Shaun Chadwick lives his life guided by insight, compassion, and determination; a set of values which directly led to his career as a successful entrepreneur within the notoriously challenging British healthcare industry.
Indeed, Shaun showed signs of his desire to help others early in life. At the age of 14 years old, he founded a community newsletter to keep elderly and isolated members of his community apprised of local events. Only one year later, he organized a committee to restore a neighborhoodnature reserve as a means of preserving green space for the benefit of both residents and wildlife alike.
By the time he reached the age of 18, Shaun’s successful execution of these community-oriented projects inspired him to pursue a degree in Nursing Studies at De Montfort University. As a part of his post-secondary education, he also completed a clinical placement in Palliative Care. As he neared the end his second year of training, however, Shaun Chadwick became increasingly aware of his strengths in the realm of business. It became an undeniable fact that his true skill set was in leadership and management. Recognizing this, Shaun changed career paths, realigning his academic efforts to the discipline of Healthcare Business Studies.
Once he completed his education, Shaun became a professional practice manager. In short order, he earned a sterling reputation across the local health economy, receiving offers of employment from several prestigious organizations. In 2020, Shaun Chadwick decided to embrace his innate entrepreneurial instincts, launching his own medical center and assuming the role of Senior Executive Partner. After spending a significant amount of time working in this role, he came to a realization: Although he loved his work, his quality of life had measurably diminished.
Not wanting to leave the healthcare industry entirely and having become well-acquainted with the issues facing general practitioners through the course of his career thus far, Shaun founded his latest business, General Practice Solutions. The company acts as a support network for British healthcare practices and is considered a one-stop shop for the needs of general practitioners. In his capacity as Managing Director, Shaun Chadwick has recruited experts in human resources, government regulations, finance, and other relevant fields to assist the company in providing top-tier service to its clients. As a result, Shaun and his team have successfully solved many issues faced by general practitioners throughout the UK, helping them to thrive and maintain profitable businesses.
Shaun’s personal mantra is, “Do a job you love, and you’ll never work a single day in your life!” He maintains that developing and expanding General Practice Solutions provides him with the means to attain that level of grace and success.
What do you do at your company?
I’m the Managing Director of General Practice Solutions. In my day-to-day role, I oversee all employees and client projects. I make sure we’re hitting deadlines, and that our staff members are providing the highest quality assistance to every practice. It’s also my job to manage client relations and evaluate if any improvements are required in that sense. We’re vigilant about improving a number of issues important to our clients, such as regulatory challenges, financial issues, restructuring exercises, and mergers. Sometimes they might need a troubleshooter within their practice, and we can perform that function, as well. So, another one of my duties is to make sure that the talents of our team members are matched up well to deal with the unique issues faced by each of our clients.
What inspired you to start General Practice Solutions?
During my time working within the National Health Service (NHS) and primary care for 14 years, I saw the workload on general practitioners (GPs) increase tenfold. GP surgeons are expected to comply with all the same regulations and laws as massive corporate businesses, but they do not have the budget to fund either human resources or finance departments. My inspiration to start the company was based on the idea of fulfilling that need. I entertained the thought of building an enterprise that’s a one-stop shop for general practices, where we provide all the services they need at a fraction of the cost. Most practices don’t require the services of a human resources department every day, or financial planning for that matter. So, in response to that, we tailor our services based on our individual clients’ needs. Because of my previous experience in healthcare, I understood the massive workload that needed to be addressed, and that most general practitioners just don’t have the staff in place to do so. That realization became the genesis which eventually led to the founding of General Practice Solutions.
What defines your approach to business?
My approach to business largely revolves around client satisfaction. We are very customer-driven. I make sure we remain profitable and deliver the premium expertise that is required, and that we are providing an all-around solid service to our clients.
What are the keys to being productive that you can share?
In my opinion, one of the main keys to being productive is going into all situations with an open mind. Upon accepting a client, we take a detailed look at all the issues they’re facing. We rate all the areas of each practice that require improvement and use our expertise to determine the best solution to fulfill their needs. If the issue is something clinical, we’ll bring in a clinical member of staff who’s an expert within that particular field and then be able to direct action with that clinical skill set. Whereas if it’s a managerial, finance, or law issue, we can provide the experts who are best tailored towards those areas. Our success is built on the ability to keep ourselves productive while delivering expert service.
How do you measure success?
I personally measure success by judging whether or not the business is delivering high-quality service to our clients, and whether or not our clients are satisfied. I also believe in the importance of having a work/home life balance, so that’s a major factor, too. In the past, I’ve run my own general practitioner surgery as senior partner, and when I did, I was working all day and all night, seven days a week. Whereas now, I measure my success by having a solid balance in my life. I’m no longer forced to miss family members’ birthdays and key other milestones, such as weddings and other important occasions due to being overworked. I view success as achieving a balance that provides me with a decent quality of life while still affording me the luxury of doing a job that I love.
What would you say is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned through the course of your career?
Without question, the most valuable lesson I’ve learned in my career is how to delegate tasks and draw on the expertise of others. I trust my team implicitly. Our success is not about working ourselves to the point of exhaustion; it’s about delegating and sharing our expertise. Also, I learned to set realistic goals and timelines in order to not put myself under too much pressure.
What advice would you give to others who are aspiring to succeed in the same field?
I would advise anyone entering the British healthcare industry that patience is key. As a rule, nothing happens fast within the public sector. So, cultivating a patient attitude, trusting and relying on your team, and delegating properly will assist in the success of any individual aspiring to enter this industry.
What are some of your favorite things to do outside of work?
I’m currently learning to fly light aircraft. That’s something I’ve been keen on doing for quite a while. Actually, it was a boyhood dream of mine. So, I’m working very hard on earning my pilot’s license. I also like kayaking, traveling, and spending time with my family and friends.
How would your colleagues describe you?
My colleagues would describe me as driven, patient, and highly productive. I think they would also characterize me as a valuable asset to any organization.
How do you maintain work/home life balance?
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve accomplished a work/home life balance through the delegation of tasks at work. It’s all about trusting my team, rather than thinking I have to do everything myself.
What is a piece of technology that you rely on every day?
Personally, the piece of technology that I rely on most is my iPad. I make to-do lists on my iPad and nothing gets deleted from the device until it has been completed. I also use the iPad to set calendar reminders to prompt me on follow-ups. This helps me make sure that jobs have been finalized and we’ve delivered what we had set out to do. I really couldn’t do my job without my iPad.
What is a piece of advice you have never forgotten?
One piece of advice I’ve never forgotten is to always be kind and to treat people with dignity and respect. If you do that, generally they will do the same in return.
Read more:
Getting to Know You: Shaun Chadwick, Managing Director of General Practice Solutions
