More than 150 guests made up of staff, commissioning partners, board members and original pioneers turned up to celebrate Tower Hamlets GP Care Group’s milestone 10-year anniversary event on 18 September at the Art Pavilion in Mile End.
Since our inception as a Community Interest Company in September 2014, the Care Group has enjoyed remarkable success and growth, delivering excellent health and care for the populations we serve.
While our purpose remains, ‘to be a voice and support for the GPs in Tower Hamlets’, during a ‘fire side chat’ hosted by our Chief Executive Officer, Zainab Arian during the event, guests heard the journey of growth and success from the initial humble beginnings of the early days of the Care Group
Over the years, the GP Care Group has found its place within the local health and care landscape, working in partnership with organisations like Bart’s Health, ELFT, Tower Hamlets Council, the voluntary sector organisations and public health.
This growth is illustrated by our annual revenue, which has jumped from £0.2m in 2014 to £42m in 2023. We proudly deliver borough-wide primary care and community health services within Tower Hamlets, such as the 0-19 children and family service which includes Health Visiting and School Health, and now also delivered in Waltham Forest.
Tower Hamlets Out of Hours GP services, Urgent Treatment Centre based in Royal London Hospital, health advocacy, interpreting services and the patient experience team are also among the services we provide.
The occasion of our 10-year anniversary celebration drew Care Group supporters, past and present who collectively, have been a part of our journey of growth and success. In addition to the fire side chat, with special guests Tracy Cannell and Chris Banks, former CEOs of the Care Group; GPs and Chair and Vice Chair respectively, Dr Simon Brownleader and Dr Joe Hall, an exhibition charting the 10-year journey of the Care Group was displayed in the lovely Art Pavilion venue for guests to enjoy.
Commenting on his hopes for the future, Dr Simon Brownleader, said: “This is just the beginning. I really look forward to having meaningful impacts on how people feel about the services we provide and also how we deliver them.”
Working together in partnership is central to everything we do at the Care Group. Zainab Arian CEO, said: “Partnership and working together is what makes us unique at the Care Group. We may face challenges but the one thing that we are keen on; is that we keep the partnership working. That goes across our organisation, to every single one of you.”
In a message she shared for the day, Vice Chair in 2014, Dr Nicola Hagdrup, said: “I am immensely proud and impressed by what the Care Group has achieved, and I am confident that the current leadership team will continue to deliver and support general practice and community care in Tower Hamlets during what are undoubtedly very difficult times.”
