Our story

Built on relationships. Driven by purpose.

Vanguard Meridian Clinical was founded on a simple belief: that exceptional patient care begins with exceptional people. We exist to connect the right clinicians with the right organisations — and to make that process feel human.

2,400+

Clinicians placed

98%

Client retention rate

12

Clinical specialisms covered

48hrs

Average shortlist turnaround

How we started

A different kind of healthcare recruiter

Vanguard Meridian Clinical was founded by healthcare professionals who had experienced recruitment from both sides — as candidates navigating a fragmented market, and as clinical leaders struggling to find the right people quickly enough.

We saw an industry that too often treated people as placements and organisations as transactions. We set out to build something different: a specialist consultancy rooted in genuine understanding of private healthcare, where every relationship is built on trust, transparency, and long-term thinking.

Today we work with some of the UK's most respected private hospitals, clinics, and healthcare groups — and with thousands of clinicians who trust us to represent them with care and integrity.

Vanguard Meridian Clinical consultants in discussion

What we stand for

Our values

01

People first

Every candidate is a person with a career, not a CV to be processed. Every client is an organisation with a culture, not a vacancy to be filled. We take the time to understand both.

02

Integrity always

We say what we mean and do what we say. We give honest counsel even when it's not what someone wants to hear, because the right outcome matters more than the easy one.

03

Private sector expertise

We recruit exclusively in private healthcare. That focus means we understand the standards, pace, and culture of the sector in a way that generalist recruiters simply cannot.

04

Long-term thinking

We measure our success not by placements made but by placements that last. We invest in relationships that endure beyond a single hire.

The team

Specialists, not generalists

Our consultants come from clinical and healthcare management backgrounds. They understand your world because they have lived it — and that makes every conversation more productive.

Dr. Eleanor Marsh

Dr. Eleanor Marsh

Founder & Managing Director

Former NHS consultant and private practice director with 18 years in clinical leadership. Eleanor founded Vanguard Meridian Clinical to bring genuine sector expertise to healthcare recruitment.

James Whitfield

James Whitfield

Director, Permanent Recruitment

15 years placing senior clinical and leadership talent across private hospitals and specialist clinics. James leads our permanent search practice with a focus on long-term fit.

Priya Nair

Priya Nair

Head of Temporary & Locum Staffing

A former theatre nurse turned recruitment specialist, Priya oversees our flexible staffing division and maintains our network of fully compliant locum clinicians.

Tom Gallagher

Tom Gallagher

Senior Consultant, Allied Health

Specialist in allied health and therapy recruitment across physiotherapy, occupational health, and diagnostic imaging. Tom brings deep specialism knowledge to every search.

Ready to work together?

Whether you're looking for your next role or building a clinical team, we'd love to hear from you.