Biography

Précis

Dr Raj Singh Chandok has worked in the Frontline NHS for 27 years and been the Lead GP at his NHS General Practice for 23 years, serving over 13,500 Patients in Southall & Hayes, North West London. He has a continuum of responsibility from the oversight of operational day to day management, to achieving the long term strategic objectives of the partnership.

He leads a team of 40 clinical and non-clinical colleagues, his clinical team have dedicated roles covering the breadth of responsibilities in a large suburban practice. The team collectively provides holistic primary care services to a predominantly South Asian population, which has a high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, obesity and Type 2 diabetes. Additionally the continual influx of new migrants within the practice area, also gives rise to a higher incidence of mental health illness. This undoubtedly leads, to a considerable increase in the demand and utilisation of the services that are provided by his team. His primary care team has expanded significantly, as the practice list size has increased by 6000 patients over the last decade. The majority of his team speak local languages, which enable them to relate to their patients more effectively, and enhances their ability to achieve the compassionate holistic care they desire for their patients.

Raj has supported and protected his team since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, charing weekly meetings to update his team of key pandemic developments, looking after their mental and physical welling being has been a priority for him during the pandemic. Ensuring that the team had adequate PPE always, checking on staff morale and supporting all who were anxious.

He led by example and as soon as COVID vaccines were available, he visited and gave the first COVID vaccine dose to 97 of his housebound patients, this operation took several days involving visiting each patient at their home.

During the pandemic, Raj encountered significant concerns about the safety of COVID vaccines from his Practice patients and his team, this led him and his fellow authors to research this important domain. A research paper titled ‘A qualitative study of factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among South Asians in London’ was published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Open in 2022 based on their findings. The JRSM press release about the paper highlighted the importance of the conclusions noted by the authors, this research will therefore inform evidence-based decisions about policy regarding vaccine hesitancy.

He is a Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Physicians, holding Fellowship from both Colleges is a rare attainment.

Raj holds a number of voluntary roles serving the local communities, and he is currently pursuing his academic research interests of diabetes care, relational continuity of care and vaccine hesitancy. He serves on the editorial advisory board of Practical Diabetes and peer reviews papers for various journals. During the pandemic, Raj made regular appearances on Sunrise Radio, which is an established national commercial radio station broadcasting news, music, talk shows and programmes in Asian languages, he delivered key messages relating to the pandemic for the Asian audience. Between 2019 and 2021, Raj wrote a monthly article for his local newspaper, KCW London covering Kensington, Chelsea, Westminster and adjoining boroughs.

From 2011 – 2020, Raj served as Vice-Chair of NHS Ealing Clinical Commissioning Group, being elected for 3 consecutive, 3 year terms. Raj held a senior portfolio including chairing and serving as a permanent member of various committees in Ealing and North West London, this was a time of significant changes in the NWL sector. He played a leading part at NHS Ealing and within the North West London Collaboration of CCGs, during the last decade, leaving a strong legacy in Ealing for the NHS North West London Integrated Care System.

As the Ealing Diabetes Lead, he developed the new Ealing Diabetes strategy in 2011, and he was able to secure significant and transformational NHS investment for the new Ealing Diabetes Model, which addressed the lack of resources being deployed in meeting the needs of people with Diabetes. This investment enabled for the first time, amongst other initiatives : The creation of Ealing Community Diabetes Clinics, with enhanced Diabetes Specialist Nursing input, Consultant input and support from podiatry and dietetics specialities. A new high quality education programme for primary care professionals to deliver improvements across Ealing in managing patients with Type 2 Diabetes. A Diabetes Patient Forum, to be a critical friend of the strategic plan for diabetes, ensuring the commissioning intentions and implementation had the patient voice at its centre. Prior to 2011, previous strategies had not resulted in significant clinical behaviour change in either primary or secondary care teams, nor had they addressed the underlying need for investment, integration and innovation in the delivery of Diabetes care in Ealing, and worryingly Diabetes outcomes were poor. 

The collective work of Ealing Diabetes Care Colleagues over the last decade has allowed more people with Diabetes to achieve NICE recommended treatment targets for BP, Cholesterol & HbA1c. As a result, people with Diabetes in Ealing have improved blood pressure control, lipid management and glycemic control, over time this will lead to a reduction in the premature mortality and excess morbidity associated with complications of Diabetes. 

Raj as lead author, has published a series of three research papers describing the collaborative approach to improving diabetes care in Ealing and North West London, during the years 2011 – 2021. These papers articulate the transferable principles from the work in Ealing, that can be adopted to transform diabetes services and achieving sustainable improvements in diabetes care. Raj played a leading part in the award winning North West London Diabetes programme. 

Raj comes from a family of medics, his father, mother, and late brother Bikram, have collectively provided over 120 years of Frontline service to the NHS. 

Raj lives with his wife Stephanie and their children in Parsons Green, London. As a family, they ski every winter in St.Mortiz and the French Alps.