Meet our Team

Dr. Deshpande has served as a GP in Thurrock for over 40 years. In 2013, he initiated Thurrock Health Hubs to provide additional GP and Nurse appointments for the residents of Thurrock. Over time, the service has grown and evolved into what it is today.

Mandy holds a BSc (Hons) in physiotherapy from the Royal London Hospital/ University of East London School of Physiotherapy.  On qualifying Mandy went home to the west country working in a junior role at Southmead Hospital  Bristol.  On returning to London Mandy undertook roles in East London hospitals and leadership roles in Lewisham and Tottenham physiotherapy departments.

On completion of an MBA at City University Mandy moved into hospital management at the North Middlesex Hospital in Edmonton and then into commissioning roles in Haringey Primary Care Trust.

In 2007 Mandy moved to South West Essex PCT, based in Basildon, where she undertook Director roles focused on NHS reorganisation and the transition to Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).  

From 2013 to 2020 Mandy was the Accountable Officer for Thurrock Clinical Commissioning Group.   Following retirement in 2020 Mandy continues to undertake a number of roles within the NHS.

Lesley has a professional background in Human Resource Management and has held senior leadership roles across industry, higher education, and the NHS. Her academic career culminated as Head of Department and Director of the Institute of Vocational Learning at London South Bank University’s Faculty of Health.

She has served as a Governor at the North East London Foundation Trust and Vice Chair at Havering Primary Care Trust. In 2012–13, she was appointed by NHSE to chair CCG authorisation committees nationwide, followed by roles as Audit Chair, Lay Member Governance, and Deputy Chair at a CCG in Mid and South Essex.

In 2024, Lesley became Independent Lay Chair for AAC Consultant appointments at two NHS Acute Trusts. She also continues her longstanding commitment to Tapestry, a charity supporting elderly people and those with dementia, where she previously served as Chair and remains a trustee. Lesley is also a trustee of Gambling Harm UK a charity focussing on research, awareness and lived experience relating to harm to individuals and affected others.

“Andrew Sheldon is a senior public affairs and place-leadership professional with extensive experience connecting national politics, local government and community interests to deliver measurable public benefit. He combines over a decade of frontline Westminster experience running a parliamentary office and multiple successful constituency campaigns with executive local government leadership as Leader of Castle Point and as a County Councillor and Deputy Cabinet Member. Andrew specialises in political navigation, reputational risk management and stakeholder mobilisation, with a proven record of delivering place-based programmes including Business Improvement District establishment and local economic initiatives.

Andrew brings deep networks across MPs, county and district councillors, health system leads and the voluntary sector. He is looking forward to leading THH’s external affairs strategy to secure the confidence and support of local political and community stakeholders and to help translate THH’s clinical capacity and expertise into visible community outcomes and local social value.”

Michael is a dedicated and experienced health service leader, committed to supporting clinical teams to deliver high-quality patient care. Michael consistently demonstrates excellence as a supportive and accessible leader able to deliver strategic progress of organisational and service priorities whilst maintaining operational delivery in often challenging circumstances. He blends a coaching style with robust governance frameworks to ensure clinical, operational and financial outcomes. 

During a career spanning 25 years in NHS Hospitals, Michael was responsible for all aspects of acute and tertiary clinical services including at various times leading on elective, non-elective, medical, surgical, diagnostics and regional tertiary services, in roles up to Director level. 

Michael holds a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Warwick.

Michael joined THH in October 2024

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Joseph Samuel Godwin is an experienced Physiotherapist and Accredited Hand therapist with a Master’s degree in Hand conditions and over 20 years of expertise. He worked as Hand Therapy Team lead at University College London Hospital for the past 16 years, where his focus was on developing innovative care pathways and enhancing patient outcomes and care. He also worked as an Extended Scope Practitioner in Hands and Private Patient Project lead for MSK and Dietetics at University College London Hospital.

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At Open University, he held the role of Non-Medical Prescribing lead for Allied Health Professionals. His research contributions, publications, and presentations/lecturing at national and international conferences and universities further underscore his commitment to advancing clinical practices. Joseph’s strengths lie in fostering team collaboration, strategic planning, and operational problem-solving.

Francesca has over 10 years of experience working in NHS hospitals including roles in access, clinical governance and most recently as a private patient services manager. 

As General Manager Francesca leads on diagnostic services and is leading on the operational readiness for the opening of the Health Centres including setting up clinical services, private patient services and ensuring strong governance and the development of the leadership teams for the Health Centres.

