Meet our team

Howard Rolfe

Managing Director

I have been with the Hub since 2007; initially as Procurement Director and more recently at Managing Director. I previously worked for Marks and Spencer, which included a two year secondment to the Cabinet Office where I undertook a review of NHS procurement. I was a Non-Executive Director at Papworth Hospital from 2002-2012 and Leader of Uttlesford District Council from 2014-2019.

Rachel Naylon

Procurement Director

I started my procurement career in the private and independent sectors, before joining the NHS in 2004, when the Norfolk, Suffolk & Cambridgeshire Confederation was first established. I've since enjoyed a number of procurement roles within the East of England collaborative landscape, focused on a number of category areas and now as Director of Procurement.

Sandra Atik

Assistant Director of Procurement – Commissioning

I joined the Hub in 2007 supporting a national programme of purchased healthcare set by the DH and NHSE to commission equitable access to healthcare. More recently I’ve led our Corporate Services team, where together we have successfully delivered local, regional and national projects to successful conclusion. I am excited to return to ‘purchased healthcare‘ looking at opportunities systems can bring during this unique period for commissioners and users of the services.

Patrick Ruddy

Procurement Specialist

I have 30 years plus public sector procurement experience at all levels, and I’ve worked for multiple organisations within multiple disciplines, bringing that wealth of experience of leading and implementing procurement strategy across the public and private sector’s to the team.

Rhiannon Sarginson

Engagement Manager

I bring to the Hub a wealth of experience from various sectors, and my experience in social care, social housing and welfare to work services gives many transferable engagement approaches that will continue to support the outcomes we aim to achieve with our members for NHS patients. A collaborator by nature with a passion for improving lives, I thrive on analytical challenges and problem solving in cross-cutting complex environments by seizing opportunities and delivering innovative solutions.

Martin Taylor

Assistant Director of Procurement

I head up the Ambulance Category at the Hub. I've been in procurement for 27 years with 23 of those in NHS procurement. I’ve worked extensively in senior procurement roles across the acute setting with a number of years served in healthcare services procurement. I joined the Hub in May 2023 and was attracted to how I can support the Ambulance trusts in effective delivery of value for money. My goal is for the Ambulance category to be first point of expertise in supporting the procurement functions within the Ambulance trusts in delivery of their objectives.

Raj Dosanjh

Procurement Specialist

Working within NHS procurement for over 15 years, I joined the Hub in 2021. I support both procurement and ambulance related functions on a national basis, working with Ambulance trusts, carrying out a wide range of high value tender processes and reviews of services ensuring value for money is being met. As the National Contract Manager for several framework agreements, I am a central point of contact for suppliers and trusts, providing national oversight and co-ordination of the frameworks.

Ruth McColl, LLM

Assistant Director of Procurement

I joined the hub in June 2018 within the Pharmacy team and currently lead the clinical services category, identifying how we can support our members to achieve efficiencies within this area. I also am responsible for sustainability and procurement regulations at the hub. During the pandemic I supported NHS England on the regional response, supporting with supply disruptions. I am MCIPS (chartered) qualified and have an LLM in Public Procurement Law and Policy.

Jill Kettle

Senior Clinical Products and Services Specialist

I am a Registered Nurse with over 40 years of experience within both the NHS and private sectors and have also undertaken interim consultancy roles. My experience includes being a Practice Nurse, Theatre and Anaesthetics and Critical Care Manager, Project Manager roles, Matron, Workforce Planning, Operational Manager roles and have worked in Essex, Suffolk and London. I have worked at the Hub for five years and am currently looking at regional savings opportunities for our trusts.

Amie Allday

Procurement Specialist

I have worked in the NHS for 16 years, orginally trained as a Pharmacy Techician working in an NHS trust for 11 years. I joined the hub in 2019 and since then I have worked on a number of projects including Language Services, Analysis and Reconciliation and Audit Services. My main focus is supporting our customers and working towards making a greater NHS.

Megan Booth

Procurement Specialist

I joined the Hub (and the NHS) in June 2023 as a Procurement Specialist. Prior experience in FMCG gave me a wealth of experience across procurement, materials planning, contract management and sales – all of which supplement my role in the Corporate Services team where I run bespoke procurements, manage frameworks, analyse new markets and provide detailed member support. Alongside my role I am working towards my CIPS Level 5 Advanced Diploma.

Simon Norden

Assistant Director of Procurement

I have over 20 years’ experience in senior procurement roles within the private sector prior to joining the NHS. My private sector experience of global customer relationship building, category management, and proven record of contract cost reductions allows me to work with our members to realise their goals of achieving value for money in every procurement, supporting members with their transition to net zero challenge and to offer guidance and procurement expertise on their journey to digital maturation.

