A new era of clinical leadership at Medigold Health
Medigold Health are delighted to announce some recent changes to our clinical leadership, with the restructure of our Chief Medical Officer (CMO) role and the appointment of a new Non-Executive Director. These changes reflect our ongoing commitment to delivering safe, effective and evidence-based occupational health services for the people and organisations we support, while at the same time reinforcing our focus on strong governance, clinical visibility and professional excellence.
Putting clinical excellence at the heart of what we do
We have always believed that expert clinical insight should underpin every decision we make, and having strong clinical leadership in place has been central to our approach.
The move from a single Chief Medical Officer to a dual model will allow us to embed this leadership better than ever before, for even greater impact. It will see our former Deputy CMO, Dr Lisa Birrell, taking the lead on clinical governance, service quality and operational delivery, while Dr Sam Valanejad will now be focussed on external clinical engagement, supporting our partnerships and client relationships and enhancing our visibility within the OH sector.
Having two highly respected clinicians working in tandem in distinct but complementary leadership roles means we can better align our clinical standards with their delivery in practice. It also gives our clients and teams even more confidence that clinical quality and robust governance are not just principles we value, but responsibilities we lead with.
Bringing clinical perspective to the Boardroom
We are also pleased to welcome Dr Shriti Pattani OBE as a Non-Executive Director to our Board. Past president of the Society of Occupational Medicine, Dr Pattani is the current National Clinical Expert in Occupational Health and Wellbeing for NHS England and was recently appointed a Trustee of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine.
Alongside her expertise and insight, she brings an external voice of authority and independent challenge to our organisation, helping us raise the bar on quality, accountability and governance, so we can further advance our position at the forefront of our industry.
Together, these changes mark a new chapter for Medigold’s clinical leadership – one defined by depth of expertise and a continued commitment to driving excellence in occupational health.
Meet our clinical leaders
Dr Sam Valanejad, Chief Medical Officer – Commercial
Sam is a Consultant Specialist in Occupational Medicine. His deep passion for occupational health began when he changed career from orthopaedics, and it has only grown stronger over the years. His OH journey has seen him hold a variety of roles within the field, each of which has helped him in developing the skills required for his current responsibilities. He also serves as President of the Occupational Medicine Section at the Royal Society of Medicine, where he contributes to advancing the specialty.
In his role as Chief Medical Officer – Commercial at Medigold Health, he leads the development of innovative, evidence-based clinical services that meet client needs and strengthen our market position. Working closely with our Sales, Bids and Marketing teams, he provides senior clinical input into key client partnerships and tenders for new business opportunities. He also works in collaboration with our CMO – Operations & Clinical Governance to ensure that our commercial initiatives are always aligned with the highest standards of clinical quality and governance. Alongside this, he acts as a clinical ambassador for Medigold Health, representing us at industry events and making sure our high-quality services are recognised by clients, partners and the wider industry.
“Having been part of Medigold for many years, I have seen first-hand the dedication, resilience and shared values that make this company so special. Our Genetic Code – the company values we live by every day – truly guides us, and I have great trust in the vision and direction of our leadership. The past two years have been challenging for us, but at the same time also hugely rewarding, and I am genuinely excited to step into this new role where I can contribute to our next stage of growth. I look forward to working with Lisa, Shriti and all our colleagues, especially those in customer facing roles, to ensure that Medigold’s name continues to be associated with innovation, bold solutions, and the highest clinical standards.” – Dr Sam Valanejad
Dr Lisa Birrell, Chief Medical Officer – Operations & Clinical Governance
Lisa is a leading figure in Occupational Health in the UK. With nearly 30 years’ experience working across a broad range of industries in both the public and private sectors, she has previously served as an Elected Member of the Board of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM) and was the appointed Registrar (Deputy President) 2007-2010.
Having started her career as a GP, following her specialist training in Occupational Medicine she spent eight years heading up the in-house OH service for one of the country’s most prestigious, luxury automotive brands. Accountable for leading and directing the implementation of OH policy and strategy across the UK, she managed a multi-disciplinary team, with responsibility for training and development and maintaining standards of professional competence. She subsequently spent 10 years working for Health Management, first as Pensions Medical Director and latterly as Deputy CMO, before joining Medigold Health in 2023 with the acquisition.
As Chief Medical Officer – Operations & Clinical Governance, Lisa’s role is to lead, inspire and support our occupational health clinicians in maintaining and enhancing Medigold Health’s reputation for clinical excellence and pushing the boundaries of clinical innovation in service delivery.
“I am delighted to have been given this incredible opportunity to steer and support the occupational health team in continuing to deliver clinical excellence, while working with the business to optimise how we deliver services. I also look forward to working closely with Shriti, Sam and other senior colleagues in refining and nurturing the next level approach to clinical leadership necessary to solidify Medigold Health’s position as one of the UK’s most relevant and forward-thinking workplace health custodians.” – Dr Lisa Birrell
Dr Shriti Pattani OBE, Non-Executive Director
Shriti Pattani is the National Clinical Expert in Occupational Health and Wellbeing for NHS England and the Clinical Director/Head of Service for Occupational Health and Wellbeing at London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust. A GP for 25 years and the past president of the Society of Occupational Medicine, she is passionate about providing access to occupational health and safety services for all people of working age.
She is an external subject matter expert for the World Health Organisation and part of the external technical advisory group for the development of a joint WHO/International Labour Organisation global policy brief on enhancing safety, health and wellbeing in the workplace. She is also the Global Health & Work Clinical Advisor (Occupational Health, Safety & Wellbeing) with the NHSE Global team and has become a Board Director for the Council for Work and Health to help shape national policy and guidance. She was awarded an OBE in the 2024 Kings New Years Honours list for her services to Occupational Medicine and was this month appointed a Trustee of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine.
“I’m passionate about quality, belonging, and constant innovation. Medigold Health is a family business with strong values of dedication, inclusivity and continuous improvement. Quality and safety lie at the heart of the organisation’s heritage, so when I was approached to become a Non-Executive Director, with my clinical and leadership background, I was delighted. I very much look forward to working with the capable and ambitious Board, the CMOs and the wider team to further Medigold’s presence in an ever more vital market to the UK economy.” – Dr Shriti Pattani
A word from our CEO
Strong clinical leadership is the bedrock of any occupational health environment. This is not only to guarantee the highest standards of quality and safety, but also to ensure our services evolve, are relevant, and genuinely enhance and support the wellbeing and productivity of the people working for the organisations we serve. Our recent changes to the Chief Medical Officer structure, along with the appointment of Dr Shriti Pattani as an advisor to our Board, significantly strengthen our capacity to deliver on this commitment. Together, we are building a leadership team that combines clinical rigour with fresh perspectives, while maintaining a close, day-to-day connection with our people on the ground. This approach ensures that our strategies remain both innovative and deeply aligned with both the real needs of our workforce and the evolving needs of modern workplaces, positioning us to lead the way in UK occupational health.
– Alex Goldsmith
Looking ahead
We are proud to be strengthening our clinical leadership at a time when the need for trusted, evidence-based occupational health services has never been greater. Together, this team forms a powerhouse of clinical expertise, insight and thought leadership. Having them at the helm will enable us to continue contributing responsibly and meaningfully to the wider industry dialogue while staying focused on delivering real value to our clients and their people. We can’t wait to see the impact they will have.
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A new era of clinical leadership at Medigold Health
Medigold Health are delighted to announce some recent changes to our clinical leadership, with the restructure of our Chief Medical Officer (CMO) role and the appointment of a new Non-Executive Director. These changes reflect our ongoing commitment to delivering safe, effective and evidence-based occupational health services for the people and[...]
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