From a nursing family, Keith first trained as a civilian nurse in Aberdeen, specialising in theatre nursing. He joined the Royal Navy to continue his development and his experience would take him to nursing in theatre on board the RFA Argus, the Primary Casualty Receiving Ship deployed off the Iraqi coast during the war. After 15 years, Keith’s Navy career was brought to a sudden end when a back injury meant he was invalided home.

Finding his feet in an NHS nursing role, he then created his current job – Armed Forces Covenant Lead Nurse, of which there are now almost 30 around the country. This diverse role is instrumental in making NHS hospitals and GPs veteran aware, from helping secure accreditation and recruiting ex-military staff into the health service, to supporting veteran patient families through end of life care. In both nursing and his new duties, Keith maintains “it is the little things that make the biggest difference.”

Content warnings: Iraq War, medical/surgery mild detail, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, end of life care