Executive Management | Premier Physical Healthcare

Richard Benson

MD of Premier, part of Totally plc’s Planned Care Division

Richard Benson has been MD of Totally’s Planned Care Division since August 2019. Prior to that he was the CEO of About Health.

Richard began his career in the NHS and worked in a variety of roles across England. More than half of his 15 years in the NHS was spent at Board level. During that time Richard was appointed as an Associate of the NHS Modernisation Agency, and spent a year on the faculty if the Health Service Management Centre at Birmingham University where he taught on the Health Management MA programme. His last NHS post was at Poole Primary Care Trust where the teams he managed won two national quality awards.

After leaving the NHS, Richard was a founder Director of About Health from 2008 until its acquisition by Totally in 2016.

Lisa Barter

Group Finance Director

Lisa Barter has been a chartered accountant for over 20 years and has extensive finance experience having spent the last 13 years working in finance in the independent healthcare sector. Prior to joining Totally in August 2017, Lisa was the Head of Divisional Finance for the healthcare division of Care UK and was employed by Care UK for over 10 years in a senior finance capacity. Care UK is England’s largest independent provider of NHS services and has a diverse portfolio of healthcare services which include elective surgery treatment centres, provision of healthcare in UK prisons, urgent care centres as well as OOH and NHS 111 services. Lisa also played a key role as Financial Controller at Mercury Health Ltd during which time she established a team and implemented finance processes and systems prior to the company’s acquisition by Care UK in 2007. The healthcare division of Care UK continued to grow to become a £380 million revenue business. Lisa started her finance career at Ernst & Young in 1990 where she qualified as a chartered accountant and she has also held roles as finance manager in both Hewlett Packard and Oracle.

Wendy Lawrence

Chairperson

Wendy, the CEO of Totally Health, has an NHS career which spans some 20+ years. She has a wealth of experience having previously worked for BUPA Health Dialog, leading the Client Delivery Team on a range of projects, from complex FESC deliveries through to individual PCT (Primary Care Trust) specific contracts across the UK. Previously Wendy ran her own company, working closely with numerous NHS and social care organisations across England, Wales and Scotland supporting delivery of many complex change agendas. During Wendy’s NHS career, she was Chief Executive of three large Primary Care Trusts with a combined budget of £460m, here she successfully ran and delivered 100% within budget and target deliveries. Wendy led a number of projects on behalf of the Strategic Health Authority including the establishment of new commissioning models for ambulance services and NHS Direct, as well as contributions to national projects including Reforms of Urgent Care Provision and Taking Healthcare to the Patient.

Raphael Leal

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER, Totally Plc, Planned Care Division

Raphael was one of the founding members of Premier Physical Healthcare from its start in 1997, before taking up the CFO role. He has over 20 years knowledge of working in the Healthcare Industry as well as extensive experience in running a company and growing it substantially from grass roots to present day. Having developed into one of the largest Physiotherapy/ Rehabilitation providers across both Corporate and Public Health sectors, Premier ultimately incorporated into the Totally Health Group in 2016 and in 2019 Raphael was appointed COO for its new Planned Care Division within which Premier was co-joined with Optimum and About Health.

Raphael received a degree in Mathematics with Sport Science from Christ Church College, Canterbury in 1991. Prior to setting up Premier his employment included various roles demonstrating administration/ management / accounting solutions.

His years of working in Fitness and Rehabilitation with Private and NHS contractors have given him the best vantage at identifying and administrating areas of need such as rapid return to work pathways through appropriate treatment referrals, along with the use of new technology platforms. Premier continues to provide superior physiotherapy and associated treatments and assist in the development and improvement of Health and Welfare in association with Totally Plc.