The Team
Stephen Collinson
Managing Director
Stephen joined Ryhurst in February 2008 to expand the Ryhurst business development programme and health portfolio, including Ryhurst’s Joint Venture Partnership (JVP) offering to the NHS. Now as Ryhurst's Managing Director, Stephen brings with him invaluable NHS expertise gained through his former roles as an NHS Chief Executive with two NHS Trusts and a career that boasts experience not only within the NHS but independent and voluntary sector senior healthcare roles over 30 years.
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This breadth of experience means Stephen can ensure our NHS Trust clients receive bespoke solutions which truly deliver and respond to their unique requirements. Stephen continues to have considerable contact with Department of Health officials, including regular Ministerial access to discuss how Ryhurst’s JVP could support the drive to deliver greater efficiencies within the NHS.
Stephen has a BA in Business and Public Sector Management, a Postgraduate Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Services Management from the Institute of Healthcare Management. Stephen was an integral player in the winning and delivery of Ryhurst’s first Joint Venture Partnership with Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust and is currently a Director for the Joint Venture Board. This partnership includes the delivery of key capital projects on behalf of the Trust, the operational delivery of estates services and asset enhancement.
Steve Jameson
Partnerships Director
Steve has over 24 years’ experience of working for, or in partnership with the NHS. He joined Ryhurst in 1999 from the NHS to head up the PFI/LIFT operational team and play an integral part in business development, providing FM expertise which helped Ryhurst win and operate 14 PFI and 2 LIFT projects.
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Steve joined the Board in 2004 as Operations Director and took up the post of Partnerships Director in 2008. He has been seconded to Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust (LCFT), Ryhurst’s Joint Venture Partner, since April 2009 as their Property Services Director where he is responsible for estates asset management and FM services to a property portfolio of 400 sites where LCFT provides clinical services from.
Lisa Whitmore
Finance Director
As a fully qualified ACA (Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants) and with previous private sector experience as an auditor, Lisa joined Ryhurst in January 2004 as Company Secretary. Now Finance Director, Lisa has helped procure and financially close 5 PFI and 2 LIFT schemes in the Health Sector. Lisa was also a key member of the Ryhurst team which developed the first whole estates joint venture partnership with Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust
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In addition, Lisa has taken responsibility for managing the innovative funding solutions for Ryhurst’s JVP programme and has led the team which successfully secured a ground breaking funding arrangement to deliver significant annual charge savings for the NHS tenant when compared with standard funding sources.
Lisa’s 1st Class Honours Degree in Business Computing and first time passes in all areas of her accountancy qualification highlight her strong understanding of the technical and financial aspects of NHS JV and PFI accounting.
Mary Whittington
Head of Business Development
With over 30 years experience of working within the construction industry as a consultant architect and Project Manager; since the mid 1990s Mary has been responsible for the management of bids and projects procured under the Private Finance Initiative.
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Since joining Ryhurst in 2003, Mary has led the teams which successfully secured 4 health and social care PFI projects. More recently Mary has been closely involved in the development and marketing of Ryhurst’s strategic estates partnership model for the NHS. Mary’s knowledge of the design process is complemented by an understanding of the practical, commercial and programming aspects of construction projects, together with the key issues critical to the success of PPPs, including the specific contractual, financial and operational processes.
Mary has an MSc in Construction Project Management, has been a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects for over 30 years and the Association for Project Management for nearly 20 years.
Mike Southgate
Head of Major Projects
Mike joined the Rydon Group in June 1983 taking a key role in the design and delivery of quality private residential housing from starter homes to executive residences across Southern England for its Homes Division. During 1999 Ryhurst required assistance in its Community Healthcare programme which led to Mike leading the delivery of a number of PFI Community Hospitals and Primary Care Facilities across the country.
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With the Companies recent success in establishing the first NHS JV in Lancashire Mike and the team are working closely with the Trust on its delivery of Capital schemes and Space Utilisation programmes.
Carly Merrick
Team Administrator
Carly is Ryhurst’s Team Administrator and supports the business development team as well as managing the website for Ryhurst and Red Rose Corporate Services. She also creates Ryhurst's quarterly newsletter and provides a vast range of administrative support to the team. Carly joined Ryhurst in May 2011, initially as Bid & Research Administrator, and brings a background in administrative support for a large PFI scheme and its senior management team.
