Top Menu

  • Midlands Decision Support Network
The Strategy Unit

Main navigation

  • About Us
  • Our work
  • Services
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Midlands Decision Support Network

Leading research, analysis and change from within the NHS

Learn about our services Learn about us

Strategy Unit Podcast

News 14/06/23 James Sandy

Learning about what works in urgent community response

Publication 29/09/23 Paul Mason

Exploring the Edge of Tomorrow, Today

Publication 23/06/23 David Frith
Podcast

Strategy Unit Podcast

14/06/23 James Sandy

The SU Podcast is a monthly digest of our current work hearing from our multidisciplinary team.

View more

Learning about what works in urgent community response

29/09/23 Paul Mason

The initial report from the national urgent community response (UCR) evaluation, along with an economic modelling tool to help service providers and systems understand the impact o...

View more
Blog post

Exploring the Edge of Tomorrow, Today

23/06/23 David Frith

Exploring the critical building blocks for a resilient social care system in 2035 with the West Midlands Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (WM-ADASS).

View more
white greek naked statue sitting on white chair
Blog post

What’s philosophy got to do with evidence reviews?

21/06/23 Alison Turner

Ever wondered how to make better use of evidence in decision-making? Follow our latest blog series to find out more about how our Evidence and Knowledge Mobilisation team can help ...

View more
HACA speaker picture
Event

First National Health and Care Analytics (HACA) conference 2023

31/05/23

The Strategy Unit brings you the first National Health and Care Analytics (HACA) conference 2023.

View more
Blog post

Diagnosing harms?

12/05/23 Steven Wyatt

All medicines are poisons. Everything that cures could kill if administered in the wrong doses, to the wrong people, at the wrong times, in the wrong ways.

View more
Long read

Inclusive Elective Care Recovery

10/05/23 Abeda Mulla

These case studies present the key features and learning from local initiatives which championed inclusive approaches to elective care recovery.

View more
Report

How is growth in diagnostic testing affecting the hospital system?

03/05/23 Andrew Jones

Diagnostic services, such as medical imaging, endoscopy, and pathology, have grown substantially in recent years and at a faster rate than most other healthcare services. Increased...

View more
Blog post

Could a peer review methodology help drive continual learning within and across local systems?

21/04/23 Karen Bradley

In this blog Karen describes how peer review methodologies are being used to support learning in Long COVID services.

