Frank Hester is believed to have resigned as chief executive and resigned from his role as sole director of primary care IT provider The Phoenix Partnership (TPP).
HSJ reported that the documents available in Business House show that in September 2025 Hester resigned as sole director of TPPwhich he founded himself, and was replaced by a new director named Maria Tomasso.
TPP’s SystmOne electronic patient record (EPR) system is one of the most widely used clinical systems in primary care and community trusts, holding around 40% of the GP clinical software market. in England.
In the summer of 2025, Description of Hestor on the TPP website was changed from “Founder and CEO” to “Founder”, with Charlotte Knowlesa former CEO who has worked for the company for more than 20 years, is listed as “CEO.”
Hester became embroiled in a racial row in March 2024 after The Guardian alleged he had made racist and misogynistic comments at a TPP meeting, which appeared to incite violence against the UK’s longest-serving black MP, Diane Abbott, who is now the independent MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington.
In a statement, the TPP did not deny that Hester made the comments, but sought to portray them as “rude,” adding that Hester was “deeply sorry for her comments” and condemned racism.
Despite the controversy, TPP has continued to win NHS contracts and extensions, with Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust awarding a 10-year contract extension for a TPP EPR system worth almost £6.3 million in August 2024.
The trust said Digital health news that it had “sought assurances from the TPP regarding its equality, diversity and inclusion policies.”
Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust also confirmed in May 2025 that TPP had been selected to supply its new EPR following a “rigorous tender process”.
Meanwhile, at the Digital Health Rewired 2024 event in March 2024, attendees who were offended by Hester’s alleged comments were urged to sign an open letter condemning racism and discrimination and pledging commitment to developing an “equity charter” for the digital health industry.
The Equity Charter, co-founded by Ayesha Rahim, Digital Mental Health Clinical Lead, NHS England Transformation Directorate, Victoria Betton, Director of gentedotcom and Hassan Chaudhury, formally presented at Digital Health Rewired 2025 in March, sharing 10 principles to address discrimination in the sector.
In a joint statement, the co-founders of Equity Charter said: “There is a lot of potential for good in our sector and a lot of desire to do the right thing for society as a whole.
“It doesn’t seem right to focus too much on the behavior of a single individual, no matter how egregious. What’s more interesting to us is how this episode has pushed our sector to commit to what equity really means.
“He Equity Charter “It is a positive movement, focused on digital health equity and its link to reducing inequalities.”
will keep your inaugural community of practice event in London on November 10, 2025.
Digital health news contacted TPP for comment.
