posts » My relationship with University College London Hospital

My relationship with University College Hospital stretches a long way back; indeed, it actually began before I was born, when my mother booked her pregnancy there. And there I was born.

During the years since, I attended a few times: the odd out patients appointment, or a trip to Accident and Emergency. However, I did not return properly until 2007, at which point I was starting academic training at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine around the corner. I had responded to a request for locums, and locum I did for the following year.

Then, the locum agency (UCLH's staff 'bank' was run by an external company) started to clamp down on unecessary additional requirements (for example, immunisations that were extra to those recommended by the Department of Health for NHS workers). I negotiated a unique, part-time contract with the department of Neonatology that enabled me to work directly for the Trust. This allowed me to become better integrated into the department, and I contributed to development of clinical guidelines.

In 2011, my academic work moved to UCL. Shortly thereafter, my contract was converted to include a half-time committment to clinical duties. I also gained responsibility for teaching medical students and postgraduates on some of the taught courses run by the university. I continue to have an Honorary contract while working in Paris, France, at INSERM (the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research).