Council Members 

If you are interested in joining our Council, please share a short biography to admin@pccsuk.org outlining why you would like to join us.

Prof Raj Thakkar

PCCS President and CKD representative, Primary care cardiovascular society, GP Primary care cardiology lead, Oxford HIN Honorary Visiting Professor, Cardiff University Medical School, National EAGs for lipids and HF/HVD, NHSE National primary care workstream co-lead - cardiac transformation programme, NHSE UK Clinical Director, Healthy.io and Board observer, British Society of Heart Failure

Raj trained at University College London where he achieved a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and completed his medical degree in 1999. He went on to a GP training programme in the Oxford deanery during which time he completed postgraduate membership exams of both the Royal College of General Practitioners and Physicians. Raj went on to win the national GP enterprise award in his division. He also completed an enhanced GP registrar post in cardiology.  

Raj’s varied roles have included working as a GP partner since 2004, Clinical Commissioning Director in planned care, Cardiac Lead for Thames Valley Strategic Clinical Network, primary care cardiology lead for the Oxford Academic Health Science Network and atrial fibrillation champion for NHSIQ Thames Valley. He is also on the national expert advisory group for heart failure and valve disease and is currently the national primary care workstream co-lead for the cardiac transformation programme (NHSE). Raj sits on the editorial board for the British Journal of Cardiology.  

Raj has worked as a presenter on BBC Radio and is a medical writer, lecturer, speaker, and advisor. He has written and published over 200 articles and several books including the MIMS consultation guide which won the BMA book of the year award in the category of medicine in 2012. He has achieved two atrial fibrillation pioneer awards, was a national finalist for GP of the year in 2017 and a national HSJ finalist, 2019 for his work in atrial fibrillation. 

Beverley Bostock

PCCS President Elect, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Mann Cottage Surgery and Editor in Chief, Practice Nurse Journal

Beverley is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in general practice in Gloucestershire. She is also Editor in Chief of Practice Nurse journal. She qualified as an RGN at St George’s Hospital London and gained a BSc in Professional Nursing Studies after completing 2 years of an advanced clinical practice MSc at Wolverhampton University. She is an Independent Nurse Prescriber and holds an MSc in Respiratory Care and an MA in Medical Ethics and Law.

Beverley’s other qualifications include a Post Graduate Award in Diabetes Therapeutics from Warwick University.

Beverley has extensive educational experience developing modules in diabetes and CVD for an Open University-affiliated organisation and is an Expert Witness for a clinical negligence company. She has been a Queen’s Nurse since 2015, a title which is given to nurses who have demonstrated a high level of commitment to patient care and nursing practice.

Beverley is the president elect for the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society and has worked on the Implementation Steering Group of Public Health England’s CVDPREVENT project and Oxford AHSN’s ‘Prevention of CVD during the pandemic’ guidance. She has also been a Visiting Lecturer in behaviour change at Imperial College London for the MSc in Preventive Cardiology.

Dr Jim Moore

Past President of the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society, GP, GPSI Cardiology, Gloucestershire

Dr Moore is a GP in Gloucestershire with a special interest in Cardiovascular Medicine and Past President of the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society, spearheading significant changes in this organisation. He lectures extensively across the UK.

He has been heavily involved in National CVD advisory groups, guidelines and working parties. He is currently a member of the National Heart Failure Audit Expert Steering Group. He was a member of the NICE Chronic Heart Failure in Adults Guideline committee (2016-2018) and was a board member of British Society for Heart Failure.

Dr Moore has provided cardiovascular clinical support to local commissioning organisations for over two decades and more recently to Cardiac Networks in the South-West. He is currently Clinical Co-Lead (Primary Care) for the West of England Integrated Cardiac Clinical Network.

Dr Moore is the National Clinical Co- Lead (Primary Care) for the National Cardiac Transformation Programme which has included working closely on NHSE initiatives such as Managing Heart Failure @Home and more recently chaired a group that developed the National (NHSE) guidance for the Virtual Ward care for people with heart failure (in publication). He also provides support for the National Cardiovascular Prevention Programme.

He has been involved in the establishment and subsequent development of the community-based Gloucestershire Heart Failure service since its inception in 2003 where he continues to work as a GPSI.

Dr Chris Arden

GP, Park & St Francis Surgery in Hampshire, GPSI Cardiology in Southampton and Winchester

Chris Arden is a GP near Winchester, Hampshire. He also works in community cardiac clinics in Southampton and Winchester as a GPSI in cardiology, assessing patients with suspected heart failure, atrial fibrillation, palpitations, hypertension and valvular heart disease.

The community cardiac service provides echocardiography, ambulatory ECG, blood pressure and event recorder monitoring; receiving consultant mentorship support from secondary care and working in partnership with specialist heart failure and cardiac rehabilitation nursing colleagues.