View more
View Publications View News & Views

Meet the Team

View All
Peter Spilsbury
Peter Spilsbury
Director of The Strategy Unit
Peter has worked in the NHS for nearly 40 years. In that time, he has held Director positions in provider, commissioning and strategic NHS…
More about Peter
Abeda Mulla
Abeda Mulla
Managing Consultant
Abeda started her career in medical research. She gained a PhD from Imperial College London in Neuroendocrinology. She then moved on to medical…
More about Abeda
Alison Turner
Alison Turner
Head of Evidence and Knowledge Mobilisation
Alison brings over 25 years’ experience supporting evidence-informed decision making. She has contributed workshops and papers at a range of…
More about Alison
Andrew Jones
Andrew Jones
Senior Healthcare Analyst
Andrew has worked for the Strategy Unit since 2015, covering both research and education. His recent project work includes: Analysing opportunities…
More about Andrew
Andy Hood
Andy Hood
Analytics Manager
Andy has an academic and practical background in public health, having worked in the NHS in analytical and intelligence roles for 17 years.  Whilst…
More about Andy
David Frith
David Frith
Prinicpal Consultant
David has worked in the NHS since 2008, including roles in commissioning, major programme management and strategic planning in the acute sector. He…
More about David
Deborah Mabbley
Deborah Mabbley
Business Manager
Deborah has 23 years’ experience within the NHS in business management, customer service and administration.  She has excellent organisational and…
More about Deborah
Fraser Battye
Fraser Battye
Principal Consultant
Fraser draws on over 20 years of experience and has worked on multiple areas of public policy. Before joining the NHS, he worked as a consultant in…
More about Fraser
Jake Parsons
Jake Parsons
Head of Modelling and Analytics
Before joining the NHS, Jake worked as a senior performance analyst in a large social services department. He has also worked as an auditor and…
More about Jake
James de Lacy
James de Lacy
Senior Consultant
James has worked in the NHS for almost 10 years and has considerable experience in strategic consultancy projects.  His recent Strategy Unit work…
More about James
Thumbnail
Jon Cook
Coaching Consultant
Jon has over 25 years experience working for the NHS and has worked at all tiers in the NHS, gaining a national perspective whilst working for the…
More about Jon
Justine Wiltshire
Analytics Manager
Justine has over 20 years’ experience in healthcare analysis. In that time, she has worked across different parts of the NHS - acute providers and…
More about Justine
Karen Bradley
Principal Consultant
Karen is a highly experienced leader of change providing strategic consultancy and complex improvement services.  She has had an eclectic career,…
More about Karen
Lorna Crofts
Lorna Crofts
Business Manager
Lorna has ten years’ experience working within the NHS. This has seen her work across commissioner, provider and regional/national organisations to…
More about Lorna
Mahmoda Begum
Mahmoda Begum
Senior Consultant
Mahmoda has over 15 years’ experience working in the health and wellbeing sector. She has worked in community, commercial and public sector…
More about Mahmoda
Mike Woodall
Mike Woodall
Analytics Manager
Mike has over 25 years’ experience in analytical roles across the health and care sector. He has worked on projects within commissioning, acute,…
More about Mike
Thumbnail
Paul Seamer
Analytics Manager
Paul has many years’ experience of leading research and analytical projects across health, local government, and the wider public sector. Before…
More about Paul
Sharon Townsend
Sharon Townsend
Business Manager
Sharon has over 15 years’ experience in the NHS. She has also worked for charities and the private sector. The majority of Sharon’s experience is in…
More about Sharon
Shiona Aldridge
Shiona Aldridge
Managing Consultant
Shiona draws on over 10 years’ experience working in the NHS. Prior to this, she worked as a data analyst in the corporate sector, supporting an NHS…
More about Shiona
Stacey Croft
Stacey Croft
Analytics Manager
Stacey started her career over twenty years ago, working as an analyst at the West Midlands Cancer Intelligence Unit. After completing a Master’s in…
More about Stacey
Steven Wyatt
Steven Wyatt
Head of Research and Policy
Steven has 20 years’ experience leading and managing analytical services in the health and social care sector. He has broad, practical experience of…
More about Steven
David Callaghan
David Callaghan
Managing Consultant
David has a particular interest in issues around public health, social care and workforce development. He draws on 15 years’ experience in the…
More about David
Simon Bourne
Simon Bourne
Principal Consultant
Simon’s experience spans clinical medicine, academia, NHS commissioning and management consultancy. He is the programme director for the Midlands…
More about Simon
Lucy Hawkins
Lucy Hawkins
Head of Strategy and Change
Lucy has a Master’s degree in Healthcare Leadership and worked for a specialist hospital before joining the Strategy Unit. The focus of her Master’s…
More about Lucy
Richard Ward
Richard Ward
Consultant
Richard has broad experience of evidence review and evaluation projects. This includes:  An evidence map on inequities in access to mental health…
More about Richard
Zaheera Teladia
Zaheera Teladia
Senior Consultant
Zaheera has an undergraduate degree in Social Sciences with Social Policy and a Master’s in Public Health. She has extensive experience of working on…
More about Zaheera
Mohammed Amin Mohammed
Mohammed Amin Mohammed
Principal Consultant
Over the last ten years Mohammed has delivered scores of highly rated courses on variation, systems thinking, improvement science and mortality…
More about Mohammed
Stewart Loughlin
Head of Business Management
With over 20 years working in the public and private sectors, Stewart has gained deep experience in education, care and technology. His previous…
More about Stewart
Thomas Jemmett
Thomas Jemmett
Senior Healthcare Analyst
Tom has over a decade of experience working in analytical roles within the NHS – including in acute provider trusts in the West Midlands. He has…
More about Thomas
Alexander Lawless
Alexander Lawless
Senior Analyst
Alexander’s background is varied and wide ranging. He has worked as a hospital staff nurse and a local authority analyst. He also has a Master’s in…
More about Alexander
Rachel Caswell
Rachel Caswell
Senior Healthcare Analyst
Rachel has over 20 years’ analytical, project management and leadership experience in NHS and local government organisations. She has a master’s…
More about Rachel
Paul Mason
Paul Mason
Head of Evaluation
Paul has 23 years’ experience in applied research and evaluation spanning a career in universities and private sector consultancy before joining the…
