UHUK appoints new Medical Director

Dr Dawood Anwar has been appointed as the new Medical Director of Urgent Health UK (UHUK), bringing with him extensive experience of urgent care in both primary and secondary care settings and a deep commitment to high-quality patient care.

Dawood, who is the Chief Accountable Officer and Medical Director at Salford Primary Care
Together (SPCT), and Clinical Performance and Development Lead for Greater Manchester Urgent Primary Care Alliance (GMUPCA), holds membership with the Royal College of General Practitioners as well as the Royal College of Surgeons, and was first and foremost a clinician. He has a unique insight into how urgent care providers can bridge the gap between primary and secondary care provision.

During his time at SPCT he designed innovative clinical pathways that enabled patients to receive care based on clinical priority, regardless of how they had accessed the service, and received positive feedback for this urgent treatment centre during the NHS accreditation process. It was on of the very first partially-virtual urgent treatment centres.

As Clinical Performance and Development Lead for GMUPCA, Dawood has helped develop and implement protocols and guidance for members delivering one of the largest Clinical
Assessment Services in the UK.

Commenting on his appointment, Dr Dawood Anwar said: “I am excited to have been appointed as Medical Director of UHUK and welcome the opportunity to contribute towards
the organisation’s ongoing growth and success. I am looking forward to working with the UHUK leadership team and am particularly keen to continue and develop the existing collaboration and knowledge sharing, to take part in research initiatives and to explore innovative ideas, supported by real-world data, that members can adopt and can be acknowledged as best practice for integrated and urgent primary care.”

UHUK is a partnership of urgent healthcare social enterprise providers who cover two thirds of the UK population. UHUK champions its members’ interests with one voice in the media, and with stakeholders in the government, NHS, and healthcare community. It supports innovation and enterprise among its members enabling them to collectively push boundaries, address challenges and grow.

Dawood added: “UHUK has a clear ambition to become a centre of excellence and to actively shape NHS policy. With my background and experience, I very much look forward to helping turn this ambition into a reality, ensuring that our focus is on the very best patient-centred care for all.”

UHUK Chief Executive Conor Burke said: “We are delighted to welcome Dr Dawood Anwar as the new Medical Director. He is a committed and active member of UHUK and brings with him a fresh perspective and new insights. He is known to our members and understands both the urgent and integrated care arena as well as being a champion for social enterprise and entrepreneurial innovation. I very much look forward to working with him and the new Chair Nigel Gazzard when they take up their roles later this year."

Dr Dawood Anwar’s appointment will begin in December, taking over from Dr Simon Abrams,
GP Lead at Great Homer Street Surgery, Liverpool, who is the current Medical Director and Chair.