Professor Sudhesh Kumar - Chair of Apnee Sehat

Professor Sudhesh Kumar is Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean (External Affairs) at the University of Warwick Medical School. He is internationally recognised for his research into obesity and its complications. His research group have been recognised through several national and international awards.

He works with a multi-disciplinary research team including basic scientists and clinicians to investigate the pathogenesis and treatment of obesity and its metabolic and cardiovascular complications. His research includes novel approaches to the treatment of obesity and diabetes incorporating new behavioural, dietary and pharmacological approaches, including early intervention to prevent diabetes. His health services research examines novel approaches to the delivery and care for obesity and diabetes based on studies such as a UKADS, Apnee Sehat and CounterWeight.

Dr Vinod Patel BSC (HONS) MD FRCP DRCOG MRCGP - Board Director

Dr Vinod Patel is Associate Professor in Clinical Skills at Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick. He is also Honorary Consultant Physician in Endocrinology and Diabetes, Acute Medicine and Medical Obstetrics at the George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

He trained in Endocrinology and Diabetes at the Hammersmith and the Royal London hospitals. He obtained a Doctorate on Haemodynamic Factors in the Pathogenesis of Diabetic Retinopathy from the University of London and has multiple papers arising from the work. Whilst his specialist area of research is prevention of diabetic complications, he has a passion for clinical diabetes care. He is jointly qualified in Hospital Medicine and General Practice and has this has allowed him to work relatively seamlessly across the primary care/secondary care interface and improve effectiveness in delivery of diabetes care for the local Community. His commitment to Clinical Education is to help create world-class healthcare professionals that will be capable of dealing with the clinical, managerial and professional challenges of the future.

His Diabetes Care Team was instrumental in developing the “Alphabet Strategy” for patient-centred, evidence-based, multi-professional diabetes care. This preventative and treatment-orientated strategy has been taught in numerous courses and seminars across UK with multiple international presentations at conferences. The most recent venture is the delivery of two workshops in Bahrain sponsored by the UN Development Programme.

His work is driven by the deep held belief that a patient-centred, outcome-based, team-working approach can lead to a reduction in all premature complications of diabetes and indeed complications of all long-term conditions by at least 50%, thereby significantly improving the quality of life of people in UK.

Dr Wasim Hanif MBBS MD FRCP
Board Director

Dr Wasim Hanif is a Consultant Physician & Hon Senior Lecturer in diabetes and endocrinology at University Hospital Birmingham. He received his specialist training in Birmingham and has worked at major teaching centres in the city. He completed his specialist training in 2003 and was awarded joint CCST in general medicine and diabetes and endocrinology and an MD for research in South Asians with diabetes from University of Birmingham. He had his primary qualification in 1991 from Osmania University in South India. He has been involved with major research projects in diabetes and has published widely. He was selected for Kings Fund Leadership Programme in Diabetes. His research interest includes: diabetic renal disease, diabetes prevention, management of diabetes in Ramadan, obesity, ethnicity and tackling health inequalities.

He is involved as a principal investigator in several international multi-centre trials and was instrumental in setting up UKADS (United Kingdom Asian Diabetes Study).

He is an eminent authority on ethnic health and works with following national bodies to address health inequalities in the UK.

Chairman of Diabetes Working Group of South Asian heart Foundation (SAHF) National body of eminent professional advising department of health, NICE and NSF on ethnic health.  He has been involved in producing educational programme’s, DVD’s and diabetes toolkit for South-Asians. Produced and authored a report on the gaps in research among South Asians with Diabetes in the UK that was launched at the Houses of Parliament on the 17th June 09 by Lord Naren Patel and Right Hon Keith Vaz MP

Member of fourth independent advisory NICE Appraisal Committee on the use of health technologies in the NHS 2009.

Member of Professional Development group of NICE on prevention of diabetes in high risk group, 2009s.

Member of Parliamentary and Stakeholder Diabetes Think Tank advising All Party Parliamentary Group on Diabetes Chaired by Adrian Sanders MP.

Member of Parliamentary Best Practice Consensus Group on Diabetes in South Asians Chaired by Right Hon Virendra Sharma MP. Authored a diabetes toolkit for the group that was launched in Parliament House on the 11th of May 09.

