Nicola Bedlington

Nicola Bedlington was the first Secretary General of the European Patients’ Forum from 2006 to 2019, growing the organisation to 75 umbrella patients organisations, and securing its position as the key interlocutor for the EU Institutions on cross-cutting issues affecting all patients. During her tenure, she co-led the European Patients’ Academy on Therapeutic Innovation (EUPATI) and PARADIGM, an Innovative Medicines Initiative project on patient engagement in the life cycle of medicines, established Data Saves Lives, and was a founding board member of the Patient Focused Medicines Development Initiative.

Nicola has been a member of the EU high level expert panels on patient safety, quality of care, and value based care, the European Health Forum Gastein Advisory Group, the EIT Health Steering Group, and corporate external health advisory boards. She also led the Environment and Schools Initiatives Secretariat (ENSI), an international government-based network set up by OECD (2004 to 2006), was the founding Director of the European Disability Forum (1996 to 1999), and headed the NGO unit for the European Commission promoting equal opportunities for disabled people (1991-1996). 

Nicola is based in Vienna, and in 2020 set up Millwater Partners, a consultancy company focused on health, engagement and sustainability. She has undertaken several projects in the field of Universal Health Coverage, leads several assignments in the area of Cardiovascular Health, and supports global initiatives focused on meaningful patient engagement.