Retiring Lakeside Healthcare boss says it was an 'honour' to lead Corby GP practice

Professor Robert Harris in 2016 showing former Corby MP Andy Sawford, Labour leadership candidate Owen Smith and then leader of Corby Council Tom Beattie around the Lakeside building.

The chief executive of Corby' s Lakeside Healthcare has retired after seven years at the helm.

Professor Robert Harris, who has been in charge at Lakeside Healthcare for seven years, has announced his immediate retirement from the partnership and resignation from his chief executive role.

In a statement, he said that he was proud of the work he'd overseen during his tenure and would now take a much-needed break to focus on his non-executive roles.

He said: "It has been my great honour and privilege to lead Lakeside since 2014. Together we have achieved great things, not least how we have looked after our patients throughout the pandemic. I am extremely proud of everything that we have done as a group, and now look forward to the next stage of my life after Lakeside.”

A statement from Dr Mike Richardson, Chair of Lakeside Healthcare Partnership, said: "Robert Harris recently formally notified the partnership of his intention to permanently retire from Lakeside Healthcare.

"On behalf of management board and the wider partnership, Dr Mike Richardson accepted Robert’s resignation as CEO and also his permanent retirement from the partnership.

"Robert has led Lakeside for over seven years. During that time Lakeside grew from a single practice in Corby, to the group that we are today. Along the way, the business expanded in patient, staff and partner numbers and developed into exciting new business areas, such as teaching, training, and clinical research.

"Robert’s drive and vision, working with the Lakeside Partnership team, enabled the ambitious Lakeside journey that we have all been on together to happen.

“I would like to thank Robert for all his hard work over the years and all Lakeside Healthcare Partners and staff wish Robert the very best for whatever the future holds for him.”

East Northamptonshire resident Prof Harris, an Oxford and Yale graduate, has an enviable CV and was formerly a special advisor to UK Secretary of State for Trade & Industry. He then held the job of managing director of a global investment bank as well as a number of senior positions in the private sector and the NHS including National Director of Strategy for NHS England. In 2014 he became the CEO of Lakeside where helped oversee its transformation from a single-site surgery into the largest GP practice in the country.