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Academic psychiatrist & freelance writer 

Health and mind // Culture and the creative process
"The divide between art and science is a mistake"

The Times •

Player and spectator: Opinion on NHS cancer care

It took three months for my mother to get her cancer diagnosis after raising her very typical cancer symptoms with a specialist, and five months for her to receive any treatment. I hope it’s clear to any non-medic that this is far too long. We’ve heard about underfunding, and now we’re all aware of the impact Covid-19 has had on waiting times. But I believe there is a third factor that contributed heavily to her delayed diagnosis and that is the automated, thoughtless processing of patients in t...
5'ELEVEN" •

ASSER YASSIN

Lit cigarette in hand, he confessed that one line was all it took for him to become “addicted”. Asser Yassin, one of Egypt’s most instinctive actors, hadn’t considered acting until university. It was only after filling in for a production at the last minute that he made his stage debut: “I only said one word on stage… but it was so funny.” At the time, a “shy” engineering student, the rush of unmediated connection with the audience prompted a parallel education of the craft. He voraciously consu...
The Independent •

Doctors are leaving the medical profession – this is why

I voted in favour of the junior doctors’ strike and this week’s results were the vindication I needed to keep going as a doctor working in psychiatry. When I wake up to the bleep on my night shifts to find that the pillow I’d been sleeping on is stained with the dried blood of the doctor there before me, because they were injured the night before by a patient lashing out; or when I am working as a lone female clinician because there are no nurses to help look after a 12-bedded male psychiatric i...
5'ELEVEN" •

ASMAA GALAL

At the mention of her 2024 film, The White Dress, Asmaa Galal leaned in from amongst her loyal entourage with a look of delight, and the setting for our chat quickly felt more intimate. The actress was clearly touched and surprised that a female-led Egyptian indie film had reached a viewer in London. Thereafter manoeuvering between Arabic and English, she gave her perspective on freedom, respect and honesty within the Egyptian film industry.Asmaa is probably best known and beloved in Egypt for h...
5'ELEVEN" •

DALIA SHAWKY

Appearing self-assured, Dalia’s identity is grounded in a lifelong sense of direction. Dancing and acting from the age of five, she still gets messages from school friends expressing pride in her for doing what she always wanted. For some, clarity of vision can be an uncomfortable thing, but Dalia responds — “A friend of mine once said, ‘It's not very nice that you’ve always known what you want — you don't branch out’. I'm like, ‘What? It's amazing!’” Very much ‘A Girl’s Girl,’ she appears starr...
5'ELEVEN" •

AMINA KHALIL

Stylishly switching between Arabic, English, and a touch of French, the Egyptian actress Amina Khalil welcomed us into her room for a tête-à-tête. Through the penthouse window, a string of distant streetlights flickered against the backdrop of the Cairo night sky, and a long day was nearing its conclusion. Much like the streets of Cairo — energised at all hours — Amina brought an attuned focus to our conversation, preemptively answering questions with generosity, and always with a conscientiousn...
The Healthcare Leadership Academy Blog •

Innovation across the public, private and third sectors

‘Innovation across the public, private and third sectors’:
Reflections from Christiana Boules and Hugh Harvey
Part 1: Reflections on ‘What can the healthcare service learn from student-led initiatives?’

Christiana Boules
“I remember when I couldn’t recall the small bones of the ear and my ENT consultant thought that my knowledge of Latin should make this sort of thing easy. When I told him that I never studied Latin at school, and no, I’ve never been horse-riding, he mocked me for it.” One of...
BMJ •

Is there equal pay in healthcare? Not if you are a doctor

Coming from an all-empowering, all-girls school, the notion that: ‘women entering competitive professions such as Medicine would have to make the most of all possible opportunities to avoid disappointment’ was hardwired. Since the Equal Pay Act of 1970, young women have often been advised to ask for a higher salary in their professional working lives in order to offset preordained substandard salaries.
This is not to say that there are not legitimate reasons for disparities between salaries of m...
5'ELEVEN" •

NATASHA O'KEEFFE

Best known for playing Lizzie in Peaky Blinders, the truly long-suffering wife of the show’s protagonist, Natasha O’Keeffe’s credits extend to a wonderfully varied and serendipitously fitting reflection of her personality. Most recently, the South London-raised actor is performing in The Wheel of Time, the hit Amazon Prime show based on the Robert Jordan books. In it, she plays the hypnotic Lanfear, a seductive and formidable character who can influence others through their dreams. With an attit...
5'ELEVEN" •

DARCI SHAW

I’ve always found there to be a certain excitement in the timbre of a Scouse accent, so when I spoke to Liverpool’s own Darci Shaw, I felt a heightened awareness of the young actor’s rising stardom. At just 22, Darci already has an enviable resumé. What sort of steep trajectory could one career take when it starts with playing Renée Zellweger’s younger self as Judy Garland in the 2019 film Judy?Since her debut, Darci has been busy adding credits to her name. Her latest offerings — A Thousand Blo...
5'ELEVEN" •

MAJA SIMONSEN

In the age of video calls, it is almost impossible not to be drawn to our own reflection on the screen. Yet, when Maja Simonsen appeared, I found myself deliberately averting my gaze from my own image. In truth, it was an act of self-preservation.Maja Simonsen, the Danish model and actor, didn’t always envision a career in front of the camera. She once considered studying psychology or business, but her background in theatre and dance ultimately took precedence. Later in our conversation, she mo...
5'ELEVEN" •

ALEX AALTO

“You have to be a bit mad to do this job.” Alex Aalto, the Finnish-born founder of Aalto Production, has built his career on instinct, an ability to bring people together, and energy. Not a coffee drinker, his energy levels don’t seem to need it in accordance with his “impulsiveness, dynamism, and decisiveness.” However, balanced with a noticeably warm manner, such focus and momentum pair nicely for the business of managing the egos and unpredictability of production.Established in London in 201...
5'ELEVEN" •

NAOMI PIKE

Tentatively, my interview with Swansea born and raised Naomi Pike began on the topic of Welshness. Perhaps a little on-the-nose given our theme, but as someone who also spent much of their childhood in Wales, I couldn’t hide my excitement and Naomi was equally eager to share her pride. "I always say I talk for Wales; I would never say I talk for England." In her circles, the Welsh accent is rare, and perhaps there’s reason for its concealment. Before arriving at the London College of Fashion at...
5'ELEVEN" •

MARIO SIERRA

Mourne Textiles, based at the foot of the Mourne Mountains, creates more than just fabric – it forges a connection between landscape, tradition, and craftsmanship. For over 70 years, this family-run workshop has prioritised sustainable, small-scale production, resisting mass consumerism by embracing natural fibres and responsible craftsmanship.The surrounding natural environment serves as both the inspiration and guide for Mourne Textiles. “When you look out the windows, you just have the textur...