Jonathan Sutcliffe

I encountered the Bridge Project through family friends who had lost their son in circumstances in which the Bridge Project operates. They and their son had encountered several barriers in trying to obtain support and the family viewed your organisation very positively. I’d wanted to see if I could contribute to this important work.

Professionally, I work as a Consultant Paediatric Surgeon in the NHS. I am based in Leeds and look after patients from across Yorkshire, including Bradford. I regularly see the importance of social factors on patient outcomes. In a clinical setting, individuals who feel respected as human beings and who are cared for in strong families usually do better clinically, recover more quickly and with less stress for them and with less cost for the community. Through an academic project, we have explored how to define vulnerability, identify individuals at risk, understand their needs and better align resource to need.

It’s a privilege to be involved in the Bridge project.