Medical Doctor

• Mar 2016 - Present

Medical Officer Palliative Medicine

• Mar 2014 - Dec 2022

Emigrated from UK to New Zealand to work in an 8 bedded Hospice providing Palliative Care for the North Shore Auckland. Involved in 1:4 on call rota for week-nights and weekends covering the ward and providing advice for Community Palliative nurses and Allied Healthcare Professionals. Admitted and assessed patients requiring Specialist Palliative Care. Involved in inpatient and community MDT meetings presenting new patients and discussing management plans with team. Managed blood transfusions, hypercalcaemia, septicaemia, delerium, pleural effusion and paracentesis. Ran doctor's medical meeting weekly for 6 months and journal club rota. Presented journal articles and discussed complex patients during Peer Review meetings. Enjoyed working with Community team visiting patients jointly with nurse or alone. Worked closely with patient's GP to determine specialist need and management sggestions after visiting patient. Held community phone providing advice to GPs and Hospital doctors and promoting Palliative Care. Involved in informal teaching of nurses, junior doctors and 5th year medical students from Auckland University. Ran audit on "The Management of Patients at Risk of Terminal Haemorrhage" as part of General Scope Training. The 1st audit cycle showing the hospice following Mercy Hospice Guidelines well. Part-way through the 2nd cycle seeing if improvements have been made following education on guidelines. Attended many teaching sessions, peer review meetings and 2 conferences in Wellington increasing knowledge and networking with colleagues from other hospices. Enjoy Community work, promoting the concept of palliative care and being part of a dynamic team. Show less

Specialty Grade Doctor

• Jun 2012 - Dec 2013

20 bedded busy hospice unit with 2-3 admissions daily. Involved in admitting patients, follow up outpatient clinics and running day care unit. Involved in blood transfusions, treatment of hypercalcaemia and paracentesis. Actively involved in weekly inpatient MDT meeting. Taught 5th year medical students from Sheffield and helped them see inpatient and daycare patients a part of their training. Supported by 2 consultants (not always on site). Learned new System one computer system ensuring comprehensive, and chronological note taking by all hospice staff. Show less

Specialty Grade Doctor

• Jun 2012 - Dec 2013

12 bedded hospice. First on call 1:5 rota week-nights and weekends.Involved in admitting patients, seeing inpatients daily, follow up outpatient clinics and presenting during consultant ward rounds. More involved in running Hospice Day centre assessing patients and referring to appropriate services. Started 8-12 week day care attendance with referral to appropriate services with discharge back to primary care thus ensuring all patients needing palliative care day care had the opportunity to access daycare. Used skills from MSc to determine how best to care for daycare and outpatients to ensure their quality of life was a priority. Involved in medical teaching rota weekly with opportunity for feedback from team to help develop presentation and speaking skills. Ran inpatient MDT meetings (weekly rota). Taught nurses and junior doctors when time permitted on the job. Part of the teaching team for 5th medical students from Nottingham University. Excellent feedback. Completed MSc in Palliative medicine from Cardiff University on quality of life assessment in a Palliative Care setting. Occasionally covered outpatient clinics at Newark hospital. Show less

Registrar

• Jan 2011 - Apr 2012

Opportunity to work as a Palliative Care Registrar in a large teaching hospital in Nottingham and at Hayward House a busy 20 bedded unit. Well- supported by consultant cover. Involved in assessing patients, rationalising those requiring admission and providing telephone advice to GPs and allied Healthcare professionals. Helped run Daycare unit assessing patients and referring to MDT. Liaised with Liver Unit to ensure Palliative registrars access to "blind" paracentesis as part of their training. Member of teaching team for neurology registrars and 5th year Nottingham University medical students. Special interest in MND- involved in clinics and working with MND specialist team. Part of Hospital Palliative care team visiting patients on the wards and discussing management plans with their medical teams. Worked closely with Hospital and Community Macmillan nurses teaching and advising them. Lead auditor for medical note documentation audit. Show less

Specialty Grade Doctor

• Jan 2009 - Dec 2010

Promoted to Specialty doctor. First on call 1:5 rota week-nights and weekends. Involved in admitting patients, seeing inpatients daily, follow up outpatient clinics and presenting during consultant ward rounds. Helped in Hospice Day centre assessing patients and referring to appropriate services. Involved in medical teaching rota weekly with opportunity for feedback from team to help develop presentation and speaking skills. Ran inpatient MDT meetings (weekly rota). Taught nurses and junior doctors when time permitted on the job. Part of the teaching team for 5th medical students from Nottingham University. Excellent feedback. Involved in community nurse MDT patient presentations and management discussions. Show less

Locum GP

• Dec 1990 - Oct 2010

2 Maternity leaves 1990 and 1993.Worked in numerous GP surgeries gaining experience in how practices run, together with seeing a wide variety of patients from all walks of life. Lung disease from mining and smoking was particularly common in Nottinghamshire. Enjoyed mixture of seeing young and old and often asked to provide palliative support for GP colleagues (who knew this was one of my interests). Involved in blood taking, contraceptive device insertion and joint injections. Involved in shadowing medical students and informal teaching. Ran an audit on steroid use and osteoporosis management at one practice. Often had long-term locum work at one practice so able to follow up and assess response to treatment of patients. Show less

Clinical Assistant

• Jan 2004 - Dec 2009

Initially split week with 2 days GP and 2 days Palliative Care. Realised wanted to pursue Palliative Care fully. First on call 1:5 rota week-nights and weekends.Involved in admitting patients, seeing inpatients daily, follow up outpatient clinics and presenting during consultant ward rounds. Helped in Hospice Day Centre assessing patients and referring to appropriate services. Involved in medical teaching rota weekly with opportunity for feedback from team to help develop presentation and speaking skills. Ran inpatient MDT meetings (weekly rota). Taught nurses and junior doctors when time permitted on the job. Part of the teaching team for 5th medical students from Nottingham University. Excellent feedback. Completed Diploma in Palliative medicine from Cardiff University. Show less

Oncology Clinical Assistant

• Oct 1998 - Dec 2003

1 outpatient clinic a week working with Registrar and consultant. Providing follow up for oncology patients, developing communication skills to discuss death and dying and helping introduce the hospice sevice for those patients entering palliative phase. Learned how to manage complications due to chemotherapy. Minor surgery for BCCs. 1 outpatient clinic a week working with Registrar and consultant. Providing follow up for oncology patients, developing communication skills to discuss death and dying and helping introduce the hospice sevice for those patients entering palliative phase. Learned how to manage complications due to chemotherapy. Minor surgery for BCCs.

Clinical Assistant

• Jan 1996 - Dec 1996

Worked in 2 hospital clinics for one day each week. Worked closely with specialist nurse in diabetes. Involved in oral treatments and initiating insulin. Most patients managed in the community rather than being admitted to hospital. Has greatly improved my knowledge and ability to manage diabetes in GP setting. Worked in 2 hospital clinics for one day each week. Worked closely with specialist nurse in diabetes. Involved in oral treatments and initiating insulin. Most patients managed in the community rather than being admitted to hospital. Has greatly improved my knowledge and ability to manage diabetes in GP setting.