Dr. Sukh Presents The Waiting Room
EVERYONE HAS A STORY
Dr Sukh Presents the Waiting Room shares untold stories from incredible individuals from all backgrounds linked by the impact of the NHS. The Waiting Room hopes to shine a light on the invisible symptoms, the hidden realities and untold stories of public figures, celebrities and inspiring individuals sharing what happens after they face what seems like the impossible - those in-between, quiet moments, facing what’s left and what’s ahead of them long after leaving the Doctor’s waiting room.
Victoria Derbyshire
Multiple award-winning BBC Broadcaster. Victoria discusses her amazing journey thus far beginning with her experiences of childhood domestic abuse, entry the world of journalism. Her breast cancer diagnosis, management, and activism. Lastly her experiences and journey through mental health.
Adam Pagett
Award winning social worker previously homeless, imprisoned and drug abuser. Adam Pagett shares his journey from abject poverty and racism in the armed forces, struggles with homelessness and drug abuse. He also shares his mental health journey supported by the NHS and finally emergence as an award-winning social worker.
Dr Liz O'Riodran
Consultant breast cancer surgeon and breast cancer survivor, Dr. Liz O’Riordan shares her extraordinary journey of training as a female surgeon in the NHS and suffering breast cancer herself. She shares her perspective as a Doctor and Surgeon including sexism, bullying and mental health. She also explores her journey as a breast cancer patient herself and the many lessons learned along the way.
Jo Phillips
Jo Philips is a former Rugby League player and coach for Wakefield Trinity Women. She shares his journey of childhood sexual abuse, alcohol abuse, suicide, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. She is also a stroke survivor and shares her many perspectives of the NHS in her health journey, both physical and mental.
Monica Ali
Bangladeshi-born, British writer and best-selling author of works including Brick Lane & Love Marriage, Monica Ali begins her story with her memories of war in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. The challenges of interracial marriage and incorporating this into her first and best-selling novel Brick Lane. Monica describes her mental health journey and the benefits of therapy.
Captain Martin Bromiley
Captain Martin Bromiley lost his wife during a routine operation in the NHS. As a Pilot he was rigorously trained in understanding human factors and brought his advice, expertise and knowledge in transforming the education and training of NHS workers. He founded the charity Clinical Human Factors Group which continues to aid the training of UK healthcare professionals.
Professor Laura Serrant OBE
Professor Laura Serrant OBE is included in the powerlist of the 100 most influential Britons of African/African Caribbean descent. She shares her powerful story of her early years in the NHS as a nurse experiencing racism and gender discrimination. She also explores her pivotal work in AIDS care and the Windrush scandal.
Shani Dhanda
Shani Dhanda is a British disability activist, named to the BBC's 100 Women in 2020 and has been named to the Shaw Trust Power 100. She shares her early childhood experiences of her condition osteogenesis imperfecta suffering over 14 breaks before the age of 16. She explores the discrimination the has experienced alongside the vital role of the NHS since her childhood.
“I could name so many people from all over the world who came to work in the NHS who saved my life.”
Victoria Derbyshire
Professor Lord Robert Winston
Professor Robert Winston is a British professor, medical doctor, scientist and television presenter. He shares his earliest memory of entering a bomb shelter as a child, stories of his early years as junior doctor and surgeon to his pioneering work in IVF treatment including a brief interlude in theatre.
Monica Plaha
Senior journalist and BBC news presenter Monika Plaha discusses her journey from childhood, the taboo of divorced parents in South Asian culture, bullying & discrimination in the pursuit of her journey in journalism. She chronicles her experiences of reporting on NHS workers especially during the pandemic.
Louise Stewart
Former BBC presenter and now media communications expert, Louise Stewart shares her journey as a political correspondent before the discovery of breast cancer in both sides of her breast. Louise explores her journey as a cancer patient and the aftermath of life after successful treatment.
Patrick Hill
Patrick Hill is a Life coach, survivor of childhood trauma and sexual abuse. He details his journey of childhood trauma, domestic abuse and bullying having suicidal thoughts at the age of 9. His journey explores sexuality, the discrimination faced by the LGBT+ community and alcohol abuse. He provides his perspectives on the care received and mental health journey from the NHS.
Dr. Mohammed Abbas Khaki
Dr. Mohammed Abbas Khaki is one of the top 50 most influential UK GP's and TED speaker. He discusses the founding of the grassroots movement “WhoisHussain”. He shares his experiences of working in the NHS and untold stories of tackling humanitarian crises in Rohingya, Les Bos, Calais & Iraq as well as the Grenfell Tower Fire.
Nick Ede
Public relations & popular culture expert, Nick discusses the origins of his activism beginning with the death of his mother from a stroke the same day as the death of Princess Diana. He shares his thoughts of imposter syndrome, sexuality, eating disorder and developing his talent as a philanthropist and charity activist.
Professor Harold Ellis
One of Britain’s most notable surgeons, Professor Harold Ellis qualified as a doctor in the same year as the inception of the NHS. He discusses the evolution of the NHS and his journey from Junior Doctor, Surgeon and Professor and the many stories of the NHS in its’ earliest and most current years.
Dale Vincent
Dale Vincent is a certified Coach and Speaker encouraging over 50,000 students in over 100 facilities world-wide following his own experiences of bullying. He has spoken in Parliament and formed a partnership with Nike to create "Just Do It " Confidence workshop for children. He shares the impact of bullying, childhood dyslexia and dyspraxia leading to his passion in promoting confidence in children.
“Going into therapy, I was looking for them to help me find an answer to the question-why am I not happier.”
Sanjeev Bhaskar
Rankin
British photographer & director John Rankin Waddell shares the origin of his passion for photography and the impacts and sacrifices this demanded. He shares his experiences of the NHS as a porter and the NHS portraits project. Finally he explores his own mental health journey, drug use and the benefits of counselling.
Rebecca Langley
Rebecca Langley is a triathlon athlete after recovering from inflammatory bowel disease causing bowel cancer. During chemoradiotherapy she suffered multiple cardiac arrests and recovery in intensive care. She shares her physical and mental health journey and the difficulties of life after being revived with a chronic illness, including her sporting achievements following recovery.
Sanjeev Bhaskar
Actor, comedian, TV presenter and Chancellor of the University of Sussex, Sanjeev Bhaskar shares his early childhood and the very real challenges of racism and bullying. He explores the roads that led to his illustrious career including the important mental health journey that this involved.
Waleed Khan
Waleed Khan was involved in the 2014 Peshawar school massacre surviving multiple shots to the face and body. He describes the changes wrought by the Taliban, the school massacre and shooting itself and being saved by treatment from the NHS. He is a member of the British Youth Parliament and awarded a Point of Light award for his activism against radicalisation.
Ziauddin Yousafzai
Proud father of Malala, Ziauddin discusses the challenges of his childhood and growing up in a patriarchal society. He describes episodes of bullying, overcoming his stammer and raising Malala. He chronicles his political activism before sharing his perspective of Malala’s shooting, recovery and rise to becoming the youngest Nobel Peace prize winner.
Stories
The Waiting Room hopes to shine a light on the invisible symptoms, the hidden realities and untold stories of public figures, celebrities and inspiring individuals sharing what happens after they face what seems like the impossible - those in-between, quiet moments, facing what’s left and what’s ahead of them long after leaving the Doctor’s waiting room.
“Emotionally and psychologically I didn’t feel safe,
I was bullied so badly I wanted to kill myself.“