I trained in Belfast and graduated in 2004, prior to moving to Southampton to be a junior house officer. After a 4-year period as a junior doctor in Wessex I started renal (kidney) speciality training in London and completed a PhD. During my research time I supported a multi national clinical trial (REPAIR), and developed a passion for clinical research to improve patient care. I transferred to Portsmouth where I completed my training, and then worked as a Consultant Nephrologist for 5 years, before making the decision to retrain as a clinical academic GP.
I am currently leading on National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funded research to understand how we can better identify and manage people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in primary care. I sit on the UK Kidney Association CKD Special Interest Group (SIG), lead the Society for Academic Primary Care SIG and work closely with the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Integrated Care System and industry partners to support improvement projects for people living with CKD. I have been working with the team at Living Well to establish a kidney clinic, led by a GP with an extended role in renal medicine, a role we are working towards being formally recognised by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). In addition to this I work part time at University Hospital Southampton (UHS), as a co-Associate Director of the Southampton Academy of Research. In this role I lead the UHS Research Leaders’ Programme.
Outside of work, I have two children who keep me busy, and as I am Norwegian, spend lots of time in the outdoors, including hiking, swimming and cross-country skiing.