Founder and executive vice-chairman of Healthcare Locums (HCL), Kate Bleasdale has won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Business Services.

Kate was recognised for various achievements, which included:

• Foresight and creativity  - in founding and developing two healthcare staffing companies;
  
  
• Innovation - in pioneering London’s Medicentre walk-in clinics
  
  
• Drive and energy – in founding HCL in 2003 and expanding the company through 13 acquisitions
  
  
• Tenacity and experience – in growing HCL organically to become the UK’s largest health and social care staffing agency with operations worldwide
  
  

Bleasdale says: “I’m extremely honoured to have won this Award, which is also a fantastic reflection on the hard work and achievements of everyone at HCL. All of the finalists were incredibly talented entrepreneurs and it was a pleasure to meet and share ideas with like-minded people.”