He does a weekly stress echo clinic at Southampton General Hospital and has BSE accreditation in echocardiography.

Chris Arden is former Editor in Chief of the Primary Care Cardiovascular Journal, a member of the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society, British Society of Echocardiography, British Society of Heart Failure and British Heart Valve Society. He is on the editorial board of the British Journal of Cardiology.

Professor Derek Connolly

Consultant Cardiologist and Director of R&D at Birmingham City Hospital

Derek is a Consultant Cardiologist at Birmingham City Hospital, Birmingham UK and holds a honorary academic positions at both the University of Birmingham Institute of cardiovascular sciences and at Aston University medical School. Derek trained in Cambridge, London, Edinburgh and San Diego where he was a Carnegie Scholar. Derek has a first class degree in Pharmacology from the University of Edinburgh where he was the Brunton medallist and Keasbey Bursary holder. Derek’s PhD in molecular cardiology is from the University of Cambridge. Derek is the Chief or Primary Investigator of multiple large trials in Cardiovascular medicine. Derek developed one of the UKs first primary angioplasty programmes, and one of the UKs largest cardiac CT programmes. He has been a council member of the PCCS since it's refoundation.

Meredith Donaldson

Physician Associate in East Lincolnshire

Meredith is a highly skilled Physician Associate currently practicing in a rural primary care setting in East Lincolnshire. She holds a Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies from the United States, where she initially specialised in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in California. Since relocating to the UK over three years ago, Meredith has further advanced her expertise by obtaining a Diploma in Improving Diabetes Care and completing a second Master’s degree in Long-term Conditions, with a particular focus on respiratory and cardiovascular health. Her commitment to delivering comprehensive and compassionate care is central to her practice.

Meredith is also deeply engaged in the fields of medical education and research. She has delivered presentations at various educational events, produced numerous abstracts and presentations for international conferences, and served as a preceptor for Physician Associates in training. In her current role, she leads hyperlipidaemia management at her practice. Additionally, Meredith has co-authored several published articles and is actively pursuing a PhD, further contributing to her field’s body of knowledge.

Dr Paul Ferenc

GP Partner, GPSI, Worcestershire

Dr Paul Ferenc graduated from Birmingham and completed his foundation years in the North West, where he undertook a cardiology house job. He moved to Worcestershire to undertake GP training. Since 2015 he has been working at the local hospital in the cardiology department. Throughout this time, he has been heavily involved at primary care level in the improvement of cardiovascular disease monitoring and treatment, especially the use of anticoagulation and detection of AF.

He is lead for IHD, AF and heart failure within the practice, but also CVD lead in the PCN. He is currently a CVD Clinical Advisor for the local AHSN with the aim of improving outcomes for cardiovascular disease in the region. He also runs local education sessions in cardiovascular disease.

Dr Xenophon Kassianides 

General Practice Specialty Registrar (ST3) at the Yorkshire and Humber Deanery

Xenophon is a dedicated and driven General Practice Specialty Registrar (ST3) at the Yorkshire and Humber Deanery. With a strong academic background, he holds an MD from Hull York Medical School and is currently pursuing further postgraduate studies in Clinical Practice, Management, and Education with the University of Central Lancashire. He is a Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

Xenophon's clinical and research focus is on Cardiovascular-Renal-Metabolic (CVRM) conditions, with a particular interest in cardiovascular disease. His work in cardiology includes investigating cardiovascular outcomes and patient-reported outcomes in chronic kidney disease patients, as well as the effects of intravenous iron on cardiovascular health. He has been the Principal Investigator of an NIHR-adopted randomised controlled trial exploring these themes. Passionate about academic medicine, Dr. Kassianides has an extensive publication record and actively contributes to medical education as an Honorary Lecturer at the Hull York Medical School, a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Leeds, and a peer reviewer for several scientific journals.

Trudie Lobban

CEO & Founder of STARS, A-A, The Heart Rhythm Charity, AF-Association and Patient Representative

Trudie Lobban MBE, FRCP Edin, established STARS (Syncope Trust And Reflex anoxic Seizures) charity following the diagnosis of her daughter with RAS and at the request of her paediatric neurologist in 1993. STARS has developed into an international non-profit organisation and Trudie is recognised worldwide as a patient expert on syncope and unexplained loss of consciousness.

Trudie was instrumental in organising and campaigning to introduce new standards in the UK for arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death with the successful launch of an extra chapter in the National Service Framework on Coronary Heart Disease by the government and Department of Health in the UK in 2004/5. Trudie went on to establish the Arrhythmia Alliance - The Heart Rhythm Charity®: working together to improve the diagnosis, treatment and quality of life for all those affected by arrhythmias.

