About the Role:

We are seeking volunteers with lived experience of illness, health challenges, disability, mental health, long term conditions, or wellbeing to attend a Patient Café with first year pharmacy students.

In this role, you will share your personal experiences of health and care in a supportive, informal café style setting. Your story will help students understand the real world impact of healthcare, medicines, communication, and compassion — and what truly matters to people using services.

You are not expected to teach or give medical advice. Your role is to share, reflect, and support meaningful conversation.

What You Will Do:

• Take part in an informal patient café alongside pharmacy students (20 min in each 1-hour slot)
• Share your lived experience of illness, health, recovery, or wellbeing (what mattes to you in your health journey, how the illness impacts your daily life, what support you value most, etc.)
• Talk about your interactions with healthcare professionals and pharmacy services
• Help students explore what person centred care means in practice
• Support respectful discussions around listening, empathy, and partnership
• Contribute to shaping compassionate, values based pharmacy practice

About What Matters to You‍

The NHS What Matters to You? initiative is about shifting conversations in health and care to encourage future healthcare professionals to understand people as individuals — their experiences, values, priorities, and wellbeing — not just their conditions or medicines.

This volunteer role brings that principle to life for pharmacy students at the very start of their professional journey.

What You’ll Gain:

• The opportunity to influence the next generation of pharmacists
• A chance to make a meaningful contribution to patient centred education
• Support and briefing before each café session and debriefing at the end
• Voucher of £20 per 3-hour block for your time, refreshments on the day
• A welcoming environment where your voice and wellbeing are respected
• An opportunity to connect with other people with lived experience

The Patient Café takes place on Monday 30th November at Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen, AB10 7AQ. There are two sessions on the day you can participate in either: 9:00 - 13:00 & 13:00 - 17:00.

How to Get Involved

• To express interest, please tell us about your lived experience, why you would like to participate in the sessions and which session (morning and / or afternoon) you are available for.
• Please complete the sign up form here or email Gosia Singh at: g.singh3@rgu.ac.uk