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A vocal leader for the UK's largest LMC since 2002, Dr Michelle Drage is described by one of our panel as the ‘best horizon scanner around on future threats and opportunities'.
As chief executive of Londonwide LMCs, Dr Drage has this year defended practices in the capital on big issues including revalidation, pensions, the ‘chipping away' at the GP contract and the Government's plans to open up local enhanced services to private providers.
But her influence extends far beyond the capital, with our panel saying she runs the ‘most influential GP representative organisation'.
One said: ‘Her appetite and enthusiasm for medical politics is undiminished. Her eye is never off the ball. The GPs in London are lucky to have her guiding them.'
Drawing on experience as a GPC negotiator, Dr Drage was instrumental in ensuring London GPs did not blindly sign up to inappropriate CCG constitutions. She has also spoken out against the Department of Health's overzealous list-cleaning exercises in the city.
Dr Drage says her big challenges in the year ahead will be easing fears over reductions in practice income and tackling the growing paucity of partnership opportunities in London that has left sessional GPs with no career structure.