Hanna Chipchase

Procurement Specialist

Joining the Hub in 2023, I have over eight years’ experience in public sector procurement, managing a wide range of procurements across IT and professional services. Looking forward, we are developing relationships and engaging with our members to develop our Digital category, supporting both the procurement and IT functions across the region as a trusted partner and helping to achieve best results.

Stephen Evans

Procurement Specialist

I am a MCIPS qualified procurement professional, and I have worked for the Hub since its inception in 2006. Prior to that I have held a number of senior procurement roles both within the public and private sectors covering a wide variety of categories and projects, both revenue and capital. My key focus at the Hub is to support Estates and Facilities leads, helping them to procure efficiently and effectively and facilitating where possible collaboration with other trusts procuring the same services, thus ensuring best practice in procurement processes are maintained.

Gary Johnson

Procurement Specialist

I joined the Hub in February 2024 as an Interim Procurement Specialist supporting and engaging with Hub members in the Digital category. I have over 25 years’ experience in procurement roles within the private sector, Cooperative, retail, commercial, local authority, regulatory and educational but primarily in the public sector.

Patrick Pereira

Procurement Specialist

I have worked for the Hub since August 2022 and for six years prior to that in the public sector on a wide variety of projects in all areas of estates procurement. My priority is to support Trusts to procure efficiently and effectively. This may mean connecting them with other trusts, sharing best practice and lessons learnt or giving estates teams the tools they need to tackle the daily challenges they face.

Joe Bassett

Assistant Director of Procurement

I trained as a pharmacy technician holding roles in both community and hospital pharmacy. I joined the Hub as a Procurement Project Manager and developed specialist procurement expertise within the Pharmacy category over the last 10 years. My priority is to actively support and advise chief pharmacists and their teams in the best interests of patients and the public purse. My areas of focus include homecare medicines services, enteral feeds and outpatient dispensary services, and I am the Chair of the National Homecare Medicines Committee.

Julia Asplin

Procurement Specialist

I joined the Hub in June 2023 as a Procurement Specialist in the Pharmacy category. I trained as a Pharmacy Technician and subsequently worked in a number of hospital pharmacies in trusts across London and East Anglia. I have 30 years experience in this field including senior roles as the operational manager in aseptic services units, dispensary and most notably pharmacy procurement and logistics. I look forward to using my specialist knowledge on Hub projects to support Chief Pharmacists in the NHS reach their medicines optimisation targets including Greener NHS initiatives and projects. Ensuring access to innovative solutions through collaboration with suppliers and stakeholders.

David Olusanya

Procurement Specialist

I have nearly 10 year’s experience of working in NHS procurement. I have procured both clinical and non-clinical services for NHS bodies across the UK. I have previous experience as a supplier manager for what was the Office of Government Commerce and is now known as Crown Commercial Service, as well as procurement experience in two major water utility companies and in the private sector for Tesco procurement.

David Downey

Assistant Director of Procurement

I have worked in public sector/ NHS procurement for over 10 years, specialising in market strategies and NHS system redesign to drive productivity and efficiency. I support 16 integrated care boards across the East, Midlands and South West regions, supporting the development of workforce strategies at local, system and regional level. I work with a fantastic team at the Hub who are committed to supporting our NHS trusts and systems with their entire workforce portfolio.

Jocelyn Bale

Procurement Specialist

Experienced MCIPS qualified procurement professional with a track record of managing procurement projects and delivering results in challenging environments. Over 24 years working in procurement for organisations in the private, public and charity sector including NHS organisations with local, regional and national objectives. My focus now is to support our NHS colleagues to utilise the NHS Workforce Alliance portfolio and optimise the recruitment and retention of quality staff.

Matthew Green

Procurement Specialist

I work in the Workforce team and support regional organisations with any requirements under the Workforce Alliance portfolio. I am also a registered Nurse and have worked across the NHS in various roles since 2011 from Healthcare Assistant to Ward Manager to Clinical Nurse Lead, and joined the Hub after the Covid Pandemic. I believe this gives me some insight into trust workings and priorities alongside the regional and national strategies from the ICSs and NHS England.

Alex Howard

Procurement Specialist

I have been at the Hub for nearly seven years as part of the Workforce team. In this time I’ve worked on a wide range of projects, from drawing up regional supplier agreements to drive efficiencies in costs and processes, through to large scale international recruitment projects and developing spend recovery strategies. Having started out with a primary focus on data analytics, this gives me a good understanding of the challenges faced by trusts and how best to identify the root cause of any problems.