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Sarah Robinson
Business Development Manager
Sarah joined Ryhurst in April 2011. With a decades experience working on NHS hospital projects in a variety of bid management and consultancy roles, Sarah brings relevant healthcare knowledge to the team. In her role as Business Development Manager, Sarah is taking a key responsibility in developing how Ryhurst refine and develop our Joint Venture Partnership offering to new NHS partners.
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Gareth Pendleton
Assistant Business Development Manager
Following a career in the armed forces, Gareth has gained commercial and public sector experience in a variety of roles. He developed his commercial awareness in Taylors of Harrogate, P&N Building Services Ltd and before joining Ryhurst Gareth worked in customer care roles within a large Borough Council.
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Since joining Ryhurst in January 2011 as Assistant Business Development Manager, Gareth has developed a leading role as an auditor of Ryhurst’s ISO 9001:2008 quality management system, and contributes to Ryhurst’s wider public affairs and marketing responsibilities. He assumed recent responsibility for Ryhurst’s involvement in the Rydon Group’s document management system R-Way, taking a leading role in project initiation discussions and solution design.
James Lister
Project Manager
James joined Ryhurst in December 2011 to assist in the delivery of the 154 bed Harbour psychiatric facility for Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust acting as the Supervisor under a NEC/Procure 21+ Contract.
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James comes from a private healthcare background having spent 23 years as Project Manager in developing both Acute Surgical and Secure Psychiatric hospitals. Notable projects have been St. Philip’s Hospital on the island of Malta and the provision of secure psychiatric facilities in Atherton, Burgess Hill, Nottingham and Warrington
Adrian Palmer
Environmental & Property Risk Manager
Adrian joined Ryhurst in January 2013 as Environmental & Property Risk Manager based in Guild Park, Preston, the offices of Ryhurst’s Joint Venture Partnership with Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust.
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A Chartered Engineer and Chartered Environmentalist, Adrian has over 20 years’ experience of engineering and environmental management of multi-site public sector estates including the NHS, local authorities, Fire Service and Police forces throughout the UK.
Adrian is currently reviewing the energy performance and risk management practices of Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust with the aim of reducing environmental impact and financial cost for the Trust and creating robust systems for the management of premises related risks.
Adrian is a Member of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers and Energy Institute, and was Energy Manager of the Year in 2008 for delivering significant energy reductions across Lancashire Constabulary’s estate.
Sarah Melbourne
Space Utilisation Manager
An employee of Ryhust for 2 years based in our Lancashire office, Sarah is an RICS MSc Graduate joining us with construction experience gained from commercial and retail schemes.
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Her involvement in Lancashire has to-date been space utilisation with the refurbishment and delivery of new administrative and clinical environments for the Lancashire Care Foundation Trust.
The Trust has a portfolio of in excess of 150 sites that need to be reviewed utilising space in buildings more efficiently with the view of disposing of property creating savings and benefits to support the Trusts Estates budget required from the next 5 years.
Sarah Neve
Space Utilisation Specialist
Sarah joined Ryhurst from Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust (LCFT) in October 2012 as Space Utilisation Specialist based in our Preston office.
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Sarah brings to Ryhurst six years NHS experience working within Communications and Governance and most recently as a Lean Development Project Manager for LCFT working alongside both the Space Utilisation Project Team and Clinical and Corporate services. With extensive experience in Project and Change Management, both in the public and private sectors, Sarah is looking forward to the challenges ahead as part of the Space Utilisation team, reviewing and utilising building space more efficiently across the Trust's estate portfolio of over 150 sites.
Joanna Thomas
Space Utilisation Co-ordinator
Jo has 9 years experience working within the NHS and has gained PA/Medical Secretary experience working for various Trusts.
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In March 2009 Jo began working for Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust and developed her skills and knowledge base within Lancashire Care’s Capital Programme team as programme administrator for The Harbour. In December 2011, Jo transferred from Capital Programme into the Estates and Facilities Department where she was seconded into Ryhurst as Assistant Space Utilisation Project Co-ordinator assisting with the planning and delivery of new working environments for the Trust.
In October 2012 Jo joined Ryhurst permanently as Space Utilisation Coordinator and brings with her a wealth of NHS and Lancashire Care knowledge.
