October 2011
Jo Pritchard and Tricia McGregor, managing directors of leading community healthcare provider Central Surrey Health, received their MBEs from the Princess Royal, Princess Anne, on Wednesday 5th October 2011.
The investiture ceremony was held at Windsor Castle. The MBEs - for services to social enterprise - were announced in June in the Queen’s birthday Honours list 2011.
Jo Pritchard and Tricia McGregor set up Central Surrey Health in 2006 after more than 750 nurses and therapists left the NHS to set up their own employee-owned, not-for-profit social enterprise. Central Surrey Health and its Co-owners have since won national acclaim for how they have transformed and improved community health services in mid Surrey. In recent years this has included being able to maintain or improve frontline services despite severe reductions to budgets. Jo Pritchard explains: “Central Surrey Health is a social enterprise – this means we’re run like a business, but our actions are driven, not by profit, but by values and principles that put patient care at their heart. We have campaigned hard over the last few years for greater recognition of the work of social enterprises. It is through such models that the country is putting power back into the hands of public sector workers, and in particular, the frontline staff who are best placed to run and improve their services.”
Tricia McGregor adds: “The people who work for Central Surrey Health are passionate about patient care. It is this collective willpower of more than 700 Co-owners that has enabled us to transform community health services in central Surrey - driving up quality and driving out inefficiency. It’s inspiring to work with so many people who share your values and are committed to making a difference to patients.”
Jo and Tricia conclude: “We are delighted to receive such a prestigious honour. We’ve worked in the health sector for over 25 years and the last five years setting up Central Surrey Health have been the greatest challenge. Our jobs are inspirational and definitely the best ones we have ever had. These MBEs are as much for our Co-owners as for us, and we thank them all for their outstanding work.”