A-A is a coalition of charities, patient groups, patients, carers, medical groups, policy makers, politicians, government officials and allied professionals. Although these groups remain independent, they work together under the A-A umbrella to promote timely and effective diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias.

In 2007, due to the high demand for information and resources on atrial fibrillation, Trudie launched the AF Association.

Trudie has provided a unique partnership between healthcare professionals, politicians, policy makers, patients and caregivers and allied professionals. Trudie was recognized for her Services to Healthcare when being made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2009.

The Charities Commission has congratulated her on providing such a service. All three charities are now international and established in more than 40 countries; Trudie is President/Chair internationally.

She was recognised for her contribution to medicine when she was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.

Trudie is Chair or member of numerous Advisory Boards both nationally and internationally and is author/co-author of numerous publications and research projects. She sits on many committees – NICE, NHS, PHE, NICOR, NIHR, NHS SCIP, NCSPLC, AF Screen, BHRS & BCS Council, and numerous research committees – the only non-medical person to do so. Her services are called upon globally where she presents or contributes on the importance of patient involvement and HCP education to improve outcomes in the patient care pathways and delivery of health services. She is also an author and co-author of numerous medical papers relating to cardiac arrhythmias.

Trudie has authored and co-authored numerous papers, appeared in many journals, written a chapter for ‘Cardiology Clinics’ as well as involvement in countless media outlets. She has been interviewed on numerous TV and radio in the UK and globally including Australia, Argentina, Uruguay, Italy and media tours of USA talking on syncope, AF and arrhythmias. Trudie regularly meets with government officials, ambassadors, health ministers, royalty and Prime Ministers as well as Members of the European Parliament to highlight the need for improved services for people with cardiac arrhythmias and those delivering the service.

Professor Deb Lowe

PCCS Stroke Lead, National Clinical Lead for Stroke GIRFT and former National Clinical Director for Stroke Medicine at NHS England

Prof Deb Lowe is the PCCS Stroke Lead, National Clinical Lead for Stroke GIRFT (Getting It Right First Time) Programme and former National Clinical Director for Stroke Medicine at NHS England. She has recently been appointed as Medical Director at the Stroke Association and holds an Honorary Clinical Chair is Stroke Medicine at the University of Central Lancashire.  

She has been a Consultant Stroke Physician and Geriatrician at Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust since 2005 and still works clinically. She has had many managerial and leadership roles at trust and region over the last 20 years including Clinical Lead for Stroke for the Northwest Coast within the NHSE Strategic Clinical Networks and Senate. Since her appointment into a national leadership role in 2017, she has been keen to promote a culture of effective clinical engagement and compassionate leadership, accurate performance monitoring and the use of high quality data to drive sustainable quality improvement and delivery of evidence based, policy directed care.

As part of the GIRFT stroke programme she has met with every stroke service in the country in the last five years to support quality improvement along the entire stroke pathway, including mechanical thrombectomy. She was instrumental in setting up Integrated Stroke Delivery Network, development of the National Stroke Service Model and Integrated Community Stroke Service Model. Deb co-leads the GIRFT Stroke Leadership Academy at the Royal College of Physicians.

Deb has worked for the last few years with the Global Heath Unit and Indonesian Government to support the development of improved stroke care in Indonesia, where stroke is the highest cause of death.

Liz Mallett

PCCS Treasurer, ICB General Practice Nurse Lead and ICS CVD Lead for Primary Care for Bristol, North Somerset & South Glos CCG

Liz Mallet is a Registered General Nurse currently working as General Practice Nurse (GPN) lead for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board, CVD Primary Care champion for the Integrated Care System as well as lead research nurse for Pier Health Group in Weston Super Mare.

She first developed her interest in CVD when employed in medical cardiology at the Bristol Royal Infirmary. She then went on to become Senior Staff Nurse in cardiac surgery at what is now the Bristol Heart Institute. Much of her time was spent in providing education and cardiac rehabilitation. She has worked as CVD lead practice nurse in Primary Care since 2005 and provides clinical and strategic leadership to nurses within her role as GPN lead.

She has a BSc in community practice and a PG Cert in Public Health. She is passionate about improving CVD outcomes and reducing health inequalities in our populations as well as proactively encouraging health

Professor Michael Norton

Consultant Community Cardiologist, Visiting Professor of Community Cardiology and Deputy Medical Director, Dept of Community Cardiology, Sunderland and North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Professor Michael Norton is a Consultant Community Cardiologist and Visiting Professor of Community Cardiology based in the North East of England. Michael runs the Dept. of Community Cardiology in Sunderland. He is also the Deputy Medical Director of the North East Ambulance Service and is clinically active in pre-hospital emergency medicine. Michael has significant experience in syncope and related disorders having worked for over eighteen years (six as head of Department) within the Falls & Syncope Service at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary. Michael’s main clinical and research interests are cardiovascular risk reduction, neuro-cardiovascular syncope and cardiac arrest. He is a director and national council member of the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society. He is also the co-founder of Cardioproof, a community interest company, which aims to improve survival from cardiac arrest by increasing bystander CPR and use of public access defibrillators.

