What makes you happy?
Having things to look forward to makes me happy. This can be meeting up with friends over dinner and drinks, to weekend spa breaks. Also holidays abroad! I love the sound of waves whilst sunbathing – I find this very relaxing!
We caught up with Leena Patel, education lead consultant orthoptist, who has been working at Moorfields for 13 years.
Her role involves having oversight of all teaching for undergraduate and postgraduate professionals as well as working in a variety of adult and paediatric clinics. Leena’s specialism is neuro-ophthalmology.
Leena is Gujarati, Hindu and is bilingual, speaking: Gujarati and English. She also understands Hindi when spoken.
There are so many wonderful and kind people I have the pleasure of working with and they all have a positive impact on my working day.
Has there been one example or situation which has made you feel an additional sense of pride working at Moorfields and why?
I was integral in setting up the first ever MSc orthoptics (pre-registration) course which is a joint collaboration between Moorfields and UCL.
The course was developed during the covid pandemic, and we welcomed our first students in September 2021 with an intake of nine students who all graduated in May 2024.
When you’re not working what do you like to do?
Outside of work, I love travelling and learning about different cultures. I am known to have five holidays a year and the orthoptic team will likely tell you about this too. Since the pandemic, I regularly do yoga and sound bath sessions, which I find thoroughly calming and helps with a good night’s sleep.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given and how has this helped you?
Not really advice, but one of my first ever orthoptic students wrote a message to say I was his ‘superhero mentor’ and to continue being so. This short and powerful message made everything seem perfect and the hard work and sleepless nights which went into developing the course paid off. I am a perfectionist and ensure I do my best with all learners, my patients and my colleagues.
Can you share an example of innovation in your role or area that has stemmed from yourself or your team? Please could you also share what impact this has made?
We have a weekly squint club meeting (online) developed by some of our strabismus consultants. This is a fantastic opportunity to share learning through interesting cases with colleagues at Moorfields but also from other trusts in London.
This highlights the importance of working with other organisations to provide the highest standard of care to our patients.
How do you personally try and create a better work/life balance? Do you have any top tips to share with staff?
I am a big fan of to-do lists! It helps me keep a track of outstanding tasks and to organise them in terms of priority level. There is a huge sense of satisfaction when I tick these off, but not when the list keeps getting longer! I strive to make sure my colleagues are well and happy at work.