Encouraged by the growing national recognition of the value of urine in diagnostic medicine, health leaders are being approached to join a new Forte Medical Advisory Board. Three leading exponents of accurate basic medicine have so far been appointed: Mike Farrar (pic) who will Chair the panel, Dr Katherine Brown and Rachel Cashman

Mike Farrar is a management consultant with 15 years of CEO experience in the NHS, having stepped down as the Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation in September 2013.  Mike has been a member of the PwC Health Industries Oversight Board and has worked on major projects across the country. Mike has also built alongside this a successful business practice working with clients such as Celesio, ROGP, ABPI, NHS Quest, NHS Leadership Academy, Health Foundation, Vanguard Health Solutions, Pfizer, CIPFA and others, as well as starting up a number of small companies aimed at promoting health innovations, and links between health and sport.

He has been Chief Executive of North West England SHA, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire Strategic Health Authorities and Tees Valley Health Authority and Head of Primary Care at the Department of Health. Mike remains a prominent thought leader and consultant to the NHS throughout the UK

Dr Katherine Brown is an academic based in the UK and the US with over 100 peer-reviewed publications.  She is affiliated with Cambridge and Imperial Universities and the University of Texas. With over 25 years in medical applications, she has extensive expertise in biochemistry, biophysics, infectious disease and bio/nanotechnology.

Rachel Cashman is Managing Director, The Soircas Consultancy and former Head of Clinical and Scientific Policy and Strategy, NHS England

During her 20+ years in the healthcare and life sciences sectors, Rachel has delivered large-scale change and innovation through inter-sectoral collaboration and the development of networks. At NHS England, she led the establishment of Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) and the process to create the first nationally commissioned network of Genomic Medicine Centres, utilising the latest scientific techniques in understanding human DNA in order to better predict, precisely diagnose and personalise treatment of cancers and rare disease.

She has worked with NHS Trusts and CCGs and their local health and care system partners to develop appropriate governance and infrastructure in response to the NHS Five Year Forward View and the emergence of the Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships. As a Board member at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and Heart of England NHS Trust, Rachel designed the strategic business case and engagement process for the proposed merger. Rachel has played an integral role in helping the NHS utilise rapid assessment protocols to evaluate potential partnership opportunities such as hospital chains, franchise models, mergers, accountable care organisations and multi-specialty community provider organisations.