Stella has more than 30 years experience in the NHS and has worked as a vascular and general surgery consultant at Croydon University Hospital since 2006. She has recently been appointed the National Medical Director for Secondary Care, and the national clinical director for elective care for NHS England, and she works closely with the ‘Getting It Right First Time’ best practice programmes.

As the Clinical Director of Elective Recovery at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, she led the work to open a ‘hospital within a hospital’ to safely continue planned care and surgery during the pandemic.

With a focus on patient care, developing trainees and supporting colleagues, Stella has taken leading roles in clinical education, as well as service transformation. This includes chairing the JSCT core surgery advisory committee to the four Royal Colleges, and the London Diabetic Foot Network.