North Cheshire and Mersey Doctor invited to NHS reception at Downing Street

A Warrington Hospital consultant has attended a special reception at 10 Downing Street to celebrate the NHS’s 78th birthday. 

Dr Lalitha Chinnappan, consultant gastroenterologist and associate medical director for patient safety at North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM), was among 100 colleagues from across the NHS welcomed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for the occasion.  

The special event, held in the gardens at No.10, invited staff to celebrate their extraordinary work, compassion and commitment to providing care to patients each and every day.

Lalitha was invited as recognition for her contribution to North Cheshire and Mersey and dedication to putting our communities, our hospitals and the wider NHS at the heart of everything she does. 

Having joined the trust just under a decade ago, Lalitha is committed to improving patient safety and regularly goes above and beyond to ensure patients receive the high-quality care they need. 

Working tirelessly across the trust, Lalitha’s work has streamlined referral pathways and systems for patients with suspected cancer, strengthened systems to follow up patients and been commended for improving safety of services.

Speaking of her visit to No. 10, Lalitha said: “It was an absolute honour to be invited to No.10 Downing Street to celebrate the 78th birthday of our beloved NHS. 

"I was delighted to represent our trust and attended on behalf of the wonderful clinical team and colleagues that I closely work with. My family and friends were incredibly proud, and the messages of congratulations I received were truly overwhelming.

"The occasion also gave me the opportunity to reflect on my own NHS journey. As an enthusiastic newly qualified medical graduate, inspired by the founding values and ethos of the NHS, I made what, at the time, felt like a daring decision to move from Chennai to the UK to train and build my career here.

"Balancing the demands of gastroenterology training while raising a young family was certainly challenging, but it was also immensely rewarding. Today, alongside my consultant role within our trust, I have the privilege of serving as associate medical director for patient safety. 

"While the responsibilities can sometimes feel like juggling many balls at once, the greatest reward remains unchanged; knowing that, together as clinical teams, support services and leaders across the trust, we are united in providing the very best care for our patients during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.”

Recognised as someone who lives and champions the NCM values, Lalitha was also the recipient of the chief executive’s Outstanding Achievement Award at the trust’s recent staff Thank You Awards. 

Paul Fitzsimmons, executive medical director at North Cheshire and Mersey, said: “Lalitha’s dedication to providing the very best care for our patients is unquestionable. She stands out immediately as the type of person you would want to look after you and your family and was so deserving of this wonderful invitation and recognition.”