Meet The Speakers
Minister of State (Development and Africa)
The Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP
Andrew Mitchell was appointed as a Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) on 25 October 2022.
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He was previously Secretary of State for International Development from May 2010 to September 2012. He was elected Conservative MP for Sutton Coldfield on 7 June 2001.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health Uganda
Dr Diana Kanzira Atwine
Diana Kanzira Atwine MBChB, MMed, also Atwiine, is a Ugandan medical doctor and civil servant. She is the incumbent Permanent Secretary of the Uganda Ministry of Health.
She was appointed to that position on 4 November 2016 by Yoweri Museveni, the president of Uganda
Minister of State (Minister for Health and Secondary Care)
The Rt Hon Andrew Stephenson CBE MP
Andrew Stephenson was appointed Minister of State in the Department of Health and Social Care on 13 November 2023.
He was previously Government Whip (Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury) from 27 October 2022 to 13 November 2023.
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Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Ministry of Health Kenya
Ms Mary Muthoni Muriuki
Ms Mary Muthoni Muriuki is a Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards at Ministry of Health in Kenya.
UK Special Envoy on AMR
Professor Dame Sally Davies
Professor Dame Sally Davies GCB DBE FRS FMedSci is the UK Special Envoy on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).
Dame Sally advocates globally on AMR. She is a leading figure in global health, having served as a member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Executive Board 2014-2016, and as co-convener of the United Nations Inter-Agency Co-ordination Group (IACG) on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), which reported to the United Nations Secretary General in 2019.
Chair of RCGP Council
Professor Kamila Hawthorne MBE
Kamila has been a GP for 34 years, with 27 of them spent working in South Wales.
She qualified from Somerville College, Oxford, in 1984, and completed her GP training in Nottingham in 1988.
Kamila was Head of the Graduate Entry Medicine Programme at Swansea University and is on the Trustee Boards of the Kings Fund, and Cardiff Women’s Aid. She is also a Bevan Commissioner and a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales.
Director of Health Workforce, WHO
Jim Campbell
Mr Jim Campbell is the Director, Health Workforce Department at the World Health Organization. He oversees the development and implementation of global public goods, evidence and tools to generate investments in the education, employment and retention of the health and care workforce in pursuit of global health security, universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.
THET Trustee and NHS Executive Director
Dr Titilola Banjoko
Titilola Banjoko is a healthcare professional by background working as an Executive Director in the National Health Service. She has over 23 years professional experience working with key strategic stakeholders engaged in Africa’s development. She has taken up numerous advocacy and advisory roles on the issue of capacity building in Africa and she is an actively engaged member of the African Diaspora.
High Commissioner for the United Republic of Tanzania to the United Kingdom
H.E. Mbelwa Brighton Kairuki
H.E. Mbelwa Brighton Kairuki Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania in Beijing, China who is also accredited to Vietnam, Mongolia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Office from 2017 - Aug 16, 2023 and then High Commissioner of Tanzania in London, UK, from Aug 2023 to date.
THET Chair of Trustees and CEO of Spire Healthcare
Justin Ash
Justin has been CEO of Spire Healthcare, the FTSE hospital group, since the end of 2017. At Spire, he has been leading a group transformation, driving up quality standards, and delivering on Spire’s partnership with the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He has been Chair of Trustees at THET since December 2021.
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CEO, THET
Ben Simms
Ben has been CEO of the Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) since 2015. He has 30 years’ experience of working internationally, with an emphasis on global health and disability work. He has worked extensively across Africa, Europe, Latin America and Asia during this time, harnessing expertise from across the UK health community, in the NHS and in specialist medical charities such as Sue Ryder and Sense, to benefit the development of health and social care in low and middle-income countries.
Emeritus Professor, King’s College London
Professor Raman Bedi
Raman Bedi was Chief Dental Officer – England from October 2002 to October 2005. He was the founder and director of the Senior Dental Leadership programme from 2007-2021.
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Currently, he is an Emeritus Professor at King’s College London. He holds several international honorary chairs, including an “Extraordinary Professorship” in Paediatric Dentistry at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa and the University of Pennsylvania.
Senior Global Health Fellow / NHS Diaspora Champion
Louie Horne
Louie is the first Filipino nurse to join the NHS England team as the Workforce Race Equality Standard Clinical Research Fellow with a focus on international staff.
