Dr Sharon Spooner MBChB, FRCGP, FHEA, PhD

Overview

My research interests are informed by working for several years as an NHS GP before obtaining a mid-career PhD in Sociology for research exploring doctors’ experiences of working in the UK NHS.  My research is mostly concerned with the changing composition of the primary care workforce and the impact of policies which alter what is expected of those working in general practice. I am interested in understanding what motivates doctors to choose GP careers and how they maintain engagement and commitment to deliver high quality care throughout their careers. 

Biography

After completion of GP training in 1987, I worked in Cheshire before moving to Staffordshire where for more than 19 years I was a part-time partner in a challenging urban practice and was involved in teaching from undergraduate level to completion of GP training. Moving to a salaried role allowed me to continue with clinical work.

Building on a fascination with background stories, my doctoral research focused on biographical narratives to explore doctors’ experiences of working in the NHS. These accounts revealed complex relationships between work settings, interactions between colleagues and each individual’s sense of medical identity. Poetic representation proved a potent form in which to share findings which indicated that key elements of contemporary medical professionalism had changed during their careers.

Qualifications

MBChB, DRCOG, FRCGP, FHEA, PhD

Memberships of committees and professional bodies

Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

British Sociological Association,  Medical Sociology Group Committee Member (2014 - 18)