Lakeside Healthcare appoints new Chief Executive

Lakeside Healthcare is delighted to announce that Jessica Bawden has been appointed as its new Chief Executive.

Ms Bawden will take up the post in September, overseeing the Partnership of eight GP practices across Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, serving the healthcare needs of over 170,000 patients.

She is looking forward to establishing positive relationships, not only within the Partnership, but with stakeholders and in the communities that Lakeside serves, ensuring that it meets its aims of providing quality service and continuity of care.

Jessica brings a wealth of experience to the role, having worked in the NHS for 15 years, most recently as Director of Primary Care, Medicines Optimisation and Out of Hospital Urgent Care for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group. Previously she was the organisation’s Director of Corporate Affairs with responsibilities including communications, IT, engagement, organisational development, corporate governance and HR.

Lakeside Healthcare is delighted to announce that Jessica Bawden has been appointed as its new Chief Executive.

She said: ‘All the roles I have held in the past have been around campaigning for change and improvements for services or, within the NHS, delivering better care for people. I always want a job where you can make a real difference and that is why my new role at Lakeside is so exciting. I have been a Commissioner for a long time, so this will bring me much closer to clinicians on the front line, and also to patients.

‘Lakeside is a ​well-established organisation with a strong Partnership arrangement and committed staff. The combination of individual practices, supported by a Central team, offers a resilient and agile structure.

‘Together we will ensure that all the Partners and staff have the same vision, that everybody understands what Lakeside’s plans are, both operationally and strategically and that our patients have a good experience of care. I want to give our team the support to deliver their plans and ensure they continue to be proud of what they do.

‘I plan to be out and about, talking to people, including patient groups, MPs, councillors and stakeholders, finding where the issues are and dealing with them. I want to show people all the good things that Lakeside already does, and what innovations and improvements can be made in the future.’

Deputy Chair and GP Partner, Dr Sanjay Gadhia, said: ‘On behalf of all the Partners and Lakeside employees I’d like to say how thrilled we are that Jessica is joining us in this pivotal role. We undertook an exhaustive recruitment process and she has the personality, vision, skills and experience to lead Lakeside. We are very much looking forward to working with her and welcoming her to our team.’

Published: May 6, 2022