GMMH welcomes its new Head of Research & Innovation
We are thrilled to welcome Natalie Garratt as the new Head of Research & Innovation at Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH).
Natalie brings with her twenty years of experience working in the health and care sector, both in NHS Trusts across the North of England, charities and for the National Institute of Health and Care Research.
Her skills in managing NHS research and innovation teams will be invaluable for GMMH to continue its impressive track record of setting up and delivering leading studies and trials that change and improve how we care for our service users and their loved ones.
Natalie said:
“The two main things that make me tick about R&I are solving problems and creating collaborations, and that's something that I hope will continue in GMMH. I enjoy using both my experience and creative thinking to try and tease apart complicated problems, all with the ultimate goal of making the research happen.”
Damien Longson, Associate Director for GMMH Research and Innovation, commented:
“We’re delighted to welcome Natalie to GMMH, where she joins an enthusiastic team driven by a passion to make a difference for the community we serve. Natalie’s role is pivotal for us, not only in terms of engagement with our clinical services, but also in working with our external university, academic and commercial partners. We therefore look forward to learning from Natalie’s deep R&I management experience and working alongside her in our senior leadership team.”
Natalie began her career working in Public Health at North Kirklees Primary Care Trust with a focus on evidence-based practice, moving to roles in Mid Yorkshire Hospitals, Barnardo’s and Salford Royal.
In 2008, Natalie moved across to the NIHR, first working as a Research Governance Manager for the Greater Manchester Local Research Network, and then for the national industry team to lead the North West Exemplar Programme.
Ten years ago, she moved back to Salford Royal Trust as the Research & Development Lead, becoming R&I Business Development Manager in 2018. Her last role before moving to GMMH was as Head of Innovation at the Northern Care Alliance, working with teams across the Trust to identify areas of unmet need and bringing in innovations to test and evaluate.
We look forward to working with Natalie, learning from her, and seeing the impact she will have leading Research and Innovation at GMMH!
