Career Archives

Alex didn’t follow the traditional university route into finance. For him, a knack for numbers at school naturally pointed towards a career in the field – even if he initially found the idea a tad “boring”. However, his path took an interesting turn, leading him from auditing the books to playing a key role at CHEC as FP&A Manager Finance.

Straight out of college, Alex landed an apprenticeship with one of the “big four” accountancy firms, PwC, in Manchester. He spent four years immersed in his exams, eventually qualifying as an accountant. But the world of audit wasn’t quite the stimulating environment he’d hoped for. Alex reflects. “It wasn’t the most enjoyable role, so I took the opportunity to leave the day after my contract finished.”

His next move was a change of pace and scenery: 15 months at Liverpool Football Club. Working in a similar role to his current one, albeit more junior, this stint coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic. “I probably didn’t get the full experience of working at a football club because of the pandemic and the fact there were no fans in stadiums,” he recalls. As a fixed-term contract, Alex knew it was a valuable experience .

During his time in audit, Alex had identified a potential “escape route”: Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A). This area, still within the advisory world, offered a more commercial focus and the chance to truly understand businesses, rather than just scrutinising their accounts. However, the pandemic put a temporary halt to this ambition. “M&A is dependent on companies buying another,” Alex explains. “So during COVID time, there weren’t many jobs.” The Liverpool role proved to be perfect timing, a “stopgap” until the M&A market picked up.

Following his time at the football club, more opportunities arose in his desired field. Alex secured a role at Dow Schofield Watts, near Warrington, where he spent three years in financial due diligence. This involved “looking at smaller businesses and getting a deep dive into how they work and how they’re driven.” Learning a lot in this role, he enjoyed working with the team at DSW, and the entrepreneurial spirit of the companies he was looking at, but found the project-driven nature of the work demanding. “Whilst you’d really get to know and understand a Business, once the project was finished you’d have to start over and build up your knowledge of the next one”

Seeking a role with “continual knowledge build,” Alex set his sights on an industry position. This led him to CHEC. “CHEC offered exactly what I wanted in an industry role, this worked out really well,” he says. A local recruiter presented him with the opportunity, and it ticked all the boxes.

Initially, Alex admits his knowledge of ophthalmology was limited. “I probably couldn’t have told you what ophthalmology was before joining,” he jokes. However, the role itself and the people he’s working with have provided a steep learning curve. He particularly values the experience of his direct boss, Mark, whom he sits next to daily. “He has 20 odd years of experience in his role,” Alex explains. “It’s an amazing opportunity to work with a team with so much experience that I am able to learn off.”

One of the aspects Alex appreciates most about his role at CHEC is the collaborative environment. “In industry, everyone’s working to the same goal – and that is to improve the business essentially,” he notes. This contrasts with the sometimes less friendly dynamic of due diligence, where you’re scrutinising a business that isn’t your client.

Alex also noted that the onboarding process at CHEC was surprisingly thorough and well-structured, a significant step up from his previous experience. He’s also focused on continuous development, particularly in understanding the intricacies of the healthcare industry and the specific terminology involved. While future implementation plans are still evolving, he recognises the incremental improvements being made within the finance function.

Reflecting on his journey, Alex’s path into finance wasn’t conventional, but it’s led him to a role he finds engaging and collaborative. From the world of football to the complexities of healthcare, his story highlights how diverse experiences can shape a successful and fulfilling career.

At CHEC, we’re incredibly proud of the talented and dedicated individuals who make up our team. Today, we’re shining a spotlight on our National Clinical Lead, Karen Dewhurst, whose journey within optometry and her rise within CHEC is a truly inspiring story.

Karen’s path began at Aston University, where she honed her skills in optometry. Her early career saw her immersed in the diverse world of independent practice. “My pre-reg year and my first year as a

newly qualified optometrist were in an independent practice,” Karen recalls. “They did things such as low vision aid assessments, stable glaucoma management schemes, and even domiciliary home eye tests. I think early on I got quite a varied experience.”

This early exposure to different aspects of eye care proved invaluable. “Independent optometrists’ do as much as they can, and you learn a lot,” Karen reflects. “Obviously, your first home visit sight test, you realise that it isn’t the same as at Uni! You simply have to adapt to the room you’re in and the patient in front of you.” This adaptability and willingness to learn would become hallmarks of Karen’s career.

In 2008, Karen moved to Boots, where she spent 12 years, initially as a mobile optometrist covering multiple sites before settling into more regular roles. It was in 2019 that a pivotal moment occurred. Living and working in an area where CHEC was expanding its services, Karen received an email indicating that CHEC now offered YAG laser procedures in the area. Aware of the lengthy waiting lists at the local hospital, she reached out to enquire about CHEC’s wait times.

To her surprise, the response came directly from CHEC’s CEO, Imran Rahman. “He told me the wait times, which were really short in comparison,” Karen explains. Imran’s personal touch and willingness to explain CHEC’s processes led to an invitation to a YAG clinic. “The next thing I knew, I was training to do YAG laser and was going to become a locum doing just one day a week.”

During one of her training days, the conversation took another exciting turn with Imran mentioning that CHEC were opening a local site in Blackpool. She interviewed and became CHEC’s first employed clinical optometrist.

Starting just two days before the first lockdown offered its own test and Karen’s role quickly evolved. “We had to spread patients throughout the week, and we welcomed theatre patients on weekends, 7 am to 7 pm,” she says. Not being furloughed provided unique opportunities. “I would help out with theatre and diagnostic clinics, which most optometrists don’t get the chance to do.”

