Our Team
Below is a brief outline of our team members
Alison Johnson
With over 20 years of management experience in change management, transformation and organisational development within the NHS, Alison has worked across healthcare sectors including acute hospitals, primary care, and commissioning support. Alison holds an MSc in Leadership for Health Improvement from University of Birmingham and is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy Executive School of Education for Leadership, Organisation and Action. Alison has supported the national NHS Graduate Scheme on behalf of the NHS Leadership Academy through facilitation of Action Learning and is an Associate of the North West Leadership Academy.
Working in partnership with Boards and senior clinicians on transformational change and leadership development, Alison delivers bespoke, tailored programmes of change, utilising her coaching skills, to bring out the best of people, and ensure delivery of outcomes and results. A qualified lean practitioner, Alison has extensive experience in the review of clinical services, resulting in significant quality improvements for patients, greater customer satisfaction, more efficient productivity and financial savings.
Alison is highly skilled in working at board level and with groups of people to create a shared purpose and common goals, holding individuals and teams to account for actions and deliverables. Alison is highly motivated, with a strong strategic appreciation and vision of what is required, within a professional client approach.
Key Competencies
•Strategic Influencing and Leadership
•Change Management
•Innovation and Initiative
•Programme Management
Key Achievements
•Member of the National Clinical Utilisation Review (CUR) Team on behalf of NHS England, supporting implementation of CUR across multiple specialist acute Trusts and Teaching Hospitals. Relationship Manager for London and the South of England in supporting both Trusts, and the local commissioning hubs.
•Delivery of a system-wide diagnostic on Delayed Transfers of Care (DTOC) in the North West of England involving local authorities, NHS providers Trusts, CCGs, and a wider range of stakeholders. The diagnostic was used to inform a future Target Operating Model for the management of DTOC’s in this economy.
•Developing the national learning network for the NHSE CUR programme, using a community of practice approach to share best practice, benefits realisation and promote adoption and spread of CUR.
•Design and implementation of a Training Programme for local commissioning hubs in England to extend the knowledge base and skills to support Clinical Utilisation Review as part of CQUIN and contract negotiation
•Providing support to North West CCGs on the design and delivery of comprehensive organisational development strategies and implementation plans to support the realisation of their vision, values and objectives.
•Leading a culture of coaching across a new organisation through a values and behaviours framework
•Design and delivery of Lean rapid development events across a range of clinical services in community health setting to ensure viability in customer service and focus.
•Design and delivery of Governing Body and team development to a range of Clinical Commissioning Groups across the North West.
Cheryl Beddall
An experienced senior management professional with over 20 years experience primarily in the IT industry and more recently the Health sector. Cheryl has over the last 6 years worked with emerging Commissioning Support organisations and CSU’s across Cheshire, Merseyside, Midlands and Lancashire as Head of Service (CMCSU) and Senior Manager lead (MLCSU) for provision of people development services to 33 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG’s) across MLCSU’s client footprint in alignment with clients’ service level agreements.
A seasoned and adaptable management professional with vast experience within the Commissioning Support, IT and Careers Guidance sectors; excels at leading complex programmes, providing people development services, client acquisition and retention, revenue growth, account management, budget management and providing insights on market and business opportunities. Strong ability to deliver projects and develop business plans and strategies; aids board executives in making decisions that are geared towards optimum results. Determined team player equipped with excellent analytical, customer service, communication, strategic planning and problem solving skills.
Key Competences
- Programme Management
- Coaching through transition
- Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming and NLP Coach
- Change Management
Key Achievements
•Member of the National Clinical Utilisation Review (CUR) Team on behalf of NHS England, providing PMO to support implementation and benefits realisation of CUR across multiple specialist acute Trusts and Teaching Hospitals.
•Provided oversight for all people development systems at MLCSU and conducted an end-to-end service review resulting in process efficiencies and learning management system rationalisation from five systems to one
•Senior lead for the successful implementation of a Learning Management System at Midlands and Lancashire CSU (MLCSU) for internal staff and 33 Clinical Commissioning Groups (total of 4500+ users) resulting in improvement of regulatory compliance from less than 40% to over 88%
•Played a key role as part of the senior transition team on the merger of service lines and staff from Cheshire and Merseyside CSU with Greater Manchester CSU
•Effectively delivered the ‘supporting staff through transition’ programme to improve staff resilience and drive positive outcomes for CMCSU staff during the close-down of the organisation by NHS England
•Part of the NHS Midlands and Lancashire CSU mobilisation team; ensured a positive transition for staff transferring from Cheshire and Merseyside
Denise Edwards
Denise has over 17 years’ management experience primarily in the UK utility industries and more recently has supported the delivery of a number of projects within the NHS including Clinical Commissioning Groups, NHS England, Foundation Trusts and Commissioning Support Units.