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She is also a deputy associate director of Nursing (ADON) at East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust (ESNEFT). Louie is the chair of the Ethnic Minority Group staff network at ESNEFT called EMBRACE since 2020. Louie was recognised for her major contributions to patients and the nursing profession and received the Silver Chief Nursing Officer Award (CNO) from the CNO for England Dame Ruth May in 2021.
Co-Founder of Uganda Diaspora Health Foundation
Mariam Aligawesa
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Ophthalmic Nurse Practitioner Moorfields Hospital
Primrose Magala
Primrose is a British Nurse Practitioner at the world-renowned Moorfields Eye Hospital, in London.
With a passion for Africa’s marginalised and vulnerable, Primrose has Ugandan heritage.
Having made a career change from a corporate background, following a life changing experience a few years ago, this inspired her to pursue a career in healthcare and specialise in ophthalmology.
Ophthalmology remains a neglected discipline in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, thanks to emerging global Sustainable Development initiatives, and collaborative partnerships, Eye Health Africa (EHA) has been established as one of them, a great platform which will enable positive and sustainable healthcare transformation in Africa.
Director of Global Gases Group
Arnab Das
Arnab is the Director of Global Gases Group. He is responsible for the group’s Strategy and Business Development. Arnab has been in various senior management roles in leading multinational organizations. Over two decades in the industry, his experience cuts across various industries including Lead Acid Batteries, Industrial & Specialty Gases & Chemicals and Clean Energy Solutions in Southeast Asia, Middle East Asia, and Africa. Arnab’s recent work has been in corporate strategy and developing affordable healthcare and sustainable clean energy businesses in emerging markets. He has been cited as the Top 10 Best Leaders in the Oil and Gas Industry in Asia by CEO Insights ASIA Magazine.
Director of Global Health, NHS England
Professor Ged Byrne
Professor Ged Byrne is a surgical oncologist and director of global engagement at Health Education England.
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Professor Byrne is responsible for the enhancement of the NHS workforce through engagement with countries within and outside the EEA. He is a Professor of Medical Education at the UoM, an honorary Professor of Health Sciences at the University of Salford and was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship by the Higher Education Academy.
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North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS FT
Dr Thomasin Heggie
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Medical Director & Consultant in Occupational Medicine
Dr Lanre Ogunyem
Dr Lanre Ogunyemi is a consultant in occupational medicine and the Medical Director for Trinity Occupational & Public Health Solutions Ltd. He has been a registered medical practitioner since 1994 and listed on the General Medical Council (GMC)’s specialist register for Occupational Medicine since 2006.
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He is also a visiting lecturer to the University of Birmingham, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and currently the Chief Examiner for the MFOM [consultant level exit] exam of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine.
Cambridge University Hospital
Will Nabulyato
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Health Workforce Department, WHO Geneva
Giorgio Cometto
Dr Giorgio Cometto is a medical doctor with post-graduate studies in health policy, heath economics and health sector governance.
He has worked on health system development at national and international levels over the past 20 years, in humanitarian, post- conflict and development settings.
He joined WHO Headquarters in 2010 and since 2017 he is the head of the unit responsible for the policies, norms and standards in WHO’s health workforce department.
Head of International Workforce, DHSC UK
Dave Howarth
Dave Howarth is Head of International Workforce at DHSC UK
Director of Programmes, THET
Richard Skone James
Richard joined THET in November 2014 as Grants Officer. He has a Masters degree in International Development from the University of Edinburgh. Prior to working with THET, he spent two years in Nairobi initiating a refugee education programme, and he previously worked in fundraising and communications for London-based NGOs.
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He has been Director of Programmes at THET since 2023.
CEO, Commonwealth Pharmacists Association
Victoria Rutter
Victoria is a qualified pharmacist and a tenacious leader! She has an extensive portfolio of practice spanning many sectors and countries and is widely recognised for her work at a global level. Victoria became the first executive director of the CPA in April 2016.
She has built a strong team, redefined the charity’s mission and led the organisation from strength to strength, including pioneering the Commonwealth Partnerships in Antimicrobial Stewardship (CwPAMS) programme.
