24/10/2025
💭 10 Lessons I’ve Learned from 15 Years in the NHS
After 15 years working in and around the NHS — from my early days with Connect Health, through to countless locum MSK contracts (in Manchester, Oxford, Halifax, Newcastle, Sunderland) and more recently an FCP role across the South Tyneside — it’s fair to say the journey has shaped every part of how I think, lead, and deliver physiotherapy today.
Here are 10 lessons that stuck:
1. People > Systems. The best outcomes still come from relationships, not protocols.
2. Listen first, treat second. The story usually reveals the solution.
3. Never let service pressure dilute clinical standards. Quality care isn’t negotiable.
4. Leadership isn’t about hierarchy. It’s about consistency, accountability, and empathy.
5. Multidisciplinary teamwork works — when egos stay out of it.
6. Change is constant. The clinicians who thrive are the ones who adapt fastest & experiment with approaching their style of consultation.
7. Public health starts in the treatment room. Every conversation is an opportunity to influence lifestyle.
8. Resilience isn’t about working longer — it’s about working smarter and staying well.
9. Data and outcomes matter. If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.
10. The NHS teaches prioritisation, gratitude, and growth — in equal measure.
Grateful for the colleagues, mentors, and patients who’ve shaped this chapter.
And now, as I step fully into the next phase at Pro Health Physio, those lessons continue to drive how we build, lead, and innovate in private practice.
Exciting times ahead with HUGE changes at Pro Health Physio…..