Career profile

Why did you become a nurse?

I wanted to contribute to improving the health status and life chances of people. It was very simple really. I had originally wanted to be a doctor but after an application and interview for medical school I had a feeling that the more successful I became in medicine the more likely that I would move away from diverse patient contact or influencing community health.

So I withdrew my UCCA application and applied instead for one of the first degrees in nursing at Sheffield City Polytechnic (now Sheffield Hallam University). I started my four year training in 1982.