Dr Vanisha Parekh
Vanisha studied Medicine at King’s College London and holds an intercalated BSc (Hons) degree in International Health from the University of Leeds. After Foundation Training with South Thames Foundation School, she worked as an editor for Nature Publishing Group focusing on two of their clinical Nature Reviews journals, and as Managing Editor for Medikidz, a company producing graphic novels to explain medical information to children. Vanisha went on to complete Core Anaesthetics Training in Oxford Deanery and is a Member of the Royal College of Anaesthetists. She has since gained experience working within undergraduate and postgraduate medical education, most recently at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. She has a Postgraduate Certificate in Education for Clinical Contexts from Queen Mary University of London and was awarded the title of Honorary Clinical Lecturer at University College London Medical School.
Vanisha is currently a National Medical Director’s Clinical Fellow based at Health Education England, working on national programmes and initiatives. Prior to this Vanisha had led numerous quality improvement and transformation projects and contributed to national research as a Local Investigator.
Travelling and expeditions have taken Vanisha across the globe, including to Antarctica. Her clinical attachment with the University of the West Indies in Jamaica and medical elective in India provided exposure to healthcare infrastructure and delivery abroad. She has also undertaken primary research relating to HIV in Swaziland and acute mountain sickness in the Himalayas, and was appointed as a writer for the International Anesthesia Research Society Annual Meeting in Chicago, USA.
Reason for applying for the scheme
Vanisha has assumed a variety of leadership and management roles including her time as co-Chair of the National Trainee Engagement Forum and as Anaesthetic Trainee Representative, as well as contributing to the COVID-19 Taskforce at the Royal Free Hospital. She recognises the value high quality leadership can bring in driving excellence and raising the standard of patient care, as well as influencing the vision and goals of an organisation and the wider system. In her current role, Vanisha has valued the opportunity to undertake work on sustainability and carbon reduction in support of delivering a net zero National Health Service and addressing climate change. Vanisha is delighted to have been appointed to the Chief Sustainability Officer’s Clinical Fellow Scheme working with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and with Greener NHS. She looks forward to building on her experience, learning from senior leaders and strengthening her knowledge of embedding net zero and sustainability principles across healthcare.