During the last 8 years’ Denise has worked on complex transformational change programmes. She has a background in data management, process/performance improvements and project/change management and has managed a programme budget of £27.3m. She holds a post graduate diploma in management studies and is a PRINCE2 accredited practitioner.
A positive, proactive and dynamic individual with extensive experience in successfully coordinating multi-thread activities to facilitate the achievement of transformation across diverse business areas. I have a breadth of experience in Change and Projects including PMO Lead experience, Business Process Improvements and Data Management. I thrive in the most demanding and fast paced working environments. I possess strong process, analytical, problem solving and financial monitoring skills. I am a team player with exceptional interpersonal, communication, facilitation and influencing skills. I have experience in using Office 365, Dropbox and SharePoint.
Key Competences - Finance and Analytical
•Denise is a positive, proactive and dynamic individual with extensive experience in successfully coordinating multi-thread activities to facilitate the achievement of transformation across diverse business areas.
•Breadth of experience in change and project management, including PMO lead experience
•Business process improvements and data management
•Strong process, analytical, problem solving and financial monitoring skills
•Ability to effectively plan and co-ordinate activities and achieve results through others.
•A good communicator and engages effectively at all levels of an organisation cutting across organisational boundaries.
•Results focused and a strong team player with exceptional interpersonal, communication, facilitation and influencing skills
Key Achievements
•Developed a project cost model.
•Project managed the capital maintenance unit cost project.
•Led the design, development and delivery of the main bespoke training programme for 8 training courses – 600+ people trained – 94% attendance and average 88% scored excellent / very good overall satisfaction rating.
•Led business assurance assessments of the new key business processes to ensure real business ownership of the tools, processes and systems.
•Developed the business enablement change methodology which for the first time provided the company with a standardised approach to delivering change.
•Supported the delivery of a new strategic asset management system and the integration into business as usual processes
•Recognised by the Programme and Company winning team of month and Quarter October 2008 for my role as People Engagement Champion.
Gina Lawrence
An experienced NHS Chief Executive, Gina has over 30 years healthcare experience, both clinical and managerial. Gina’s roles have included working as a specialist Nurse Consultant in a large University Teaching Hospital followed by establishing a successful management career. Her roles have included a number of Executive Board-level appointments including Executive Director of Commissioning and Chief Operating Officer / Accountable Officer for a NW PCT and CCG, with responsibility for a £320m budget and 100 strong workforce. Under Gina’s Leadership the organisation became a high performing CCG, achieving all national and local targets. Gina also took a lead role across Greater Manchester where she was responsible for re-commissioning and re-design of services across the Greater Manchester footprint.
Gina is a highly experienced NHS Professional , with over 30 years healthcare experience.
Gina is a strong operational and strategic leader with key strengths in strategic planning, business strategy and developing and innovating services and systems.
Gina is a visionary and inspirational leader and is passionate about improving health and wellbeing, including mental health. Gina has Chaired the Mental Health Improvement Board across Bolton, Salford and Trafford and was a member of the Greater Manchester Health and Wellbeing Board and Vice Chair of the Greater Manchester Specialised Commissioning Board.
