Blogs

SAS Week 2025 - Dr Alona Singha (paediatric specialty doctor)

Today's theme - SAS as a career choice and the SAS Charter

I graduated from Riga Stradinsh University in Latvia as a general paediatrician in 2010 and worked very closely with the paediatric gastroenterology team in Children’s Clinical University Hospital in Riga for a further few years.

I moved to the North East of the UK in 2013. I joined Northumbria in August 2014, and this was my first job in the NHS. Coming into the NHS system, I started working as a paediatric SHO and had a lot of challenges. My initial years in UK was quite challenging both at work and everyday life due to language barrier and communication difficulties. I will be always grateful to the Northumbria paediatric team for giving me opportunities to develop my clinical and communication skills and for their constant support and encouragement.

As I became more confident and well adapted to the new system, I progressed and continued working as a paediatric specialty doctor in acute and outpatient settings. While in the outpatient department or A&E, I am supervising and teaching junior doctors, medical student and share my clinical experience. I am also lead for paediatric resident doctor forum which gives me opportunity to get their opinion, feedback, explore and address any issues to enable them to have the best experience at their paediatric placement with us.

In last few years I have developed a special interest in paediatric allergy and I subsequently joined the paediatric allergy team at the North Tyneside General Hospital. I am delighted to be part of Northumbria's paediatric team and a SAS doctor, and I believe that my contribution can make a difference.