Dr Vivienne Lyfar-Cissé

Dr Vivienne Lyfar-Cissé is currently employed as a Principal Clinical Biochemist by Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals (BSUH) NHS Trust. In 2009 at the request of the Trust Board she led on a transformation change programme entitled Commitment to Change (C2C) Agenda for Race Equality to address the institutional racism in the Trust. This work contributed to towards her MBA qualification (with distinction) in Health Service Management. In December 2013 resigned as the lead of the C2C project given she believes that under the new leadership of the organisation the Trust Board believes it is immune to racial prejudices and as such change is impossible.

Dr Vivienne Lyfar-Cissé is also the creator of “reverse commissioning” a tool to better engage BME communities. Reverse commissioning has now been included as part of Values Based Commissioning (VbC) as defined by Emeritus Professor Chris Heginbotham OBE.

Dr Vivienne Lyfar-Cissé is the current Chair for the BSUH NHS Trust BME Network. She has also led on the development and Chaired a number of BME Networks including the Surrey and Sussex BME Network; the South East Coast BME Network and was the Transitional Lead for the NHS BME Network before being elected Chair of the Network in 2012.

As a devoted Christian Dr Vivienne Lyfar-Cissé is both passionate and committed to moving the Race Equality Agenda forward in the NHS both at a regional and national level. It was her faith, passion and commitment which gave her the determination to complete her Race Equality Service Review report published in July 2008 on behalf of the South East Coast BME Network against incredible odds.