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Meet The Team
The healthcare planners of today
Iain Buchan
Managing Director
Iain is an accomplished Healthcare Consultant, Healthcare Planner and Organisational Development/Change Management Consultant. Prior to forming Buchan + Associates, 28 years ago, he held a number of positions in senior and executive management within the NHS and Independent Healthcare sectors. Iain has a significant track record of leading healthcare projects as an advisor to the SGHD, Health Boards and Health Authorities and in developing design solutions with construction partners. Working across all Health & Social Care sectors from Tertiary Care to Care Homes, he is committed to enabling person focused, clinically effective and revenue efficient service/design solutions as part of the health and social care service planning process.
Qualifications – Registered Nurse (RN), Dip.N (Lond), WNB 100/920, MBA (Glas)
Iain is an accomplished Healthcare Consultant, Healthcare Planner and Organisational Development/Change Management Consultant. Prior to forming Buchan + Associates, 28 years ago, he held a number of positions in senior and executive management within the NHS and Independent Healthcare sectors. Iain has a significant track record of leading healthcare projects as an advisor to the SGHD, Health Boards and Health Authorities and in developing design solutions with construction partners. Working across all Health & Social Care sectors from Tertiary Care to Care Homes, he is committed to enabling person focused, clinically effective and revenue efficient service/design solutions as part of the health and social care service planning process.
Qualifications – Registered Nurse (RN), Dip.N (Lond), WNB 100/920, MBA (Glas)
Niall Thomson
Director
With over 20 years healthcare consulting experience Niall joined Buchan + Associates in March 2019 from Capita where he was the UK Health Market Director. Prior to his time at Capita Niall spent nearly 20 years working in a range of senior finance and management roles within NHS Lothian. Niall has extensive experience of supporting whole systems in planning and delivering change and has a strong track record of working within NHS Scotland and the wider UK. He has well-developed stakeholder engagement skills and has supported wide ranging and challenging public engagement exercises with a number of clients. Niall also has experience in developing investment proposals including leading option appraisals across acute, community and primary care settings, incorporating large scale capital projects. Niall has led a number of service change assignments aimed at supporting clients improve service delivery whilst enhancing clinical effectiveness and cost efficiency.
Qualifications – BA Accountancy; Chartered Public Finance Accountant (CPFA).
With over 20 years healthcare consulting experience Niall joined Buchan + Associates in March 2019 from Capita where he was the UK Health Market Director. Prior to his time at Capita Niall spent nearly 20 years working in a range of senior finance and management roles within NHS Lothian. Niall has extensive experience of supporting whole systems in planning and delivering change and has a strong track record of working within NHS Scotland and the wider UK. He has well-developed stakeholder engagement skills and has supported wide ranging and challenging public engagement exercises with a number of clients. Niall also has experience in developing investment proposals including leading option appraisals across acute, community and primary care settings, incorporating large scale capital projects. Niall has led a number of service change assignments aimed at supporting clients improve service delivery whilst enhancing clinical effectiveness and cost efficiency.
Qualifications – BA Accountancy; Chartered Public Finance Accountant (CPFA).
Gill Bratt-McManus
Healthcare Planner
Gill Bratt McManus is an experienced healthcare planner and management consultant whose career spans more than two decades of transformation, strategy and operational improvement across healthcare, manufacturing and public services. A Chartered Engineer with an MEng in Product Design Engineering, she began her career in European manufacturing before moving into healthcare consultancy, bringing with her a strong grounding in Lean methodology, quality improvement and systems thinking.
As part of Buchan + Associates, Gill works with NHS Boards and national bodies to design future ready service models, develop evidence based clinical output specifications and support capital investment decision making. Her portfolio includes major strategic programmes across Scotland, such as the development of the revised Strategic Assessment framework for Scottish Government and large scale redesign initiatives in acute, primary and community care. She is recognised for her ability to guide multidisciplinary clinical and operational teams through complex planning challenges, facilitating collaborative design aligned to real world workflow, demand and operational constraints.
Gillian brings a balanced blend of technical planning expertise, data driven analysis and coaching-led facilitation and a strong track record of delivering measurable performance gains for clients.
