Our Acknowledged Expertise
Sport and Exercise Medicine is at the heart of our work and our reputation with sport’s governing bodies, clubs, players, athletes, team doctors and specialists reflects our understanding and acknowledged expertise in this area.
Meet the team
Richard Blain
Richard founded Health Partners in 1993 taking the central role in the design, development and implementation of ‘The Premier League Medical Care Scheme’.
The Scheme, which we continue to manage to this day, facilitates the provision of healthcare to 96% of all professional footballers in England and Wales, including Premier League & English Football League Clubs, and the national squads.
Richard immediately instilled his own principles of integrity, client service and professionalism throughout Health Partners developing a strong culture of staff loyalty, cooperation, innovation and skills development within the business.
Richard Bown
With over 30 years’ experience in the financial services and healthcare industry, Richard has focused on working with many high-profile clients that have included members of the Royal Family; Members of Parliament and within the film, television and music industries. Complimenting his role as Operations Director; Richard is the Account Director for the F.A. Premier League Medical Care Scheme Trust, managing it for over twenty years and has developed the Scheme from its earliest beginnings to the largest and most successful healthcare Trust of its type, anywhere in the world.
Away from work, Richard enjoys spending time with his family and is also Chairman of a community football club for children and young people with autism.
Kay Ford
Kay has over 25 years management experience in the healthcare sector, having worked for Health Partners for the last sixteen years and previously with two of the UK’s major healthcare providers.
Prior to Health Partners, Kay was a Senior Corporate Manager with BUPA Wellness, responsible for developing and managing out-sourced services.
With extensive experience and key responsibility for service procurement and contract pricing / negotiation, Kay plays a central role in maintaining the competitiveness of our medical trust business.
Frances Phillips
Frances joined Health Partners in 2006 and is the Account Manager for the ECB Healthcare Trust (England & Wales Cricket Board) the TASS Medical Care Scheme (Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme) and RFU Women’s Premier 15’s.
Having been a successful business manager with one of the largest private medical insurers in the UK prior to joining Health Partners, Frances has over 25 years of experience in process enhancement and product management across the healthcare sector and is the lead on IT and online client services within the business.
Caroline Westrep
A graduate from the University of London, Caroline joined Health Partners in 1995 following 11 years with Standard Life. Armed with a wealth of detailed experience in all aspects of private healthcare and medical trusts, Caroline has led the F.A. Premier League Medical Care Scheme as Account Manager since 2000.
With responsibility for over 10,000 individual treatment episodes per year, Caroline is acknowledged by the Premier League, clubs and medics alike as a key contributor to the success of the F.A. Premier League Medical Care Scheme.
James Brown
A Fellow of the Faculty of Sports & Exercise Medicine, and founder in 2001 of UKADIS, (UK Association of Doctors in Sport) James is an interventional Sport and Exercise Medicine Physician with extensive knowledge and experience in sports injuries. Sports Physician to England RFU U21’s from 2000- 2004, James has held posts as Sports Physician to: Yorkshire County Cricket 1998 – 2000, Huddersfield Giants Rugby League FC 1998 – 2000, Wakefield Trinity Rugby League FC 1996 – 1998.
James is currently Sports Physician to the Northern Ballet theatre company, a Director of Technology in Medicine Ltd and Director of Open Sports Medicine, an active discussion group for Physicians and Surgeons involved in Sport & Exercise Medicine.