Dr Marie Johnson's Career Background and Qualifications

After completing my Ph.D in Anthropology (based on two years’ fieldwork in Iceland), I worked for a short time in a Citizen’s Advice Bureau and Council for Voluntary Service before entering the NHS as a Community Health Council Chief Officer. This gave me insights into many aspects of the Service, from the general public and patient perspectives and was invaluable when I moved to work at a Regional Health Authority. During this time I was involved in a great variety of issues and came in contact with and learnt from many people in the health and social care fields.

My next role was at Durham University Business School where I headed up the part-time MBA programme provided for NHS staff and developed tailored development programmes for private sector organisations and the health sector.

As well as academic teaching in the fields of management theory, comparative health care and research methods, I was increasingly mentoring and advising students and programme participants on career issues. So to complement my practical experience, I completed my Postgraduate Diploma in Career Counselling and Organisational Consultancy from Birkbeck College, London University during this time.

I subsequently moved departments to the School for Health at Durham University, where I am now an Honorary Fellow and continue to carry out projects with my colleagues there.