Why did you decide to become a Consultant in Endocrinology, Diabetes and General Medicine ?

Medicine has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mother was a lecturer in a college of nursing, so I was immersed in medicine from the age of six and never really imagined another path. The second reason is more personal. I lost my father to complications of diabetes, and I lost my mother when I was nineteen. Those losses shaped me profoundly. I have always felt that if you fear something, the best way to overcome that fear is to study it deeply and work with it, so that instinct drew me to medicine and the endocrine system. I trained at Guy's and St Thomas', and I have always been intrigued by patterns and by the wider picture of health. It is not just medicine; it is lifestyle, gut bacteria, and the many things that influence how we respond to nature. That is how I came to focus on diabetes and endocrinology - which sits at the centre of this fascinating paradigm.

What are the common symptoms that your patients tend to present with?

Patients most commonly present with tiredness and a general feeling of being unwell, often without a clear explanation for why they feel that way. In private practice the picture tends to be gradual and unclear initially but progressive rather than the sudden, life-threatening endocrine presentations you see in emergency (NHS) medicine. Typical symptoms include 'something is wrong with me’, e.g., sudden weight loss or weight gain, tiredness, anxiety, palpitations, and ‘hormone-like' problems. Many patients also come for weight management and to feel generally better in themselves. Cardiovascular and metabolic health are closely linked because most endocrine and diabetes problems carry a significant cardiovascular risk even in the early stages (e.g., pre-diabetes), so I always look at health in terms of both lifespan and lifestyle (quality of life and wellbeing), which need to go hand in hand.

What are the treatments that you're able to offer your patients?

It always begins with 'good communication' - listening to the ‘patient's story' to understand what matters most to them and why they have come to see me (A detailed history is often the key to identifying hidden patterns that may otherwise be missed). From there, to investigate with the diagnostic tests available. That usually starts with blood tests, covering general kidney and liver function, and then, specific endocrine tests for thyroid, pituitary and adrenal etc problems. Many endocrine conditions stay hidden until they cause a significant problem, so detailed blood results matter, alongside relevant scans, whether an MRI for the pituitary, an ultrasound for the thyroid, chest imaging, or, in very specialised cases, a PET scan. The skill lies in integrating all of that into a clear, understandable pathway  for the patient to feel confident, and then directing care according to evidence-basedguidelines to reach the right outcome. It is always linked to what the patient wants and their personal experience of life. In addition, lifestyle plays a part. I believe in a wholesome approach to life - good nutrition and exercise, and I am also open to allied functional, psychological aspects like hypnotherapy and mind-set coaching etc. The healing of the body requires both, the precision of science and the wisdom of nourishment - it is all interlinked rather than working in silos. Some patients undergo surgical intervention as well as medical treatment. We also hold multidisciplinary meetings to agree on the treatment pathway for complex and highly specialised cases, including specialised investigations such as the PET scans available at HCA. 

What are your areas of sub-specialist interest?

I am a senior endocrinologist with around 30 years in the NHS and 20 years as a consultant, so I have seen the evolution of medicine first-hand. With the GLP-1 analogues, for example, as with other medications, I was involved as a principal and also sub-investigator in various research trials (even before they came to market). Over time, I have focused my clinical work on general endocrine, thyroid, and lifestyle and weight loss medicine. I hold the specialist licence for radioactive iodine, the ARSAC certification needed to give radio-iodine treatment, and I run the radio-iodine service in my NHS Trust. I see most thyroid problems, I work with hybrid-closed loop insulin pumps, and I look after high-risk conditions, including endocrine and diabetes care in pregnancy. Alongside this, I provide endocrinology and diabetes input into multidisciplinary meetings. Earlier in my career, I held clinical leadership and commissioning roles within diabetes services, which continues to inform my broader approach to patient care and service development