Karen credits Imran’s mentorship as a significant factor in her growth. “To be trained by Imran was an amazing opportunity, and he was so gracious with his time. When I had questions, it was Imran; there was no clinical support team at that point.”

Her leadership potential soon became evident. “I was then asked to sit in on interviews for optometrists, and before I knew it, I was the one holding the interviews. Then I started training optometrists when they first joined. This is when I became a regional clinical lead.” As CHEC continued to expand, Karen’s responsibilities grew, culminating in her current role as National Clinical Lead, where she now manages the northern and southern clinical leads.

In her current position, Karen’s focus is broad and impactful. “I am doing the training that falls into clinical governance, and I am writing policies for treatments,” she explains. She also remains actively involved in professional development, as evidenced by her recent peer review at CHEC’s first CPD conference. Discover more about our CPD Conference here.

Despite her impressive trajectory, Karen remains grounded. “I find it amazing because I don’t see myself as ambitious or driven; I’d be happy still being a local optometrist, although I did find the ‘sales’ aspect a difficulty, I was never a very good salesperson.”

It was the sales aspect of her role that made her consider a career change, but instead CHEC presented a new path. “I was considering leaving the profession and becoming a teacher when CHEC fell into my lap really; I was really lucky. I had a great relationship with my NHS Partnership Executive, and I simply reached out to her.” Karen also notes the evolving landscape of optometry. “I never even really considered hospital optometry or academia. None of it had kind of been talked about. Whereas I think nowadays, there are different avenues for optometrists, and they’re more widely discussed.”

A defining aspect of CHEC’s ethos, as Karen highlights, is their approach to professional development. She recalls a powerful quote from Imran: “We will never push you out of your competency as an optometrist but will absolutely push you out of your comfort zone.” This philosophy resonates deeply with Karen. “CHEC invests in people, and rather than simply looking at a CV, which all optometrists will have the same qualification, we look at how that person will fit in with the culture and core values of people because we train everyone the same.”

Looking to the future of CHEC, Karen is enthusiastic about several key areas. “I’m excited for the expansion of the services we offer; we’ve obviously launched MIGS and VR services.” Maintaining a connection to patient care remains a priority for her. “I’m excited to continue doing clinics because it’s important to me to retain that link with higher management and the people and processes on the ground and ensuring that the right decisions are being made.”

Karen is also passionate about the learning opportunities CHEC provides. “We’re getting more Independent Prescribing qualified optometrists, and I would like to see more optometrists doing more clinics than just cataract and YAG consultations. I would also like to implement ophthalmologist mentors. I obviously had Imran, and I think everyone should have an opportunity like that.”

Ultimately, Karen believes CHEC offers a unique environment for both patients and professionals. “CHEC not only offers patients care in their community, but we also offer our optometrists and doctors a community where they talk to each other, asking why a particular medication has been prescribed and why a test has been booked. To have a direct line to this information is really valuable to have.”

When it comes to Continuing Professional Development (CPD), Karen emphasises CHEC’s patient-centric approach. “I think what makes us stand out is that we listen. We ask optometrists what points they need, what they’d like to learn. It’s also impressive that people like Mahmoud Rabie, our Clinical Director of Ophthalmology, deliver some of our CPD events. To have a doctor who specialises in that topic is amazing. And we do tend to get an expert on the subject matter to present.”

Karen Dewhurst’s journey is a testament to the opportunities and growth that CHEC fosters. From a local optometrist who was considering leaving the field to a national clinical lead shaping the future of community eye care, her story is an inspiration to us all.

If you’re considering a career in healthcare, or perhaps looking for a fresh start, I wanted to share why I believe CHEC is a fantastic place to grow and thrive. As Chief Nurse, I’ve seen firsthand the unique opportunities we offer, especially for those new to the field.

One of the things that really sets CHEC apart is our size. Many of our hospitals operate with smaller teams – sometimes as few as 15 people. This creates a really special, collaborative environment. You’ll quickly feel like you’re part of a close-knit family, where your contributions are genuinely valued. You won’t just be a number here; you’ll be an integral part of our team.

And because we’re growing and evolving, you’ll have the chance to be part of real change. You can help shape the future of CHEC and directly impact how we develop. We’re not a big, faceless corporation; we’re a dynamic organisation where your voice matters. You can see your ideas come to life and know that you’ve made a difference.

My vision for CHEC is simple: to continue delivering high-quality, local healthcare to people in their communities. We want to make accessing healthcare easy and convenient for our patients, while ensuring they receive the safest and most effective treatment possible. And we believe that our patients should be involved in shaping our services for the future.

As Chief Nurse, my top priorities are to lead our teams to deliver high quality, safe patient care on this exciting journey of growth and development. Healthcare is never static; it’s constantly evolving, and we need to evolve with it. Supporting our people is paramount. We’re committed to providing the support and strong leadership our teams need to succeed. We want to empower you to deliver the highest quality services to our patients.

If you’re looking for a place where you can learn, grow, and make a real difference, CHEC could be the perfect fit. We offer opportunities for development, a supportive team environment, and the chance to be part of something special.

I encourage you to explore our career opportunities and see if CHEC is the right place for you. We’re looking for passionate, dedicated individuals who share our commitment to providing exceptional patient care.