Sundhya Raman 

PCCS Lifestyle Medicine Representative, BSc (hons) MBBS DPhil (Oxon) Dipl IBLM/BSLM

Dr Sundhya Raman is a medical doctor (Guys, Kings and St Thomas’s, 2007) with a BSc in Pharmacology & Physiology, a PhD (DPhil) in Genetics/Epigenetics is qualified in Lifestyle Medicine with the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine and the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

She began her career as a clinical scientist, and aside from her DPhil at Oxford she worked in labs around the world including at Yale, University of Sydney and at the Wolfson Centre for Age Related Diseases, London.

Dr Raman is the founder and director of a lifestyle medicine health consultancy (My Wellness Doctor) which provides advice and support to educate and empower individuals to prevent illness, reverse disease, and optimise mental and physical wellbeing using evidence-based lifestyle modalities.

She has created a programme using lifestyle change to lower cholesterol in a primary care setting, and is the lead for virtual group consultations for diabetes at Plant Based Health Online.

Dr Raman regularly presents talks and teaching on lifestyle medicine and healthy ageing to both medical professionals (GP registrars, medical students, MIMs Learning Live, PCN training events) as well as to the lay public, including a focus on specific risks and solutions for BAME groups. She authored the diet section for JBS4 and co-authored the section on physical activity. She contributes to media publications on lifestyle advice to prevent chronic disease.

Professor Clare Taylor 

Professor of General Practice at the University of Birmingham and a GP in the NHS

Clare will be joining the PCCS Council as our Research Lead. Clare is Professor of General Practice at the University of Birmingham and a GP in the NHS. Her research focuses on earlier diagnosis and improving prognosis for people with heart failure in primary care. She has received grant and fellowship funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, Wellcome Trust, and British Heart Foundation. She has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers in high impact journals, including British Medical Journal and European Heart Journal, and her research has informed international heart failure guidelines. She also held senior leadership positions at the Royal College of General Practitioners as Chair of their Associates in Training Committee and Lead of the First5 initiative. Clare was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to General Practice in 2015.

Alison Warren

PCCS Secretary, Consultant Pharmacist for Cardiology, Sussex Clinical Commissioning Groups and University Hospitals Sussex

Alison is a Consultant Pharmacist in Cardiology working in both primary and secondary care in Sussex. She qualified as a pharmacist from Bath University and has over 20 years of experience in cardiology. She has an MSc in Cardiology (Sussex University) and as an independent prescriber manages patients across a range of cardiac conditions. She is passionate about improving the prevention and care of people living with heart conditions.

She has published on topics in clinical pharmacy and cardiology. She was a member of the NICE Hypertension Guideline Group (2019). She worked as an educational facilitator with CPPE for the first wave of the NHS England pharmacists in GP practices and teaches at Brighton Universities on both undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Alison is Fellow and a Faculty Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Helen Williams 

National Clinical Director for CVD Prevention, NHSE and Consultant Pharmacist for CVD, SE London ICB and UCL Partners

Helen is the National Clinical Director for CVD Prevention at NHS England and is working on delivery of the national CVD ambitions for AF, Blood Pressure and Cholesterol in the NHS Long Term Plan. Helen has worked as a CVD specialist for more than 25 years across all care settings. She was clinical adviser to the national AF programme and developed the pharmacist-led virtual clinic model to optimise uptake of anticoagulation in AF, which has now been spread nationally. Helen has recently been appointed as one of the long term conditions lead for South East London Integrated Care System and is also working at UCLPartners on the implementation of proactive care frameworks for long-term conditions to support primary care in the post COVID-19 environment.

Observer Member

Dr Hannah Wright  

GP Registrar Trainee, GP ST3 (Reading and Newbury VTS), Honorary Clinical Teaching Fellow – Imperial College London

Hannah Wright is a GP Registrar in Reading and Newbury VTS.  She studied undergraduate medicine at the University of Oxford, before completing Foundation Training and Core Medical Training in London. Subsequently, she spent a year as a National Medical Director’s Clinical Fellow at HQIP (Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership) where her work focused on using National Clinical Audit data to drive Quality Improvement, as well as educating Junior Doctors about using Local and National data to drive improvement. Hannah then spent a year as a Clinical Teaching Fellow at Imperial College London, on their novel ‘Lifestyle Medicine and Prevention’ course, which involved teaching undergraduate medical students about the wider determinants of health and the power of preventative medicine. Her interests include Medical Education, Preventative Medicine and Quality Improvement.