Francesca joined THH in March 2025

Kim has more than 25 years’ experience in the NHS working at Basildon Hospital. Over that time Kim was responsible for various services including Pathology, Cardiology and Outpatients. Kim also worked as the waiting list manager and overall lead for elective access for the Hospital.

As Corporate Services Manager Kim oversees non-clinical administration functions within THH such as booking, HR, ordering, premises.

Kim joined THH in November 2024

Dr Dungu graduated from St.Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College London and trained in cardiology at Hammersmith Hospital. He undertook cardiac MRI training at Royal Brompton hospital in London, where he was later appointed as Locum Consultant before moving to the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre. Dr Dungu was the first cardiologist with specialist cardiac MRI training in the Essex region. He performs cardiac MRI and complex echocardiography to a high standard with international accreditation in both techniques.

Dr Dungu’s research interest is cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease) and he was awarded a BHF Clinical Research Fellowship in 2009, culminating in the award of a PhD degree in ATTR cardiac amyloidosis. The research project produced several papers and over 30 abstracts. He has presented at major international cardiology conferences in Europe and North America, and co-authored publications in the top 3 medical journals NEJM, Lancet and JAMA. Dr Dungu is an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University, working as part of the ICED-HF research group and successfully co-supervised an MD fellowship awarded to Dr Brian Li in heart failure biomarkers in 2024.

Dr Dungu has been leading the Essex Inherited Cardiac Conditions (ICC) service since it was established in January 2023. Under his leadership, Essex ICC was one of the first 5 centres in the UK to prescribe the novel myosin inhibitor Mavacamten for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Dr Dungu has extensive experience in treating patients with chest pain and ischaemic heart disease, palpitations, valve disease, heart failure and hypertension. He performs a wide range of diagnostic investigations including non-invasive stress tests (echo or MRI) and invasive coronary angiograms.

Evelyn Allen is an experienced pharmacy leader with over 16 years as a Chief Pharmacist and senior management experience within the NHS. She currently serves as Chief Pharmacist and Accountable Officer for Controlled Drugs at an NHS Foundation Trust, providing strategic leadership across pharmacy services and organisation-wide medicines optimisation and governance.

Evelyn holds a BPharm degree, an MBA, a Master’s in Procurement and Supply, and is an Independent Prescriber; bringing together advanced clinical expertise with strong strategic and operational capability. Her portfolio includes work in medication safety and governance, aseptic and Quality Management services, electronic prescribing, automation, and medicines procurement.

Throughout her career, Evelyn has driven major programmes that strengthen regulatory compliance, improve patient safety, and increase operational efficiency across complex healthcare environments.

She is deeply committed to continuous improvement and consistently champions the highest standards of care, safety, and organisational governance.

Jenni has over 20 years of NHS experience and a background in radiography and ultrasound. She has spent more than a decade working as a sonographer and also serves as Superintendent of an Ultrasound Department. Jenni holds a Master’s degree in Medical Ultrasound and is pursuing a PhD in Life Sciences, specialising in workforce strategies for sonographers.

Dr Saman Perera: DMRD, FRCP, Body Imaging Fellow, University of Chicago.

Dr Perera has been a Consultant Radiologist in the Essex area since 1992, his special interests are diagnostic ultrasound, MSK Radiology, Paediatric Radiology and Gynaecological Oncology scanning.

Dr Perera is a very charismatic person who cares deeply about patient care and experience. He has been a mentor to his junior colleagues for a number of years now and is very well respected within his field.

Stephen Whiting is the Consultant Clinical Scientist with over 35 years of experience in the NHS, Stephen trained in London (UCLH/Whittington) and has held Clinical Scientist roles across several UK NHS Trusts. His career has included specialist work in clinical toxicology, service in a District General Hospital laboratory, and 13 years as a Consultant Clinical Scientist at the Royal Free Hospital in London. In 2013, he moved to Basildon Hospital, and from 2015 to 2021, served as Clinical Director for Pathology First—a joint venture between Synlab and Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (MSE). He currently serves as Clinical Lead for Biochemistry and Immunology at MSE and holds a consultant advisory role with Nuffield Health Pathology in Brentwood.

Stephen brings extensive expertise in the procurement and delivery of pathology services, including Point of Care testing, and has led several major service transformation initiatives. His experience working with private pathology providers ensures that future partnerships will be robust, forward-looking, and aligned with quality and accreditation standards expected by both the organisation and its patients.

A champion of innovation in laboratory medicine throughout his career, Stephen is committed to shaping diagnostic services within a new, patient-focused healthcare model—working alongside the NHS but beyond the traditional hospital setting.