About Us
A consultancy built on clinical insight and operational rigour
North Star was founded by perioperative specialists who have worked at the highest levels of surgical care — and who understand that lasting change requires both expertise and trust.
Our story
Born from the operating theatre, not the boardroom
North Star Peri Operative Consultancy was established to address a gap that its founders had observed repeatedly throughout their careers: the disconnect between strategic ambition and operational reality in perioperative care.
Too often, transformation programmes are designed by generalist consultants who lack the clinical depth to understand what actually happens in a theatre suite — and why change is so difficult to sustain. We exist to close that gap.
Our consultants have held senior operational, clinical, and leadership roles across NHS trusts, independent sector providers, and international healthcare systems. We bring that experience to every engagement, working alongside your teams rather than above them.
Our values
What guides every engagement
Clinical Integrity
Every recommendation we make is grounded in clinical evidence and operational reality. We do not offer solutions that look good on paper but fail in practice.
Honest Partnership
We tell clients what they need to hear, not what they want to hear. Our value lies in our independence and our willingness to challenge assumptions.
Measurable Impact
We define success in terms of outcomes — reduced waiting times, improved utilisation, sustainable workforce models — not deliverables produced.
Long-term Thinking
We design for sustainability. Our goal is to leave organisations stronger and more capable than when we arrived, not dependent on ongoing consultancy.
Leadership
The team behind North Star
Dr. Eleanor Marsh
Founding Director
FRCA, MBA (Healthcare Management)
Eleanor brings over two decades of perioperative leadership experience, having served as Clinical Director of Anaesthesia at two major NHS teaching hospitals and as a strategic adviser to NHS England's elective recovery programme. She founded North Star to bring genuine clinical expertise to perioperative transformation.
James Calloway
Director of Operations
MSc Surgical Care Practice, PgDip Healthcare Leadership
James has led operational transformation programmes across NHS and independent sector theatres, with particular expertise in scheduling optimisation, cancellation reduction, and workforce redesign. He has delivered programmes resulting in measurable improvements in theatre utilisation across multiple trusts.
Dr. Priya Nair
Head of Workforce Strategy
PhD Health Services Research, RN (Perioperative)
Priya's background spans perioperative nursing, health services research, and workforce policy. She leads our workforce planning practice, drawing on original research into perioperative staffing models and extended practice roles to help organisations build sustainable teams.
Our credentials
Recognised expertise across the sector
20+
Years combined perioperative leadership experience
40+
NHS and independent sector engagements delivered
12
Trusts supported through elective recovery programmes
£30m+
In efficiency savings identified and implemented
Work with us
If you are looking for a consultancy that understands perioperative care from the inside, we would welcome a conversation.