Nick studied at Newcastle University and qualified in 1982. He worked in all of the Newcastle Hospitals and carried out research into children’s lung disease and dizziness in the elderly before working as a GP at Coldstream, Harbottle and (since 1991) here. His wife is a GP at Bellingham and they have two sons, Bob and John. Nick owns far too many animals, and reached a physical peak in 2006 by beating everyone he knew in the Great North Run (all 7 of them).