Meet the special agents of health: Our SAS doctors
They may not carry gadgets or go on covert missions, but SAS doctors – Specialty, Associate Specialist and Specialist doctors – are just one of the NHS’s secret weapons.
They bring specialist skills and leadership to the wards, clinics and community teams you rely on.
'I could focus on professional development'
Ruth Porther always thought she would become a consultant. But during training – and especially through the Covid-19 pandemic – she began to question the path she was on.
“I was exhausted and burned out,” Ruth recalled. “The long on-call shifts, the pressure of portfolio-based training and the uncertainty about which specialty to pursue were taking a toll. I realised the rigidity of conventional training wasn’t making me the doctor I wanted to be.”
When a role came up in Hospital at Home for frailty, Ruth applied – at first thinking it might be a temporary break. “I saw it as a chance to breathe, work 9 to 5 and still practise the kind of medicine I cared about,” she said. “But what I discovered was a completely new way of building my career.”
That step opened the door to a different kind of progression. Ruth gained community experience, completed her MRCP, passed the geriatrics specialty exam and pursued a master’s in palliative care. She also found time for research, publishing, conferences and leadership training – opportunities she believes she would have struggled to fit into a traditional pathway.
“Being a SAS doctor gave me the flexibility and autonomy to grow,” Ruth explained. “I wasn’t weighed down by out-of-hours commitments, so I could focus on exams, professional development and maintaining the work–life balance I needed to avoid burnout.”
Now Ruth works as a Specialist in geriatrics with a sub-specialty interest in palliative care at Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust. She leads ward rounds, supports colleagues with complex decisions and provides senior input across community hospitals.
“The most rewarding moments are when patients and families feel truly listened to,” she said. “I remember calling the wife of a patient after he died, just to offer my condolences. She said to me, you were the right doctor for us. That meant everything – because it reminded me that what matters most isn’t a title, but the care and compassion we bring.”
“These posts can be challenging, stimulating and incredibly rewarding,” she said. “With the right support, you can shape a career that fits your strengths – whether that’s clinical expertise, leadership, teaching or research. There isn’t just one way to be a doctor.”
'I was drawn to the flexibility and work–life balance'
Jennifer Money has worked in the NHS for 17 years across London, the Midlands and now Kent. After training as a GP but not completing a Certificate of Completion of Training, she found a new path as a SAS doctor – first in neuro, stroke and frailty rehabilitation at St Pancras Hospital, and later at Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, where she has worked for eight years.
“I was drawn to the flexibility, autonomy and work–life balance of being a SAS doctor,” said Jennifer. “It’s given me the chance to apply the skills I’ve built over years in a place that’s become very close to my heart.”
Today Jennifer leads board rounds, manages complex medical decisions, attends family meetings and works closely with a multidisciplinary team to deliver the best care for patients.
“The most rewarding moments are when patients or families thank me for listening and making a difference,” Jennifer continued. “Feeling heard is central to good care – and being able to provide that is one of the greatest satisfactions of medicine.”
