From Reject to Associate Director | Our news

I didn’t qualify as a nurse until I was 37, and I didn’t even enter the health service until I was 31.

Nearing 30, I decided to leave my family’s business, where I’d worked since leaving school, and pursue something that truly made a difference. I didn’t have any formal qualifications, but I knew I wanted to make a difference. That calling led me to nursing.  

I began as a healthcare support worker in mental health, then applied for general nursing just to “get through the door.” But I loved it so much, I stayed. I qualified as a nurse in 2002, and nearly two decades later, I became an Associate Director of Nursing (ADON) at Whipps Cross Hospital.  

My journey wasn’t straightforward. My first nursing placement was in mental health, my second on a busy medical ward. I was completely new to hospital processes and terminology—it was a steep learning curve.   

I have a long and personal history with Barts Health. I was born in the Royal London Hospital over 60 years ago. 45 years later, I returned—not as a patient, but as the last ward manager of the Phyllis Ward, named after the chief nurse who was in post when I was born.  

Today, one of the most fulfilling parts of my role is supporting others in their development. I’m passionate about creating equitable opportunities so everyone to reach their full potential. I’ve had the privilege of watching healthcare support workers become nurses, ward managers become matrons, and staff step up to lead improvements in patient care. Nothing makes me prouder.  

If you're a people person and want a life full of variety, growth, and meaning, nursing will challenge you, change you, and show you what you're truly capable of.   

Mark Elliot 

Associate Director of Nursing
Whipps Cross University Hospital