Katherine Moore

Procurement Specialist

I have worked for the NHS for over 20 years. After training as a Pharmacy Technician, I spent 18 years working in hospital pharmacy in a variety of roles from Medicines Management to Homecare and Procurement. Since joining the Hub's Workforce team in 2022, I have developed my specialist knowledge within the category. My previous NHS experience has given me the insight and ability to provide continuous support and guidance for my NHS colleagues to deliver sustainable services alongside person centred care.

Alia Husain

Procurement Graduate

I joined the Hub in September 2023 as part of the Pathways to Procurement Graduate scheme. Prior to my role I studied 'Population & Geography' at university and worked part-time at a surgery, providing me with the skills to begin a career within procurement and the NHS. My main priority at the Hub includes providing support to all categories with their procurements. I am working towards my CIPS Level 4 Diploma.

Mandy De Nysschen

Procurement Project Assistant

I enjoy a varied cross-functional role at the Hub which includes working collaboratively with each category, providing comprehensive project support; from researching relevant project areas to liaising with trusts to understand requirements. I contribute to all stages of the procurement process alongside maintaining systems and data. My focus is identifying efficiency opportunities and streamlining ways of working across the Hub, whilst supporting teams with their unique needs.

Darren McVee

Enablement Manager

With a background in Process and Production Engineering, I have over 15 years NHS experience in IT Systems and Analytics. The goal of my role is to find where technology and information can increase efficiency and deliver innovative solutions.

Gizem Michopoulos

Category Analyst

I joined the Hub in 2022 as a Category Analyst. As part of my role I work closely with procurement leads and suppliers to gather, analyse and report on MI data to drive category strategy development.

Stewart Palmer

Business Information Analyst

My role revolves around building information system processes enabling colleagues to make informed business decisions. This very often encompasses output of a computer system process where the initial input is converted to actionable business insight. Another key part of my job I enjoy involves working closely with my colleagues from the initial concept stage of an information requirement, through to implementation, training and review of a process improvement.

Owen Shannon-Sinclair

Business Information and Technical Support Specialist

James Smith

Business Information Analyst

I've worked for the NHS over 10 years at both community and trust level. My previous roles have included leading on procurement tenders, managing the trust procurement system (including management of the trust NHS Supply Chain account and training staff) and assisting users with relevant data analytics. As a Business Information Analyst my focus is providing dashboards and applications for both internal and external stakeholders using platforms such as PowerBi.

Melissa Klitkza

Communications Manager

Katy Lagden

Communications Officer

I joined the Hub in March 2023 as a Communications Officer. I have a BA (Hons) degree in Linguistics, and I am currently studying for my Masters in Marketing and Digital Communications. As part of the Hub’s communication team, my role at the Hub is varied and covers marketing and communications support, social media, graphic design, website and project support, email marketing, and general Hub communications. In addition, I am a part of the Uplift Team helping to support staff wellbeing and social events at the Hub.

Frankie Mortimore

NHS Workforce Alliance Marketing & Communications Officer

With over 25 years of experience across private and public sectors, I have managed all aspects of marketing and communications. My experience includes advertising campaigns, event planning, handling email marketing, social media engagement, and delivering content marketing strategies, as well as running my own website design and development business. In 2023, I joined the communications team. Working collaboratively with the five partner organisations that deliver the NHS Workforce Alliance, I’m responsible for coordinating and delivering all marketing and communications for the Alliance.

Sarah Pike

Business Coordinator

I have worked in the private, public and third sector's in a variety of roles and joined the NHS in 2019. My role at the Hub is varied and covers support for the business and it's staff as well as developing the Hub's processes and procedures. I also work within finance, communications, and systems administration and development.

Wendy Pike

Communications Officer

I’ve previously worked as a local newspaper reporter, TV news reporter and video journalist before teaching young adults at an east London FE college to write and edit copy. Prior to working for the Hub, I was freelancing in the publicity, PR and marketing sector. As part of the Hub’s communications team, I help the Estates and Digital, Pharmacy, Corporate Services and Workforce categories with their messages as well as chipping in with general Hub communications.

Rebecca Turnbull

Recruitment Coordinator

I have worked in HR and recruitment for nearly 4 years in various other public sector departments before joining the Hub in 2023. I manage recruitment activity for the Hub and support with HR administrative duties such as annual leave, staff appraisals, probation, resignations, etc. I also take on administrative tasks such as helping plan team away days, the agenda for team meetings and finance administration. I am also a part of the Uplift Team to help support wellbeing and social events at the Hub.

Behrooz Vahedifar

Interim Business Manager

As one of the newest staff members to the team, I bring a wealth of experience, with over 10 years in the retail and healthcare sectors, with a focus on pharmacy operations. My previous roles focused on enhancing patient outcomes, driving commercial growth, and ensuring compliance with stringent regulatory standards. I work in areas such as Financial Planning, Strategic Development, and Human Resources at the Hub.