Associate Director of Primary Care Operations, Thames Valley Integrated Care Board

The NHS 10 Year Health Plan for England calls for a health service that is fairer, more connected, and built on the contributions of every person within it. Sanjay Desai has spent his career making exactly that kind of NHS a reality — not through grand gestures, but through the quiet, consistent work of building cultures where people feel genuinely valued.

As Associate Director of Primary Care Operations at Thames Valley Integrated Care Board, Sanjay leads with authenticity and purpose. He listens actively, communicates with clarity, and builds relationships across organisational boundaries that create real cohesion and shared direction. Colleagues at every level describe him as someone who makes them feel heard — and who turns that feeling into action.

Central to his approach is a belief in what he calls “micro-progressions”: small but meaningful steps toward improvement that empower colleagues to learn, adapt, and take ownership of change. It is a philosophy that has transformed team dynamics within the primary care team, where engagement, confidence, and participation have all increased significantly. NHS Staff Survey results reflect this — the medical directorate consistently scoring higher than the organisational average across all questions.

As Chair of the Cultural Awareness and Race Equality Network, Sanjay has championed equality, diversity and inclusion as lived practice rather than policy. Initiatives including the Race Equality Matters 5-Day Challenge and the #MyNameIs campaign — promoting respectful name pronunciation across the organisation — have prompted genuine reflection and lasting organisational commitments. He has strengthened representation in meetings and development opportunities, ensuring staff from all backgrounds can contribute to and shape the organisation’s future.

One team member captured his impact simply: “All team members now contribute in meetings, with a sense of empowerment and belonging.”

Sanjay’s leadership demonstrates something the NHS 10 Year Health Plan places at its heart: that the quality of care we deliver to patients begins with the quality of the culture we build for our people. Teams that feel respected, safe and valued deliver more compassionate, equitable and responsive care. That connection — between inclusive culture and excellent outcomes — is what Sanjay Desai embodies every day.

As the NHS marks its 78th birthday, his story is a reminder that transformation is not only about technology or structures. Sometimes, it begins with making sure everyone in the room feels confident enough to speak.