Management team

Mark has been with Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth since 2013, progressing from Finance Manager to Hospital Director in 2016. His knowledge of the hospital is fantastic, and his passion for providing the best service possible is evident through his enthusiasm and drive.

Mark is a qualified Accountant with more than 10 years post qualified experience. He has worked at a senior level across a wide range of industries, from luxury bed manufacturing and high end motor vehicle retail, to the production and supply of organic fruit and vegetables. Regardless of which sector he has been in, Mark has always made quality and service to customers his number one priority. This is even more true here at Peninsula, where the patient is of paramount importance. An experienced manager with commercial acumen, Mark is a clear and concise communicator who has a proven track record of introducing business change. He always strives to do things better, an ethos which has become intrinsic to the whole team at Peninsula.

Mark’s desire to constantly improve the patient experience saw him manage the build of two new theatres and an endoscopy suite in late 2016; his proudest achievement to date. The development will provide even greater choice to the people of Plymouth and surrounding areas.

When he’s not busy working, Mark enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters and is a very keen cyclist.

Andy Burgess joined the Royal Navy as a medical cadet whilst in Sheffield where he was at medical school on completion of his first degree. After duties on frigates he embarked on anaesthetics in Plymouth, then Bristol and Sheffield. After higher training he spent nearly two years as the Principal Medical Officer on HMS Ark Royal before appointment in 1995 as a consultant at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

He has taken an active part in NHS management and after a tenure as Derriford Hospital’s Clinical Director for Theatres, took over as Clinical Director of Anaesthesia, Theatres and Pain in 2005 for another three years. Clinical work included anaesthesia for neuro, orthopaedics, plastics, trauma and paediatrics.

Whilst serving as an anaesthetist in the military, he regularly supported Royal Marine surgical teams in Sierra Leone, Oman, Kosovo and Iraq. He was deployed three times to Afghanistan, twice as anaesthetist, clinical director and member of the MERT helicopter evacuation team and in 2011, as the Medical Director in the Role 3 Trauma facility in Bastion leading a multi-national team.

As subsequent Defence Consultant Advisor (DCA) he led the tri-Service Anaesthetic, Critical Care and Pain cadre, the largest clinical group in the Defence Medical Services, for three years and was a co-opted member of the Council of Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI) until May 2015 when he took up his position as Military Clinical Director in the South West. Prior to leaving the Royal Navy he received the honorary title of Queen’s Honorary Surgeon (QHS), was awarded the Joint Forces Command Commendation and the AAGBI Award for services to anaesthesia.

He joined Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth in April 2017 shortly after leaving the military and has been working as an anaesthetist there prior to his appointment as Medical Director.

Living in Devon with his family, Andy has a passion for fishing – seatrout and salmon on the fly from the river Tavy or bass from his small boat off Plymouth. He is a member of the “Cape Horner’s Association” after sailing 6,000 nautical miles across the Southern Ocean and beyond in a Challenge 67’ yacht, and he has raced in yachts in Antigua and the 2017 Fastnet Race. In the last five years he has e completed two local half marathons, the London Marathon and a “30 miler yomp across Dartmoor, and cycled from London to the AAGBI Harrogate conference in 2014 and from London to its Liverpool conference in 2017, raising funds for the “Safe Africa” anaesthesia charity.

I have worked within the NHS and Independent sector hospitals for more than 20 years. I joined Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth in 2015 as Clinical Governance Manager. In 2019 I was promoted into the Operations Manager post. In this role, I gained experience in Building Maintenance, Project Management and working with external contractors. I did this whilst ensuring my Clinical skills were kept up to Date and Leading on Clinical Governance. In February 2020 I was successful in my application for Head of Nursing & Clinical Services. This, during the very challenging time of the COVID-19 outbreak. I work closely with all departments to ensure the safety of our patients and staff.

Sarah comes to the hospital with a wealth of experience in NHS and health finance. She qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant in 2002, following a BTEC Higher National Diploma in Business and Finance from the Swansea Institute of Higher Education and a degree in Public Policy and Management from Sheffield Hallam University.

As well as extensive experience within the NHS in the South West, Sarah has also worked in the commercial sector and joined Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth in 2019.

Caroline started with Practice Plus Group in 2005 and worked at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth for 5 years, finishing as the Patient Pathway Manager. In 2010 she took the opportunity to move to Head Office and train as a Business Analyst becoming a member of the IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis) in 2012.

She is also a Registered Change Management Practitioner having undertaken training in 2013.

Caroline has worked within Urgent, Primary and Secondary care over her Practice Plus Group career and was delighted to be given the opportunity to return to Practice Plus Group Hospital, Plymouth in February 2014 as the Patient Services Manager. In March 2020 Caroline moved into the Senior Management position of Operations Manager.