Key Competencies
•Leadership – A visionary leader, Gina is able to inspire people to think about innovative ways to deliver health care
•Strategic Planning and Business Strategy – Gina has an excellent understanding of architecture of organisations and systems and seeks to find innovative solutions to problems identified
•Transformation - Gina has a long history of transforming whole systems and is know for her ability to develop new unique systems that improve performance and quality of services whilst having a clear understanding of the financial consequence
•Political awareness – Gina has worked at the highest levels politically and has been involved in several select committees. Gina’s relationship management skills enable her to successfully navigate challenging political environments
Key Achievements
•Lead role in the devolution of Manchester, achieving the integration of health and social care, and successfully led the devolution of specialist services to the value of £800m as well as securing vanguard status for cancer services
•Development of a 5 year strategy which focused on population management
•Developed a model of system wide integration for Trafford which included all GP practices, secondary care and the council
•Led the Trafford New Health Deal including developing a sustainable district general hospital within a hugely complex political landscape
•Led the modernisation of Continuing Healthcare and Funded Nursing services, with savings of £4m
•Development of an intelligent commissioning function that purchases service in real time using, the first of its kind in the NHS
•Developed the vision and pioneered the revolutionary Trafford Care Co-ordination Centre, unique in the NHS
•Developed estates strategies that have been held up as the blue print for the NHS Nationally and led to new estates valuing £100m
Allison Reynolds
A member of the Organisational Behaviour Management Network and the Behavioural Management Techniques (BMT) Federation, Allison works with clients to deliver business improvements using behaviour based training and coaching solutions. She has developed an extensive network with world experts in behaviour based performance management techniques. Allison has a strong track record of working with clients to deliver business improvement through training and coaching leaders in the use of Behavioural Techniques to execute change.
Mick Dolan
As a manager in the NHS, Mick operated at the forefront of cutting edge commissioning and service delivery. Through ‘Visible Solutions Consultancy’ his business is continuing to support health & social care managers and clinicians, lead and implement transformational change to improve people’s lives.
Mick’s track record is extensive, wide ranging and supported by excellent outcomes. He has worked extensively across Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester. Starting as a General Management Trainee, his career (26 years) has included Senior/ Executive level management roles in Acute Hospital, Community Services, Mental Health Services, Regional/ Strategic Health Authorities, Primary Care Trusts, an NHS PCT Cluster, GP Commissioning. Latterly Mick has worked for CCG collaboration in Greater Manchester as the interim Programme Director for Healthier Together and for the Thames Valley Area Team, NHS England Area, as an interim Director of Primary Care Transformation.
Mick’s skills, knowledge and expertise is of particular benefit to those organisations seeking to undertake health and social care reform programmes, to create momentum for priority programmes, develop effective commissioning support arrangements and to develop partnership working between organisations. As a Director of Commissioning for Ashton, Leigh & Wigan PCT he was responsible for the commissioning of Continuing Health Care services with a team acknowledged to represent best practice across the North West of England.
Trish Styles
An experienced senior manager in the NHS, having, for 4 years, supported the Board as the Associate Director of Governance and Board for NHS Property Services Limited. During this time Trish worked closely with directors and senior managers at the Department of Health to ensure governance and final accounts/annual reports were robust, accurate and fair. Trish has over 20 years healthcare experience working as an internal auditor reviewing both operational and financial systems, this included leading audit teams to deliver annual audit plans for a number of NHS foundation trust and primary care trust clients.
An experienced senior manager having worked in various roles within the NHS for 25 + years.
Business, analytical , governance and system evaluation have always been a passion and contributed to a successful 20 year career as an NHS Internal Auditor.
Trish has a keen interest in process improvement through development of recommendations to enhance systems while remaining within the overall governance framework.
Most recently Trish worked as the Associate Director Governance and Board for NHS Property Services Ltd and implemented the set up the of governance framework and subsequent one year on review.
Trish has an MBA and is a qualified internal auditor (MIIA).
Key Competencies
•Trish has an MBA and is a qualified member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (UK). Gaining these qualifications demonstrates Trish’s commitment to self improvement, learning and high achievement. Trish has an ability to research, learn and find the right solutions.
•AAT level 4 qualified and winner of the Grant Thornton award for best student.
•Leading on all aspects of corporate governance , including information governance
Key skills include:
•Ability to assess a system and make recommendations for alternative ways of working
•Ability to understand financial and operational data and analyse variances
•Organisation and attention to detail to ensure timely delivery of agreed outputs
•Ability to talk with people at all levels within an organisation
•Good communication skills, including report writing
Key Achievements
•Developed a confidential patient recording system for the NW Cancer Drugs Fund. Producing the first analysis and reporting of drug usage against North West PCT demographics for presentation to clinical leads and the national team.
•Developed a Data Accreditation project, taken forward by three FTs, to review PAS data/reporting, making recommendations for system improvement, prior to formal accreditation.
•Leading and delivering a governance structure for NHS Property Services Limited, a new NHS organisation in 2013.
•Production of the annual report for NHS Property Services Ltd with a focus on governance, remuneration, risk management and internal control, including the internal control statement for submission to DH and liaison with the shareholder director representatives.