Page 4 - PIC Magazine Issue 25 - Autumn-Winter 2025

FOR EVERY CALL WE RECEIVE
WE MISS ONE
Why Partnering with AvMA Matters Now More Than Ever!
By Anna Devine, Director of Fundraising, Marketing & Communications, Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA)
The Call We Couldn’t Take
Every time our Helpline rings, someone is
reaching out in the aftermath of avoidable
harm. They’re often confused, upset, and
unsure where to turn. For every call we
manage to take, we know there’s at least
one more we miss.
That’s not just a service gap – it’s a missed
opportunity for advice and support, redress,
and sometimes even healing. After four
decades supporting tens of thousands
of people, we still see communities,
especially those facing the greatest health
inequalities, slip through the cracks.
Bridging that gap is the driving force
behind AvMA’s next chapter of fundraising
and communications. And we can’t do it
without allies in the legal world.
Why This Work Matters to Me
Like many of the people we support, I’ve
experienced the shock and disorientation
of medical harm. That lived experience is
part of what fuels my work at AvMA, to help
ensure others don’t have to face it alone or
uninformed.
I co-founded the SiMBA charity after my
friend lost her baby son at just one day old,
following avoidable medical harm. Her grief
became our shared mission. My other close
friend, ironically also a co-founder of SiMBA
is now pursuing a claim for her grandson,
who was left blind and autistic at birth. He
requires round-the-clock care, and his case
is still ongoing.
The harm extends beyond the clinical.
My friend’s mother, was the fi rst woman in
Scotland to have the mesh implant cited as
the cause of death. Her family describe the
aftermath of losing her and the pursuing
legal action as “as bad as losing her”, so
traumatising, they no longer speak publicly
about it.
But what ultimately drove me to work for
AvMA was losing someone I loved. My
sister-in-law Deborah - my friend, a proud
businesswoman, full of life. What should
have been a straightforward operation went
disastrously wrong. Deborah died two days later, on her only son’s birthday.
Medical negligence was established. It later emerged that the surgeon had
just worked a 17-hour shift. That alone spoke volumes about the pressures
in our system.
I’ve also experienced medical harm myself, and the psychological exhaustion
that can follow. For over a year I struggled to fi nd answers, often feeling
isolated and overwhelmed. It wasn’t until I found a solicitor who listened
and guided me that the weight began to lift.
These stories - mine and others’ - are why I do this work. They remind me
every day why it matters that no one goes unheard, unaided, or unsupported.
A Moment Made for Partnership
We’ve always believed the law is a lever for safer healthcare. Today, purpose-
driven fi rms tell us they’re looking for partnerships that go beyond tick-box
exercises - relationships that deliver measurable social impact, genuine staff
engagement and meaningful ESG outcomes. AvMA off ers all three.
Our fundraising vision is simple yet ambitious:
to be the UK’s most trusted and valued charity for
patient safety, inspiring and empowering donors
so that those who suff er avoidable medical
harm receive the support and outcomes they
need. Everything we do, whether it’s one-to-one
support, pro bono collaborations
or headline-grabbing policy work,
flows from that promise.
And it’s working. In May, over 150 supporters
took part in our fi rst online challenge, 50 Miles
in May, raising vital income and helping
us pilot a new fundraising platform. The
challenge sparked real energy, pride and
camaraderie among participants, and
has paved the way for a new initiative
launching later this year, designed to
be even more accessible, inclusive
and team-friendly.
We’re also actively seeking Charity
of the Year partnerships with fi rms who
want to go further, combining fundraising,
volunteering, profi le-raising and strategic
collaboration. If that sounds like your
organisation, we’d welcome a conversation.
INDUSTRY EXPERTS
4 Partners In Costs