More about Paul
Bethany Taylor
Bethany Taylor
Consultant
Before joining the Strategy Unit, Bethany completed a Masters in Public Health. She also worked as a researcher for a medical education company. …
More about Bethany
Eleanor Jones
Eleanor Jones
Consultant
Ellie has a background in population health, with a special interest in health inequalities and inequities in access to health and care services. She…
More about Eleanor
Jane Greenstock
Jane Greenstock
Senior Consultant
Jane has over ten years’ experience of health and social-care research and evaluation, gained in the voluntary, commercial and public sectors.…
More about Jane
Freddie Finlay
Freddie Finlay
Consultant
Prior to joining the Strategy Unit, Freddie worked for five years in an analytical role in the private sector. Since joining the Strategy Unit,…
More about Freddie
Ozayr Mohammed
Ozayr Mohammed
Healthcare Analyst
Ozayr’s recent work has involved exploring the effects of new housing developments on demand for primary care and developing this is into a ‘Shiny’…
More about Ozayr
Sarah Gilliland
Sarah Gilliland
Business Manager
With a strong background in business administration, Sarah has years of experience in client care, finance support, and performance management.…
More about Sarah
Charlotte Henderson
Charlotte Henderson
Business Manager
Prior to joining the Strategy Unit, Charlotte worked for the NHS Quality Review Service. There she supported programmes of work to help services…
More about Charlotte
Romaana Kapadi
Romaana Kapadi
Consultant
Before joining The Strategy Unit, Romaana worked collaboratively with a range of stakeholders on numerous clinical research projects in both higher…
More about Romaana
Lydia Hextell
Lydia Hextell
Consultant
Prior to joining the Strategy Unit, Lydia worked primarily within the charity sector, as well as educational and healthcare settings, in varying…
More about Lydia
Sheila Ali
Consultant
Before joining the Strategy Unit, Sheila worked as a research assistant in both the NHS and in academic contexts, working with quantitative and…
More about Sheila Ali
Natasha Stephenson
Natasha Stephenson
Consultant
Before joining the Strategy Unit, Natasha completed a Master’s in Health Psychology and worked within third sector health services promoting positive…
More about Natasha
Marya Mobeen
Marya Mobeen
Research Assistant
Marya recently joined the Strategy Unit. Prior to joining, she completed a master’s degree in Health Psychology at Aston University. During this time…
More about Marya
Thumbnail
Jon Cook
Coaching Consultant
Jon has over 25 years experience working for the NHS and has worked at all tiers in the NHS, gaining a national perspective whilst working for the…
More about Jon
James Sandy
James Sandy
Senior Consultant
James has worked extensively across local government, clinical commissioning, the voluntary sector, and professional bodies leading policy, research…
More about James
Kimberley Messam
Kimberley Messam
Senior Consultant
My current experience within the Strategy Unit is limited. However, I have a wealth of experience from Local Authority and NHS experience. Having…
More about Kimberley
Jacqueline Grout
Jacqueline Grout
Senior Healthcare Analyst
Jacqueline has 10 years of experience working in analytical roles within the NHS primarily in an integrated care provider trust in Greater Manchester…
More about Jacqueline
Sally Thompson
Senior Healthcare Analyst
Prior to joining the Strategy Unit, Sally provided analytical support to Health & Social Care Partnerships and GP clusters in Scotland. She has…
More about Sally
Craig Parylo
Craig Parylo
Senior Healthcare Analyst
Craig previously provided business information management for a Community and Mental Health Trust where he delivered insight into the quality of care…
More about Craig
Sarah Lucas
Sarah Lucas
Healthcare Analyst
Sarah has a PhD in neuroscience and over 15 years’ experience in academic research. Prior to joining the Strategy Unit, she worked on a variety of ‘…
More about Sarah
Fikriyudin Mufasir
Fikriyudin Mufasir
Healthcare Analyst
Prior to joining the Strategy Unit, Fikriyudin provided data visualization and analytical support for an integrated fisheries commerce company. He…
More about Fikriyudin
Clare Humble
Managing Consultant
Clare has led on projects which include: The development and leadership of intelligence and research functions The creation, application and…
More about Clare
Samiya Usmani
Research Assistant
Prior to working at the Strategy Unit, Samiya completed her undergraduate study in BSc Sociology and Social Policy from the University of Bath, in…
More about Samiya
Chris Beeley
Head of Data Science
Chris has led on the collection, collation, and analysis of patient experience in previous roles, and his team are currently working on a project to…
More about Chris
Caileigh Solomenca
Business Manager
Caileigh has over 5 years experience as a Project Co-ordinator supporting the management of projects and workshops. She has developed her skills in…
More about Caileigh
Zoë Turner
Zoë Turner
Senior Data Scientist
Zoë has developed and delivered training in Introduction to R and R Studio, Train the Trainer and RMarkdown supporting hundreds of colleagues from…
More about Zoë
Sam Callanan
Sam Callanan
Senior Consultant
Sam has over ten years of experience as a researcher and evaluator in the voluntary sector and for local and national government. He has led, managed…
More about Sam
Katie Spanjers
Katie Spanjers
Senior Consultant
Having started her career as a clinician in the NHS, Katie has gone on to gain experience in undertaking and manging evaluation in academia and…
More about Katie
Maciej Waszak-Hayes
Business Manager
Maciej has over 8 years’ experience working in NHS in learning and development. He also developed his skills in organising and coordinating events…
More about Maciej
Mark Thompson
Managing Consultant
Mark has been instrumental in the strategic transformation of homelessness services bringing 7 funding bodies and an Alliance of 6 providers together…
More about Mark
Jennifer Wood
Managing Consultant
Jenny has 15 years of experience in social research and analysis in organisations. Recently, she has focussed on consultancy, working on a range of…
More about Jennifer
Josh Cook
Research Assistant
Prior to joining the Strategy Unit, Josh worked in a variety of education roles predominantly supporting young people with special educational needs…
More about Josh
  • The Strategy Unit

  • Midlands logo

Quick Links

  • COVID-19
  • Publications
  • News and Views
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Cookies
  • Privacy

Contact

strategy.unit@nhs.net

@Strategy_Unit

Name

The Strategy Unit | Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit

Copyright © 2023, Hosted by Midlands and Lancashire CSU. | Website design by IE Digital.

Scroll to top