Dr Agatha Nortley-Meshe has shown courage, integrity and compassion throughout her career, caring for patients while helping other Black healthcare professionals progress into leadership.
I had the privilege of being her GP trainer and am incredibly proud of what she has gone on to achieve. As a Black woman of Ghanaian descent in senior NHS leadership, she is an inspiration to many, particularly women of colour.
Agatha is a GP, a wife and a mother of two children, both of whom she had while studying at medical school. Alongside these responsibilities, she has gone on to hold senior leadership positions, serving as Assistant Medical Director at the London Ambulance Service and subsequently as NHS England’s Medical Director for Primary Care in London.
Throughout her career, she has championed equality, diversity and inclusion, from frontline practice to national level. As a Black GP and a leader within the wider NHS, she has mentored, supported and nurtured the leadership aspirations of Black healthcare professionals, including those seeking to progress to board level.
Her support for others is grounded in authenticity and her own experience. She speaks openly about the experiences of Black women in senior leadership and the barriers they can encounter. Through mentoring and contributions to forums, she has helped create opportunities for women to share those experiences and discuss how to overcome obstacles to progression.
As a GP, Agatha has touched the lives of thousands of people. Through her wider NHS leadership, her influence has reached many more. Her work with the ambulance service, digital first-contact services and NHS 111 has contributed to the transformation of urgent and emergency care.
In her NHS England role, she has also helped shape the development of neighbourhood working, bringing together primary care, local authorities, communities and the voluntary sector. This work reflects the breadth of her contribution, connecting clinical care with the organisations and people who support communities.
For me, the qualities that define Agatha’s leadership are courage, commitment, integrity and compassion. She uses her experience to encourage others, particularly Black people with ambitions to take on greater responsibility and contribute to their communities.
I am proud of her achievements and equally proud of the support she gives to those following her. Her achievements show what is possible; her mentoring helps others believe they can achieve it too.