Member of Parliamentary Consensus Group Engaging South-Asian Community in Local diabetes services, Chaired by Lord King.

Member of Good Diabetes Care for All: Tackling Health Inequalities in Diabetes Working Group set-up by Rowan Hillson National Clinical Director of Diabetes.

Dr Elizabeth Hughes - Board Director

Dr Liz Hughes has been Consultant in Chemical Pathology and Metabolic Medicine since 1990 at Sandwell General Hospital, West Bromwich and is also Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Warwick. Dr Hughes specialises in the management of obesity Type 2 diabetes and is recognized as an international expert in hyperlipidaemia. She lectures regularly throughout the UK and worldwide.

She is Director of the Sandwell Medical Research Unit, a leading UK centre for research into diabetes and heart disease particularly focusing on research on cardiovascular risk in the South Asian Community on which she has published widely.

In addition she is the Postgraduate Medical Dean responsible for the training of junior doctors throughout the West Midlands Region

Mini Mangat - Director of Business Development

Mini Mangat is an experienced and talented Manager of Apnee Sehat CIC with passion of addressing health inequalities and social value. Her professional background is in the Human Resources field with expertise in Equality & Diversity and Management within the NHS and private sector. Mini has been working with local communities for some time, she has substantial experience in consultation and engagement, she was instrumental in designing and implementing a unique and outcome based programme. Her passion is to work towards eliminating health inequalities and give local people power via self-help initiatives.

Mini’s vision for Apnee Sehat is to make it a local, national and internationally known organisation which focuses on quality rather than profit, and is led by multi-disciplinary clinicians, and putting patients in control of their own healthcare.

Peter Cunliffe - Head of Finance

Having qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1983, Peter Cunliffe has spent the next 20 or so years working for several companies in a range of commercial sectors, including specialty chemicals and laboratory analysis, occupying financial director roles from 1988 onwards.

Since 2004, Peter has opted for a portfolio approach, working with a variety of mainly start-up businesses, many of them university spin-outs, assisting them with the procurement of finance to fund either research and development programmes or the commercialisation of their R&D project, in addition to carrying out the core financial management function.

Peter Cunliffe has been Head of Finance since August 2007 with Apnee Sehat.

Surinder Ghatoray - Apnee Sehat dietitian

Surinder Ghatoray has been registered as a dietitian since 1984 and worked in the NHS, Private Sector, Further and Higher Education. She is now a freelance dietician, as well as having a significant input as an Associate Lecturer/ Study Adviser/ Forum Moderator with the Open University for their Nutrition, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Obesity Courses.

Recently, Surinder has become a Forever Living products distributor and business coach which focus on Aloe Vera and Beehive Products for skin, nutrition and health. She was recognised by Tony Blair (then Prime Minister) in February 2003 for her services to Allied Health Professions by a personal invitation to Number 10 Downing Street for an evening reception. She continues to develop her skills and expertise in Sports Nutrition, as well as expertise in Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, weight management, and health promotion.

Surinder’s weight management club is in development and based in Solihull. She is fluent in English and Panjabi, and can converse coherently in Hindi and Urdu. She has developed education tools for the South Asian population for health care professionals and well as hands on support and teaching for the public about appropriate shopping, cooking and eating.

Sue Cresswell - Operations Co-ordinator

Sue Cresswell is the Operations Co-ordinator and has been working with Apnee Sehat since February 2007 starting with the Pilot project in Leamington Spa supporting education sessions and the Diabetes Clinic. She now co-ordinates the operational activities for Apnee Sehat in the Foleshill area of Coventry, liaising with the local community and health care professionals within Foleshill.

Nav Dulay - Administrations officer

Nav has qualified from University in 2008 with a BA (hons) Sociology; this involved researching differing social and cultural aspects of daily life within the UK. Since completing her degree, she has gained extensive experience within the Professional Services Sector.

Coming from an Asian background, Nav is aware of the health issues which Asian communities are prone too. This allows her to fully understand how important Apnee Sehat is when attempting to support the Asian community on these common illnesses, whilst keeping cultural elements in mind.

Nav Dulay has been an Administrations Officer at Apnee Sehat since November 2009.