I grew up in Cambridge, where my father was researching into Jean-Jacques Rousseau at Trinity College, and my mother was a concert pianist. I passed A-Levels in English, French and German and then went to York University where I gained a degree in English Literature in 1976. Shortly before taking my finals, I decided I was going to train as a doctor. After qualifying, I moved East London where I worked as a GP for thirty years. My first book wrote 'Couldn't afford the eels, Memories of Wapping 1900 -1960' was based on interviews I had conducted, some of which were with my patients. I retired in 2016 but am going back to work for the NHS to help with the vaccination programme against Covid.
