The Purposeful Strategist, a podcast from Menkus & Associates in partnership with Norman Broadbent, shares conversations with CEOs on how they translate organisational purpose into bold strategy, real impact, and lasting results.
What does it take to scale a mental health service while staying focused on what matters most -reducing human distress? In this episode, Barny Guthrie, CEO of Clinical Partners, shares how he is building a growing organisation grounded in purpose rather than growth for its own sake.
Today, Clinical Partners includes around 400 staff and a network of more than 450 self-employed clinicians, delivering services in an area where demand continues to rise. Barny reflects on leading the organisation through a period of intense pressure and rapid transformation, including managing significant increases in demand and the operational challenges that came with expanding waitlists.
Drawing on his own personal journey into leadership, Barny explains how strategy became a tool for clarity and focus during uncertain times. He also explores the role of technology in improving both efficiency and clinical outcomes, while emphasising that trust, strong governance, and consistent performance are essential in a service built on human connection.
At its core, his perspective is clear: while systems and scale matter, mental healthcare will always depend on people - and building an organisation that reflects that truth is the real challenge.
Listen to the full podcast episode here: https://www.menkus.com/podcast/2026/03/19/barny-guthrie