Concierge Medical’s Dr Jenny Thornhill (Left) and Kat Carrick (Centre) collect the top prize at the Rural Business Awards from Jo Louhaichi (Right)
A leading private GP group has scooped a top award at this year’s Midlands Rural Business Awards and is now aiming to claim the national crown.
Concierge Medical, which provides expert services in Warwickshire, Derbyshire, Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds, won first prize in the Best Midlands Rural Professional Services Business category.
Concierge, which has more than 1,500 patients using its member-only service, now go forward to the national finals in Manchester next February.
Now in its fifth year, the Rural Business Awards is the only UK-wide programme dedicated to showcasing the success of rural businesses.
It is the brainchild of Leicestershire businesswomen Anna Price and Jemma Clifford, who wanted to showcase a sector of the economy they felt was all-too-often overlooked in favour of large, city-based firms.
Dr Jenny Thornhill, who collected the top prize at the Midlands award ceremony at the University of Nottingham, said: “We are delighted that our widespread work in rural areas has been recognised with this prestigious award.
“Providing a first class GP service in rural villages, outlying farms and large estates is our core business, it’s absolutely what we do – tending to patients in areas where access to quality care is often extremely difficult if not impossible.
“The other pleasing thing about this award is that we were nominated for it by one of our rural patients. It’s very satisfying to know our clients appreciate the care we provide.”
Concierge Medical, which was established in 2013, offers a seven-day, home-visiting GP service, promoting a return to the ‘old-fashioned’ family-doctor relationship.
That blueprint chimed with the organisers of the Rural Business Awards, who state: “The aim of the awards is to give recognition to businesses operating right across the rural sector, to acknowledge the breadth and depth of opportunity presented by the great British countryside, as well as to celebrate the achievements of our rural businesses.
“The awards are decided by an independent panel of judges drawn from the rural business sector, official agencies and rural charitable organisations.”
It’s the latest award for Concierge Medical, which has already notched significant successes including a LaingBuisson national award, What Clinic Service award and FSB Worldpay Microbusiness of the Year regional winner.
Now Kat is hopeful Concierge can add the Rural Business National award too, adding: “Our aim is to provide our patients with the highest quality modern medicine in a very traditional way so to be named national winners would be a ringing endorsement of what we do and how we do it.”
For more information on Concierge Medical, visit: conciergemedical.co.uk/practice or call 01451 600900.
