I combine being a jobbing NHS doctor with work as a healthcare columnist, writer and commentator. I have had a weekly freelance "acute perspective" byline in the BMJ for 7 years without missing a week and also contribute to the BMJ Blog and occasional investigative reports. I have also written -sometimes paid. sometimes not, for the FT, Mirror, Daily and Sunday Telegraph, Guardian, Independent, Manchester Evening News, Byline Times and Huffington Post. I have had pieces in healthcare trade press - for instance the HSJ, NHS Executive and Public Sector Focus and have blogged for the King's Fund and Nuffield Trust.I had a respectable academic and research career (now largely dormant) and have co-authored numerous academic papers and book chapters. I also authored the King's Fund position paper "Making Health and Care Services Fit for an Ageing Population" and for 2 years, edited the British Geriatrics Society Newsletter.My writing has been recognised both in the PPA awards shortlist and the Health Service Journal "Top 100" list. I do sporadic "talking head" appearances in broadcast media - and did a lot of more of them during the Covid-19 pandemic. In my day job i am a consultant in geriatrics and general internal medicine at the Royal Berks Hospital and have been a consultant for 24 years and an NHS doctor for 33 years. My writing is informed by my clinical experience and credibility but also by the range of other roles i have played. These include Secretary and President of the British Geriatrics Society, Department of Health National Clinical Director for Older People, Clinical Vice President of the RCP London, Speciality Advisor for Emergency Care Intensive Support Team (ECIST) Visiting Fellow at the Kings Fund and Trustee at the Nuffield Trust.I was elected as President of the RCP London in April 2022 but then had to withdraw due to Covid-related oll health. My writing about this experience seemed to resonate with many doctors. Areas i usually cover include health services for older people, acute and integrated care services for adults, health and social care policy, medicine in the media, reflections on dilemmas and experiences of clinical practice, Covid-19 responses, medical professionalism and leadership. I have written FOI based investigative reports in the BMJ on PPE provision during the pandemic and on NHS consultancy spend but don't do much news writing. Now that I have withdrawn from the RCP Presidency, i am looking to expand my writing portfolio and gain experience of other styles of article and other outlets. All advice, approaches or contacts welcomeDavid
