Our History

CSH Surrey was the first social enterprise in the country to be established by public sector employees.

In 2005 Surrey's five primary care trusts (PCTs) were being amalgamated into one. The East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey PCT (EEMS) needed to separate its provider and commissioning arms – meaning it would no longer provide services itself, but would commission services from a range of providers, including those in the public, private, voluntary, charitable and not-for-profit sectors. The then Chief Executive asked his Director of Nursing Jo Pritchard and Director of Therapies Tricia McGregor to come up with a plan.

There was no blueprint to follow: Jo and Tricia spent 18 months researching many possible options, including care trusts, community trusts, children's trusts, partnership arrangements with local GPs and private sector companies. They forged new relationships with the Department of Health and Government ministers as they sought to develop a model that could work alongside the NHS.

Their conclusion? That patients would be best served through a not-for-profit, limited liability company owned by local nurses and therapists. This approach, coupled with a commitment to investment in the community, is sometimes referred to as an employee owned, social enterprise model. Being ‘employee-owned’ means CSH Surrey's nurses, therapists and other employees own and run their services – a bit like the John Lewis Partnership model, except CSH Surrey's employees don’t receive dividends. Through this unique employee ownership model, CSH Surrey has created highly motivated teams who are able to deliver better healthcare through higher productivity and greater innovation – all to the benefit of patients.

Jo and Tricia built a business case and developed plans for establishing the business. After operating for three months in shadow form within the PCT, Central Surrey Health was formally established on 1 October 2006. In July 2013, after successfully operating for six years as Central Surrey Health, the organisation rebranded itself as CSH Surrey to enable future growth and diversification of services.

In March 2015 Jo Pritchard became Chief Executive of CSH Surrey following a decision by Tricia and Jo that it was the right time in CSH’s development to move from its unique management structure of two Managing Directors to an organisation led by one Chief Executive.

In April 2017 Jo Pritchard stepped down from her role and handed over to a successor. CSH is now led by Chief Executive, Renée Padfield.