Dr Anna Buckingham
Anna Buckingham completed her medical degree at The University of Nottingham graduating with honours, having also completed a Bachelor of Medical Sciences 1st Class. Her initial medical training was in London and KSS deaneries and she is now a Specialty Registrar in Gastroenterology in Northwest London.
She developed an interest in leadership from the outset, taking on the role of Foundation Representative to help improve the communication between her colleagues and the board. She went on to join the Trust Junior Doctors’ Leadership Group as a CT1. This facilitated her grounding in NHS leadership and organisational systems with hands on experience of management structures.
She has demonstrated her ability to provide effective leadership through quality improvement projects, leading departmental audits and working on larger cross site projects. This has developed her understanding of audit and how QI initiatives can enhance patient safety. She has designed and led teaching programmes, organising small group teaching sessions and creating a peer led teaching package while working in Anaesthetics.
She completed the LSHTM East African Diploma in Tropical Medicine in 2011 which gave her insight into epidemiology, public health and health systems in developing nations. Conducting a health needs assessment for Pangani District in Tanzania highlighted that from geographical factors to diagnostic capabilities, the Doctor-Patient interaction is a minor component of the wider care system. She is passionate about the patient experience of medical care, the health inequalities they face and the impact on their healthcare journey.
Reason for applying for the scheme
Anna is passionate about the potential for systemic improvement through excellence in NHS management. She recognises that our capacity as clinicians can be limited by our leadership abilities. Through her experience as a fellow, she hopes to gain new skills and bring these principles back to her clinical role, developing a strong strategic leadership platform and bridging the gap between the clinical frontline and the non-clinical management process. She applied to the Fellowship to gain deeper knowledge of current NHS issues and leadership challenges, and to apply her experience to larger projects.
