From portering to patients and possibly Patagonia - one doctor's journey
For Dr Will Austin, Hillingdon has always been more than just a workplace. It's part of the family.
Will first arrived at the Trust as a 16-year-old volunteer, helping out on the wards while considering a career in medicine. By 18, he had joined the portering team, picking up bank shifts during university holidays before heading off to study medicine in York.
When the Covid-19 pandemic brought medical training to a halt and students were sent home, Will returned to Hillingdon to support our Trust during one of the most challenging periods in our history. The experience was demanding and at times traumatic, but it also proved hugely formative, giving him an early introduction to emergency care and many of the colleagues he now works alongside as a doctor.
Since then, Will has packed a remarkable amount into his 27 years. After completing medical school, a master's degree and academic work in Nottingham, he took an unconventional break from medicine, spending months skiing in Japan, learning Japanese, surfing, mountain climbing and travelling across Oceania.
Now he's back where it all began, working shifts in the Emergency Department while pursuing a career in emergency medicine.
The Trust is very much a family affair for the Austins. Will's mum, Jayne Austin, worked at Hillingdon for more than 40 years and has led our flu vaccination programme in recent years. His sister, Sarah, works in our Estates Department at Hillingdon and even his dad, Sam, spent time working as a porter during the pandemic.
Reflecting on his return, Will says there's something special about working with people who have known him all his life.
Working alongside Kim Pendergast has been really special. She has known me literally my whole life, so coming back and working with her as a colleague has been a lovely full-circle moment
"Working alongside (ED Sister) Kim Pendergast has been really special. Kim has known me literally my whole life, so coming back and working with her as a colleague has been a lovely full-circle moment."
For now, Will is happy to stay put.
"I'm focused on getting into emergency medicine training and should know where that takes me by April. After that, who knows? Patagonia is definitely on the list, but for now I'm enjoying being back at Hillingdon."
After a journey that has taken him from Hillingdon to Japan, New Zealand and beyond, one thing is clear: Hillingdon has a knack for drawing people back.