Dr Lisa Harrod-Rothwell’s own achievements as chair and clinical lead of West Essex CCG - and in commissioning generally - are outstanding.
Faced with a reluctant group of practices and an attitude that GP commissioning ‘will never work in Mid Essex’, Dr Harrod-Rothwell found herself elected chair of the shadow CCG two years ago, despite being a sessional GP.
She says: ‘We faced a lot of scepticism and huge difficulties securing management support, but we did it. We now have a thriving organisation of 50 practices.’
Our panel nominated Dr Harrod-Rothwell for ‘overcoming conservative mindsets to engage colleagues and focus on communities and representing the need breed of ambitious and caring young female sessional GPs’.
She believes the two go hand-in-hand: ‘The sessional role gives GPs immense flexibility in their career and allows them to get involved in other areas and not feel undervalued. It’s immensely satisfying through commissioning to make sure patients who don’t have much of a voice get one and it’s even more satisfying as a female sessional doctor who felt left out and isolated from the rest of the system.’
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