achieved so far, and take us to the next level.”

Fran starts her new role as in January 2024.