Dean, School of Health Sciences; Senior Lecturer, Health System Pharmacy, Makerere University
Freddy Kitutu
Freddy Eric Kitutu is a Lecturer, Health Systems Pharmacist and Researcher at Makerere University in Uganda. He serves as the Dean of the School of Health Sciences at Makerere University College of Health Sciences. Since, April 2nd 2020, Dr Kitutu has been part of the Special Advisory National COVID19 Committee on Epidemiology chaired by the Senior Presidential Advisor on Epidemics.
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LSHTM AMR department / Fleming Fund Technical Working Group
Dr Clare Chandler
Clare Chandler (PhD) is a medical anthropologist whose portfolio of work connects practices, technologies and policies of health, health care and health research. She has worked on a range of health challenges including malaria, Ebola, multimorbidity, urban health, One Health and antimicrobial resistance.
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She was co-founding Director of the LSHTM Antimicrobial Resistance Centre, which works to inspire innovation through interdisciplinary engagements and she has led the Anthropology of Antimicrobial Resistance research group at the LSHTM since 2017.
Global Anaesthesia Development Partnership/ Zambia Anaesthesia Development Programme
Helen Williams
Helen is a registrar in Anaesthesia & Intensive Care Medicine in the South-West Peninsula. She has had an interest in global health since medical school, with student placements and volunteer roles in Zambia, Samoa, and Madagascar.
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In 2022 she undertook a 6-month fellowship in Zambia with Zambia Anaesthesia Development Program (ZADP) and since returning has taken up a committee role with a focus on grants and fundraising.
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She is also a local trainee lead for the Kenya-UK Health Alliance critical care grand rounds within the Peninsula.
Project Manager at Dharura
Camille Degois
Dharura supports ethical, sustainable, equal and reciprocal global emergency care and community health partnerships, allowing health systems and their teams to gain mutual development through sharing knowledge, skills and innovations.
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Programmes Manager
Emma Rutherford
Emma joined the THET team in September 2023. Emma began her career in the development sector almost 20 years ago in South Africa where she was a facilitator for youth learnerships & adult education programmes. Following a period of volunteering at Starfish Greathearts Foundation, she took up a permanent role as Programmes Manager in 2008 where she worked at multiple levels across South Africa. In 2017 she founded Jika Uluntu, a community-based charity located in rural Eastern Cape, South Africa. Emma holds an MBA is deeply committed to community development.
UK Trade Envoy to Uganda Rwanda and Congo DRC
Lord Popat
Lord Dolar Popat is a Conservative Peer and Party Whip. He has been serving as the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Rwanda and Uganda since January 2016, as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo since October 2020. He became a Member of the House of Lords back in July 2010 and is the first Gujarati to represent the Conservative Party in the House of Lords.
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Chair Kenya UK Health Alliance (UK Chapter), Board member - Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC)
Jeremy Lefroy
Jeremy Lefroy’s work centres on smallholder agriculture in Africa; supporting growth of jobs and livelihoods in the UK and East Africa; and working with partners to tackle infectious diseases.
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He chairs the boards of the Relationships Foundation, Equity for Tanzania and Staffordshire Enterprise, co-chairs the Kenya UK Health Alliance, is a Trustee of the Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC), and is Executive Director of Café Africa. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He lives in Keele and is married to Janet, a GP and Professor of Medical Education at Keele University Medical School.
Head of Programmes, Uganda UK Health Alliance
Solomon Kamurari
A medical doctor with vast experience and skills in Global Health Project Planning and Management
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Consultant, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Co-Founder Tanzania UK Health Alliance
Professor Gideon Mlawa
Professor Gideon Mlawa - Consultant, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Co-Founder Tanzania UK Health Alliance
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Programmes Manager, THET
Jessica Fraser
Jessica joined THET in January 2020 as a Grants Officer, becoming Programmes Manager in July 2023. She has a Research Masters (MSc) in Global Health from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and a Bachelor’s degree in International Social Policy from the University of Leeds, completing an international year at the Australia National University, Canberra.
Her previous work includes field research in Lao PDR with the Lao Tropical and Public Health Institute, developing the National Public Health Research Agenda, and with the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Chatham House, looking at the role of Civil Society Organisations in the control of Antimicrobial Resistance.
Global Health Consultant
Dorcas Gwata
Dorcas is a Public Health Specialist with Central and Northwest London NHS Trust and works in the Westminster Council Multi-agency Integrated Gangs Unit (IGU), providing physical and mental health support to young people and their families who are affected by the gang culture. While working with young people in schools and youth centres with the aim of ‘Keeping young people on the right track’, she dedicates precious time to any number of global health platforms.
