An in-depth profile on CHEC’s Associate Medical Director Shamina Tayub Shamina Tayub is the Associate Medical Director at ACHE, overseeing Dermatology and ENT branches of CHEC. She has a strong passion for governance, patient safety, and technology and has played a key role in expanding and strengthening specialist community healthcare services. Her journey into medicine began in Lilongwe, Malawi, where her father was a GP, providing both emergency and chronic disease management, a far broader scope than in the UK. Inspired by his dedication, she moved to the UK after completing her GCSEs to pursue her ambition of becoming a doctor. She completed her A-levels before attending the University of Nottingham for medical school and qualified as a doctor in 2005. Initially drawn to general practice due to her interest in community care, she soon realised that dermatology was an area where she lacked confidence and knowledge. Determined to change this, she pursued further training and qualified as a GP with a Special Interest (GPwSI) in Dermatology through Cardiff University. She began working at the Academy of Community Health Experts (ACHE) in Leicester, where her leadership potential was quickly recognised. Despite having no formal leadership experience, she was appointed Medical Director at a time when there was no governance structure in place. This presented a steep learning curve, but she took on the challenge of building a robust governance framework from the ground up. She developed and streamlined governance processes, created clear pathways for patient care, and took responsibility for responding to complaints, ensuring that patient safety and service quality were at the forefront of the organisation. In 2022, ACHE was acquired by CHEC, and in August 2024, she transitioned to her role as Associate Medical Director. Since then, she has overseen the growth of Dermatology and ENT services from one to six locations, ensuring that robust governance frameworks are in place to maintain high-quality patient care. She strongly believes in clinically led leadership, and by continuing to work on the frontline, she remains well respected and able to make informed decisions that benefit both patients and clinicians. She is often described as an approachable, calm, and facilitative leader, dedicated to supporting her teams while driving positive change. Shamina has been a dedicated General Practitioner in Leicester for 14 years, delivering comprehensive care to patients across both the city and county. In addition to her role as a GP, she is a GP with an extended role in Dermatology, providing expert community dermatological care throughout Leicestershire. She plays a significant role in medical education, serving as an examiner for Leicester Medical School and teaches their dermatology module. She is a great advocate for education and mentoring, actively overseeing training sessions in Dermatology and ENT. She is committed to guiding her teams, enabling them to make informed decisions and deliver the highest standard of care. Her vision for CHEC is to continue providing accessible, high-quality healthcare close to patients’ homes, ensuring they play an active role in shaping future services. It is important to her that not only are patients valued, but clinicians are too. She is dedicated to improving patient safety and quality, striving to create systems that prevent substandard care. Passionate about the role of technology in modernising medicine, she has introduced innovative changes, such as clinical templates to streamline documentation and electronic consent forms to reduce paper waste, improving efficiency while supporting environmental sustainability. She believes that technological advancements are crucial for improving clinical pathways, governance, and communication, ultimately leading to more efficient and effective patient care. She also works closely with operational teams to help mobilise and apply for new contracts, ensuring the expansion of services is well-planned and beneficial to patients. She was drawn to CHEC’s model of delivering high-quality care to NHS patients in a timely manner and closer to home. Working alongside an exceptional clinical governance team, including Des Breen and Alison Fitzsimon, has been both inspiring and rewarding. Outside of work, she continues to practise as a GP and GPwSI in Dermatology and is the GP representative on the University Hospitals of Leicester Trust leadership team. This role allows her to remain actively involved in patient care across Leicestershire, ensuring that community services are well-integrated with secondary care and that patient pathways are optimised. As a mother of four daughters, she has developed exceptional organisational skills and resilience, qualities that are invaluable in her leadership role. Balancing a demanding career with family life has strengthened her ability to prioritise effectively and remain committed to delivering high-quality care. She is also passionate about strength training and running, which play a crucial role in maintaining her physical and mental well-being, allowing her to stay focused, energised, and prepared for the challenges of her role. Patient Testimonials Exquisite and exemplary cataract customer service from booking to surgery follow-up appointments. The staff throughout both procedures have been extremely supportive, professional, and compassionate. Keith R Whitburn The nurse clearly explained what checks she was about to carry out and made me feel relaxed during the process. Trevor Wood I was terrified of undergoing the procedure, but the Endoscopist and the nurses present were wonderful and made an uncomfortable procedure as pleasant as possible. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who were present. Gayle Taylor Fantastic staff from entering the building to leaving. Everybody was friendly, confident and couldn't have asked for anymore from them. A genuine credit to the NHS. Gareth The service and treatment were outstanding, with no long waiting time for an appointment. Following my consultation, I was given an appointment the next day to have my cataract removed. What a great service. John Elliott It was a very quick process from the consultation to the procedure. Very friendly and helpful staff. Helen C My 2nd cataract surgery was, in my opinion, a superb example of patient care. My surgeon and all the other staff were great ambassadors for CHEC. John Dunbavand I just had my cataract surgery at CHEC. Despite my nerves, the staff were reassuring and made me feel comfortable. The surgery was quick, I was kept informed at every stage which was great. I cannot recommend CHEC highly enough. Gill As soon as I arrived, I was made to feel at ease. All staff were friendly but professional, they couldn’t have been any better. I now have no fear in returning to continue my treatment. Linda S This was my first visit to CHEC, the Reception staff were extremely helpful and polite. All the other staff were very pleasant and made you feel welcome to be there, credit to you all. Linda James Welcoming, friendly, attentive, efficient, and above all, patient. Having my eyes tested at this practice provided excellent service at a time when one might wonder why these tests are necessary. Thanks to the staff I met today. Kevin Johnson The staff at Ilford were excellent. The nurses explained my procedure step by step, and when I met with the doctor, they were very welcoming and made me feel comfortable. Thank you so much. Barbara Murphy The staff are all very friendly, very kind and very smiley. I had a good experience, and I would definitely recommend Ilford practice to friends and family. Raahim I had my second cataract procedure at CHEC in Blackpool today. Once again l was impressed by the kindness, helpfulness, good humour, and professionalism of everybody who works there. Thank you. Graham Jones I had a laser capsulotomy treatment in Stevenage on Monday 26th February. I was in and out of the treatment centre in under 10 minutes. All instructions were easy to follow with astonishing results. Well-done and thank you. S Frost The staff were brilliant at each stage which made the entire process calming, from consultation through to the surgery. The receptionists were fantastic. Kim I found the whole process to be highly professional and competent and would therefore recommend this organisation without reservation to anyone who needs cataract surgery. Nigel Morgan I was made to feel relaxed from the moment we arrived by all the amazing staff. I wish other medical institutions were like this. Thank you. K.R. All the staff were attentive, polite and friendly. They listened to my individual needs and took great care of me. Mary Dyas Really quick referral and appointment at CHEC Stockport. Lovely staff. Efficient and timely appropriate medical care. Responsive follow up. Premises are really clean and a pleasant experience at a worrying time of a health issue involving eyesight. Excellent care thank you! Richard I am very pleased with the service at CHEC, it is absolutely first-class. From the receptionists, the way I was treated and having the operation done was good. Since having the operation my vision has been very good. Anonymous The whole process has been very fast and exceeded my expectations. The staff are all very friendly and professional. I am very pleased with CHEC Northampton. Anonymous I’m amazed by the quick, efficient service and ecstatic about the results. I now see car number plates, road signs, and TV text bright and clearly, with everything appearing detailed. This is the best birthday present ever. Thank you so much, please don’t change a thing. Marian Curran