Dr Simon Opher MP is the MP for Stroud and Chair of the APPG for Health. Prior to his election to parliament, he was a full time GP and GP Trainer in Dursley, near Stroud for 30 years. He was the former chair of the integrated locality partnership in Stroud and a clinical director of his primary care network.

His special interests are in mental health and ophthalmology. He pioneered social prescribing in Gloucestershire in 2001, using artists in his surgery and promoting green prescribing, and founded Artlift in 2006. He introduced many innovative programs within Gloucestershire and nationally. In 2012, he led the building of a 20 bed community Hospital in Dursley. In 2016, he was awarded an MBE for services to Healthcare.