Founder and CEO of Zimbabwe Life Project and Corporate, Education and Development Lead at East London NHS Foundation Trust
Lucia Vambe
Lucia Vambe is a dedicated healthcare professional with a commitment to mental health nursing and education. Originally from Zimbabwe, Lucia's journey led her to the United Kingdom over three decades ago, where she pursued her professional qualifications in Mental Health Nursing and Education.  Currently serving in the Education and Development department at East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT). Her affiliation with ELFT extends to the University of Bedfordshire, where she serves as a visiting lecturer in the School of Nursing.
Pastoral, Career & Cultural Lead for IENs,Professional Development and Education Unit, Dewsbury District Hospital
Nchima Mwaba
An internationally educated experienced nurse educator and compassionate leader with a passion for nursing development and education both abroad and in the NHS. An advocate for empowering nurses to take personal action for quality improvement, personal development and improving patient safety. Graduated Dip Nursing from Lusaka Zambia, BSc Nursing University of Zambia, Health Professional Education Post Graduate Certificate from Huddersfield University and a Professional Nurse Advocate.
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Vice Chair for Professional Development at Royal College of General Practitioners
Professor Margaret Ikpoh
Margaret Ikpoh is a GP Partner at Holderness Health, a practice for 36,000 patients in East Yorkshire and has worked there for 12 years. She is the current Royal College of General Practitioners Vice Chair for Professional Development.
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She is the practice lead for research and has had previous roles with the NIHR Yorkshire and Humber as a research champion for First5 GPs and AITs.
She is also the former Associate Director for Primary Care for Hull York Medical School and is a GP Trainer.
Currently she co-chairs the regional Primary Care Workforce Group with NHS England & Improvement for the North-East and Yorkshire Regional People Board.
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At the RCGP, she has been involved in the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Task groups and was awarded Fellow of The Year at the 2021 RCGP Inspire Awards ceremony.
Deputy Chief Nursing Officer for England, Delivery & Transformation Programmes
Duncan Burton
Duncan Burton is Deputy Chief Nursing Officer for England, Delivery & Transformation Programmes.
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National Clinical Expert in Occupational Health & Wellbeing NHS England
Dr Shriti Pattani OBE
Dr Shriti Pattani is National Clinical Expert in Occupational Health & Wellbeing NHS England.
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Ghana Nursing and Midwidery Council
Mrs Philomina Woolley
Mrs. Philomina Woolley is currently the Acting Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council. As the Acting Registrar, she provides strategic leadership, technical and administrative direction for the achievement of the mandate of the Council. She has made significant contributions towards the education, training and practice of Nursing and Midwifery locally and internationally. She possesses strong leadership, interpersonal skills and excellent human relations.
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She is a State Registered Midwife and a State Registered Nurse with 30 years of unbroken committed and industrious service to the Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health.
Director, Action for Global Health
Katie Husselby
Katie Husselby is Coordinator of the Action for Global Health Network (AfGH), a membership organisation representing more than 60 UK-based global health organizations. In this role, she is responsible for engaging with the UK government and global health stakeholders, implementing AfGH’s advocacy strategy, coordinating member activities, and fundraising. Katie also sits on the UHC2030 CSEM Advisory Group, representing Action for Global Health.
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Technical Director, Health Systems Strengthening, THET
Margaret Caffrey
Margaret joined THET in 2023. She is a highly experienced health workforce (HWF) and health systems (HS) specialist, with over 20 years’ experience in the design, delivery and evaluation of HWF and HS programmes, and related research across Africa and Asia. She has provided technical leadership and assistance in health systems strengthening, and health workforce policy, planning, management and development, working in partnership with global and country stakeholders, including government ministries and agencies, health education providers, health workers, civil society and communities, and donors and development partners. She has led and facilitated reviews and evaluations of health systems and health workforce policies, programmes and interventions, using mixed methods research approaches and evaluation methodologies.
Director Health Planning Research and Statistics, Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, Nigeria
Dr Chris Osa Isokpunwu
Dr Chris Osa Isokpunwu is Director Health Planning Research and Statistics, Federal Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, Nigeria.
