I struggle with "job title" as have learned the hard way the perils of solely identifying myself or others by labels. 

I am a graduate in Russian and before becoming ill, ran projects mainly in the countries affected by the Chernobyl disaster. My career was cut short when I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after an accident in which my  colleagues were killed. The consequences included homelessness, multiple admissions to hospital and identity loss. I resolved to put my experiences to good use and gradually started to reconnect with the assets that being a passive recipient of 'care' had frozen.

I now advise NHS, housing and social care organisations on working in equal partnership with citizens. I have undertaken a QI and Leadership Fellowship with CLAHRC North West London and went on from there to graduate from the Mary Seacole programme of the NHS Leadership Academy. I have found the experience of shared learning alongside healthcare professionals to be very rewarding and there are not enough opportunities to do so on a genuinely equal playing field.

I regularly speak at conferences but my most fulfilling work is with students and future NHS leaders such as the fantastic NHS Graduate Scheme trainees. This year I spoke at Stanford Med X Ed, worked over a few months in partnership with a Stanford meghcsl student and did some work there with high school students going into medicine.

I am currently working with NHS Improvement on the development of a new national network to support patients and carers working in Quality Improvement as partners.