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Alice Benton

With over 20 years’ experience in primary care commissioning and leadership across England, Alice specialises in service optimisation, workforce planning, leadership development and navigating complex approvals for capital funding and premises development.

Alice Benton works closely with general practices, Primary Care Networks, GP federations and NHS system stakeholders, focusing on the practical challenges these organisations face every day. Her approach is grounded in deep understanding of the changing system and primary care landscape, shaped by senior roles in NHS England and East of England. She is known for her ability to translate policy and strategy into actionable plans that reflect local context and organisational capacity.

Alice’s work is characterised by her commitment to practical, achievable solutions – bringing partners and providers together, navigating challenge, and leading with confidence. Her advice is valued for being grounded in what is genuinely achievable within system and regulatory constraints, informed by in-depth knowledge of NHS contracts, governance frameworks and financial flows. She ensures that change is both meaningful and sustainable.

Alice’s expertise centres on:

  • Strategic Leadership: In-depth understanding of primary care commissioning, NHS contracts, regulations, governance frameworks and system integration
  • Efficiency and Transformation: Translating changing policy into actionable plans, supporting change management, designing tools and methodology to support primary care providers develop their internal capability
  • Workforce and Skills: Mentoring primary care managers and Clinical Directors, with a focus on leadership development, resilience and equipping those at the forefront of change with essential business skills
  • Commercial and Negotiations: Building partnerships across NHS system partners, general practice, PCNs and federations, authoring winning bids and navigating complex capital funding approvals

Key achievements include:

  • Developed and delivered comprehensive development and support packages for PCNs, focusing on Clinical Directors’ leadership, organisational development and financial planning, strengthening relationships with key system and provider partners
  • Provides flexible support to help primary care managers and clinical leaders to build more resilient businesses, navigate complex transitions and improve operational stability
  • Led an intensive assignment supporting GP Federation out of CQC special measures to achieve Good rating across through governance review, priority action planning, policy development, business planning and leadership development
  • Authored winning bids for GP contracts across the country, including facilitating transitions from temporary management to independent GP partnerships, and successful service contracts in urgent care and redesigning clinical pathways
  • Represented general practice on place-based collaboration boards, supporting pathway changes and improvements at the interface between primary care and other system partners
  • Secured funding and delivered Business Fundamentals course for GPs considering or new to partnership, equipping them with essential business and leadership skills
  • Supported practices navigating complex approvals for capital funding, premises relocation, expansion and improvement, coordinating input from commissioners, planners, developers and property experts at each stage of NHS and ICB processes

Alice’s philosophy centres on working with organisations as they are, not as they might ideally be. She listens carefully, adapts her support to what will genuinely help, and ensures transformation is co-produced with those delivering and receiving care. Alice believes that sustainable change is built on trust, practical solutions, and the development of people as well as systems.

Need help with a project?

Seeking additional capacity across programme and project management, business case and bid development, facilitation and workshops – including exploratory support where requirements are still being shaped.

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