Qualifications – MEng Product Design Engineering, Chartered engineer (CEng MIMechE), Certified GE Lean SixSigma Blackbelt, ILM level 7 Coach.
Gill Bratt McManus is an experienced healthcare planner and management consultant whose career spans more than two decades of transformation, strategy and operational improvement across healthcare, manufacturing and public services. A Chartered Engineer with an MEng in Product Design Engineering, she began her career in European manufacturing before moving into healthcare consultancy, bringing with her a strong grounding in Lean methodology, quality improvement and systems thinking.
As part of Buchan + Associates, Gill works with NHS Boards and national bodies to design future ready service models, develop evidence based clinical output specifications and support capital investment decision making. Her portfolio includes major strategic programmes across Scotland, such as the development of the revised Strategic Assessment framework for Scottish Government and large scale redesign initiatives in acute, primary and community care. She is recognised for her ability to guide multidisciplinary clinical and operational teams through complex planning challenges, facilitating collaborative design aligned to real world workflow, demand and operational constraints.
Gillian brings a balanced blend of technical planning expertise, data driven analysis and coaching-led facilitation and a strong track record of delivering measurable performance gains for clients.
Qualifications – MEng Product Design Engineering, Chartered engineer (CEng MIMechE), Certified GE Lean SixSigma Blackbelt, ILM level 7 Coach.
Lawrence Lewis
Business Manager & Analyst
Lawrence is an experienced Data Analyst providing project support including capacity planning, schedules of accommodation and data critical inputs. He has over 16 years’ experience in the health and social care sectors providing financial management, data analyst, payroll and HR expertise. In addition, Lawrence has over 30 years Management Accounting experience in several areas, including the Healthcare and Automotive sectors. Lawrence has a track record of providing in-depth financial and data analytical support to delivery team members, enabling clients to fully understand data outputs.
Lawrence is an experienced Data Analyst providing project support including capacity planning, schedules of accommodation and data critical inputs. He has over 16 years’ experience in the health and social care sectors providing financial management, data analyst, payroll and HR expertise. In addition, Lawrence has over 30 years Management Accounting experience in several areas, including the Healthcare and Automotive sectors. Lawrence has a track record of providing in-depth financial and data analytical support to delivery team members, enabling clients to fully understand data outputs.
Sally Riddoch
Associate Consultant
Sally has a background in nursing having previously been responsible for managing Critical Care services across the two District General Hospitals in Fife. She also has extensive experience in Emergency Care, Intensive Care, High Dependency and Operating Theatres. Sally provided a comprehensive review of workforce planning, including all Agenda for Change implications for NHS Fife, before being seconded to the General Hospitals and Maternity Services Project where she provided clinical advice and support as Clinical Lead/Healthcare Planner. Within this role she gained experience of following a major capital project from conception to completion. Since joining B+A, Sally has been advising NHS Grampian on the detail design (1:200, 1:50 and Room Data Sheets) for the Baird Family Hospital, ANCHOR Project and Elective Care Centre.
Qualifications – Registered Nurse (RN), Dip.N (Dundee), Project Management (OU), Clinical Leadership Programme (RCN), Care of the Critically Ill (Napier University).
Sally has a background in nursing having previously been responsible for managing Critical Care services across the two District General Hospitals in Fife. She also has extensive experience in Emergency Care, Intensive Care, High Dependency and Operating Theatres. Sally provided a comprehensive review of workforce planning, including all Agenda for Change implications for NHS Fife, before being seconded to the General Hospitals and Maternity Services Project where she provided clinical advice and support as Clinical Lead/Healthcare Planner. Within this role she gained experience of following a major capital project from conception to completion. Since joining B+A, Sally has been advising NHS Grampian on the detail design (1:200, 1:50 and Room Data Sheets) for the Baird Family Hospital, ANCHOR Project and Elective Care Centre.
Qualifications – Registered Nurse (RN), Dip.N (Dundee), Project Management (OU), Clinical Leadership Programme (RCN), Care of the Critically Ill (Napier University).
Our team work with the very best
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