Meet the Team

Mandeep Gill-West

Mandeep Gill-West

Head of NHS Trust Partnerships

Tell us a bit about yourself and your professional background

Throughout my career, spanning over 20 years in the NHS and private sector, I have worked within dynamic teams, designing and delivering high-quality services to ensure access and positive outcomes for patients. I have been privileged to work on re-designing pathways to improve access and reduce waiting times across primary, secondary and tertiary care. My long-standing career has provided me with an array of expertise and knowledge, which I’m excited to be bringing to my role as Head of NHS Trust Partnerships at Xyla Elective Care.

I joined Xyla Elective Care in March 2022 with a focus and desire to work in collaboration with Trusts to help reduce elective waiting times. Having worked in the NHS, I know and understand the challenges related to waiting times. I felt Xyla Elective Care was the perfect match concerning values and aspirations to ensure the patient is at the heart of all we do. Access to services and improving pathways have been at the centre of my work in the NHS. In my current role, I have new opportunities to support across a range of service types and specialities.

What specific skills and experience do you bring to the role?

Given that I started my career in the NHS and have worked across primary and secondary care during my involvement in commissioning services, I have a strong understanding of the challenges healthcare services face and how to address them. Within my NHS commissioning roles, re-designing and repatriation of services enabled patients to be seen at the right place at the right time. Having worked with multiple stakeholders to implement change, I have the breadth of understanding and skills to further support and work collaboratively with Trusts at Xyla Elective care. The way parts of the NHS are delivered and commissioned has been an interesting journey to be part of – it has taught me to be adaptable, creative and collaborative.

What are your responsibilities?

I work closely with colleagues at Xyla Elective Care to ensure positive engagement with Trusts, to fully understand their requirements, and to offer and deliver tailored solutions. This engagement is collaborative to add value to our partnerships and deliver services of a high standard. The key focus of my role is to ensure our services reflect outlined requirements and to work with colleagues to review and create innovative solutions, which are often changing at pace. In my role, I am often the initial main contact for Trusts, be it for bespoke requests, service mobilisation and review points, or in offering regular touch point opportunities to foster new and established relationships to respond to promptly, as required.

What does a typical day look like in your role?

My day revolves around meeting with our NHS partners — both new and existing — fostering positive engagement and building relationships. A key focus from these meetings is to liaise with my Xyla Elective Care colleagues and respond accordingly by insourcing fully managed services in line with the Trust requirements, offering a seamless service to deliver a reduction in elective waiting times.

What’s the best thing about being in the XEC team?

Xyla Elective Care is a great place to work, it truly demonstrates and practices a positive culture where everyone is valued. Everyone in the team is committed to making a positive impact on patient outcomes, supporting the NHS, and pulling together as a team with creativity and passion at all times. We are a supportive team and bring a vast range of skills and expertise, offering opportunities for shared learning, development and growth.

What are your aims and ambitions for the remainder of 2022?

As we head into the winter season, I know and appreciate the challenges related to winter pressures for Trusts. I hope to further offer our fully managed services at such a critical time, to reduce waiting times and support Trusts, and allocate their staffing and resources to critical requirements over the winter months. I hope this, in turn, offers capacity for patients at the point of need and receiving care at the right time and in the right place.

What does the next year hold for XEC? What are you excited about?

Looking ahead to next year, I am excited about the innovation and care models we can offer, aligned with National Strategic goals and ambitions for the NHS. There are some existing projects in the pipeline and many opportunities to evaluate feedback from services we have delivered in 2022.

Any fun or interesting facts we should know about you?

Outside work, my time is dedicated to my family and friends — mostly spent discovering new dining experiences. Most weekends start with lovely long dog walks in the countryside with Bertie, our 3-year-old Labrador, who, in the week, is my office buddy! I look forward to the year ahead and ticking some more travel destinations off my list.