President of Nigerian Nurses Charitable Association UK / National Maternity Lead for Equality, NHS England
Wendy Olayiwola
Wendy is a registered nurse and midwife with more than two decades of active, fruitful and broadened years of service in the community and public health. The recognition and influence of her abilities reach, influence and touch several spheres within and outside the United Kingdom. Wendy is well seasoned in articulating and participating in diverse roles involving the hospital, community, private health, and well-being. She is very passionate about supporting and empowering nurses and midwives to provide culturally sensitive and holistic care for women and their families.
Ms Olayiwola received her academic Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Nursing from Buckinghamshire Chiltern University UK; BSc (Hons.) Midwifery City University London with further studies, she obtained a merited diploma in Management and Leadership Studies (DMS) and postgraduate (M Sc) degree in Public Health at the University of East London. She is an honorary lecturer at universities on Public health topics and a motivational speaker. Wendy has co-authored articles in professional midwifery journals, including Talking to men about FGM and Reducing the incidence of Stillbirths in Black women.
Wendy is a member of Nursing and Midwifery Council Equality Diversity and Inclusion Research Advisory Group. She is the Lead midwife/co-chair of CNO CMiDO BME Strategic Advisory Group NHS England and uses this role to advise and provide guidance on the issues facing patients and staff from minority ethnic groups. President of Nigerian Nurses Charitable Association UK. Wendy has championed numerous project and initiatives beyond the UK's borders, stretching from Europe to African countries.
Head of the Fleming Fund, DHSC
Holly Rhyner-Jones
Holly Rhyner-Jones is Head of the Fleming Fund at Department of Health and Social Care.
Lead Anti-Infectives Pharmacist, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust/Senior Antimicrobial Resistance Technical Advisor , The Commonwealth Pharmacist Association
Claire Brandish, MRPharmS, DIPGPP, PgCertIP
Claire Brandish is Lead Anti-Infectives pharmacist at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and Senior Antimicrobial Resistance Technical Advisor for the Commonwealth Pharmacist Association, supporting the Fleming funded Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship Scheme (CwPAMS). She is a Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s Global Health Fellow and has delivered on three CwPAMS projects between the NHS and health-partners in the UK and Uganda. Claire is passionate about antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and was named a “Woman to Watch” in 2021 by the Pharmaceutical Journal. Claire works as an independent prescriber and participates in regular AMS ward rounds as part of the multidisciplinary team. She is an active member of the United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association Pharmacy Infection Network and the South-Central Antimicrobial Pharmacist Network, sharing best practice and innovative ideas and creating tools / guidelines in the field of AMS.
Wessex Ghana Stroke Partnership
Dr Louise Johnson
Louise is a clinical-academic physiotherapist, with over 20 years experience working in stroke care within the NHS.  Louise currently works as a Consultant Physiotherapist at University Hospitals Dorset, is a Principal Researcher at the University of Southampton, and holds a wide range of teaching, mentorship and strategic roles locally and nationally. Louise has a particular interest in stroke rehabilitation, behaviour change, implementation science and personalised care.  Louise has been involved in Wessex Global Stroke Partnerships since its inception in 2009.  She has held many roles and responsibilities within the Partnership, and is currently UK co-lead with colleagues Dr Lucy Sykes and Claire Fullbrook Scanlon.   You can read more about the partnership here: www.wgstroke.org.
THET
Kate Forde
Kate joined THET as the Programmes Coordinator for the Global Health Workforce Programme in October 2023.
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Before joining THET, Kate worked as the strategic officer in the NHS Global Health Partnerships Directorate, across several WHO and FCDO funded programmes, gaining experience in long term healthcare strategies and bidirectional learning. With a background in Global Health, she is particularly passionate about community-based interventions and healthcare.
Cleveland Clinic UK
Dr. Nick Losseff
Dr Nick Losseff undertook his extensive medical training in London. Initially qualifying from St Thomas’ Hospital, he then trained in neurology at Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, University College London Hospital (UCLH) Foundation Trust, and The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queens Square. Dr Losseff has held several senior leadership positions in the NHS, and is well-known for his work to improve stroke services. From 2013-2017 he served as the London Clinical Director for Neuroscience. Dr Losseff was awarded the Queen Square Prize in Neurology and the European Neurology Society Prize. Listed in the Tatler Doctors Guide, Dr Losseff is named as one of Britain’s top 250 consultants, described as "highly experienced and renowned for his comforting bedside manner"