To celebrate the recent International Women’s Day, Meet Health Events is shining the spotlight on women from across the healthcare and health tech sector. This week, we sat down with Rachel Surtees, Chief of Staff at UCLPartners. 

In a career that spans from executive assistant to board-level strategist, Rachel Surtees has carved a leadership path through the UK’s healthcare landscape with honesty and unshakable purpose. Now Chief of Staff at UCLPartners—a key player in the Health Innovation Network—Surtees speaks with the kind of clarity and conviction that only comes from years spent navigating complexity, disruption and change. 

From the outset, Surtees’ trajectory has been shaped by a belief in action over ambition. “I’ve never had a specific job title in mind, and job status isn’t one of my motivators,” she reflects. “I used to think it meant I was unambitious… and then at some point… I realised how liberating it is. My CV doesn’t have to make sense. There aren’t specific boxes I need to tick to get to the next job.” 

Her north star? “That I’m able to deliver impact, and that work is a good experience—not all day, every day, but overall it brings me joy.” 

That mindset has taken her from mental health trusts to local government, from adolescent wellbeing to NHS decarbonisation strategies. But it was a defining project early on that truly cemented her leadership voice. 

As a director at a mental health trust, Surtees was charged with developing a new model of care for young people who had committed serious offences—a task that required uniting clinicians from divergent schools of thought. “The pace we were working at meant it was a stressful period,” she recalls. “But we were all laser focused on how we could disrupt the status quo… What followed was an amazingly intense period of knowledge exchange and collaboration to find innovative solutions to age-old problems.” 

It was this crucible of pressure and purpose that would lead to her unexpected invitation to join the Board—a moment she describes as “a real vote of confidence.” 

Inspired by Women, Shaped by Experience 

Surtees is quick to recognise the women who paved her path. First and foremost: her mother, a single parent who retrained as a midwife while juggling three jobs. “She showed me what it means to be a true advocate for patient-centred care, long before I knew what any of those words really meant.”

She also credits leaders like Sally Hodges for showing her “compassionate leadership and the power of relational working,” Caroline Clarke for embodying “authentic leadership,” and Dr. Nnenna Osuji for being “an absolute force of intellect and inspiration.” 

These women, Surtees says, didn’t just open doors—they redefined what leadership could look like. 

Progress, With Caveats 

Having witnessed the evolution of the NHS from various vantage points, Surtees is both optimistic and clear-eyed about how far we’ve come on gender and diversity—and how far we still have to go. 

“One of the most notable shifts is how much easier it is to call out a lack of diversity than it ever used to be,” she says. “Gone are the days when a healthcare organisation could put forward an all-male, all-white leadership team and not expect to have to answer some questions about it.” 

But structural change, she notes, remains uneven. “Women continue to carry the weight of childcare with significant knock-on implications for their career progression.” The post-pandemic normalisation of flexible work has helped, she adds—but it’s not a silver bullet. “The hill to climb is steeper for some women than for others.” 

Creating Cultures Where Women Can Thrive 

So where are the real opportunities for women in healthcare leadership? 

Surtees is emphatic: “I don’t think there are particular leadership roles that are better or worse suited to women. But I do think there are organisational cultures in which women are more likely to be supported to thrive.” 

The ingredients for that culture? Transparency. Inclusivity. Collaborative working. And a zero-tolerance approach to “clique-y and defensive behaviours.” 

As the NHS navigates what she calls “a generational shift,” she sees a chance to rebuild not just the structure, but the soul of the system. “It is surely also a chance to describe a future-state leadership model that is truly diverse in its DNA.” 

Listening as a Leadership Imperative 

Asked what must change to achieve better patient outcomes, Surtees doesn’t hesitate: we must listen.

“And the onus for that can’t just be on front-line practitioners,” she adds. “It has to be actively designed into all aspects of how our health services are commissioned, accessed and provided.” 

She points to the power of data and technology in driving more responsive care, but returns again and again to the importance of patient voice. “We know when we feel ‘off’… we know what we can tolerate and what we can’t… If we want to improve outcomes at scale, we need to hear what people are telling us at the first signs of becoming unwell—and also when they’re trying to live well again.” 

Advice for the Next Generation 

To women entering the field, Surtees offers a mix of hard-earned wisdom and practical advice. “Find yourself a mentor,” she urges. “Having someone you trust and respect at the end of the phone line when you need advice is so valuable.” 

She encourages boldness—but with self-awareness. “Say yes more often, but really think about what’s important for you and your life. Don’t be afraid to set your terms.” 

And above all: speak up. “Force yourself to get comfortable talking about your salary and expectations… No one else is going to do this for you.” 

As the conversation winds down, it’s clear that for Rachel, leadership isn’t about ego, hierarchy or title. It’s about staying grounded in impact, open to growth, and steadfast in the belief that better is always possible—if we’re brave enough to build it. 

“99 times out of 100,” she says, “if someone is offering you an opportunity, they’ll be open to hearing what you need to make it work.”