My PhD research focused on the systemic and cultural challenges facing Junior Doctors in the NHS, exploring how organisational structures, professional hierarchies, and workplace cultures shape their experiences and development. 

Through qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews and ethnographic methods, I examined the tensions between policy-driven expectations and the lived realities of early medical careers. 

The research highlighted issues such as burnout, identity formation, and the hidden curriculum, offering critical insights into the support needs of junior doctors and the organisational change required to improve retention and wellbeing. 

The findings have informed workforce strategy and medical education policy, contributing to national conversations on compassionate leadership and inclusive learning environments in healthcare.

During my time at Imperial College London’s Institute of Global Health Innovation, I led major curriculum redevelopment projects to digitise two flagship postgraduate programmes, working in close collaboration with national and international stakeholders. 

For the MSc in Patient Safety, I partnered with global health leaders to modernise the curriculum, ensuring it reflected the latest research, innovation, and systems thinking in patient safety science. This work strengthened the programme’s international relevance, equipping future healthcare leaders with the skills needed to drive safer, higher-quality care worldwide. 

Alongside this, I led the redevelopment of the MSc in Health Policy, delivered as part of the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme. This initiative brought real-world policy challenges into the curriculum, integrating government priorities and contemporary health systems research to better prepare participants for leadership roles at the intersection of policy and practice.

These projects reflect my commitment to designing education that is globally informed, practically grounded, and responsive to the evolving needs of health systems. Recruitment to these programmes consequently doubled.

During my tenure as a Deputy Director, within the Strategy, Culture and Education Directorate at a regional NHS Ambulance Trust, my remit was to address and close an NHS England improvement plan, contributing the Trust’s exit from the National Recovery Support Plan. 

I led the restructuring of Education and Training teams, enhanced board oversight, and improved reporting across key workforce development metrics, including mandatory training compliance and learner progress. 

To stabilise the education function of the Trust, I strengthened partnerships with six regional universities and supported a new collaboration to develop a leadership apprenticeship standard for Operational Managers. I also commissioned a new training pathway in partnership with NHS England and the University of Cumbria, ensuring career progression for entry-level clinical staff across the Trust. 

Additionally, I supported the review of learner management systems, increased throughput at the ambulance driver training centre, and worked with co-directors to advance trust-wide culture change.  As part of efforts to address cultural issues, I supported the development of new employee networks to improve workforce satisfaction and retention. 

In summary, these achievements highlight my skills in strategic leadership, partnership building, and driving culture change within a complex healthcare organisation.