Originally from Belfast, Philippa trained mostly around the West of Scotland.

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She spent two years working as a medical volunteer in the Middle East. Most of this time was based at a UN sponsored hospital in Gaza, Palestine with a few months in Lebanon planning development projects after the war. Philippa’s interest and involvement in patients with breast cancer developed early in her career and her Doctorate research was on Breast Cancer Immunology and monoclonal antibodies.

She was a consultant breast surgeon for just over 15 years in Ayrshire and Arran and during that time had been Lead Clinician for that health board and was Lead Clinician of the West of Scotland MCN from 2006 to 2009.

Philippa was involved in the first SIGN guidelines for breast cancer and chaired the breast cancer project groups of the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland and, later, NHS QIS. Her special interest has been in improving services through peer reviewed audit, service redesign and the development of clinical standards.

Elected in May 2015, she was the Member of Parliament for Central Ayrshire and sat on the Health Select Committee. Philippa is the Shadow SNP Westminster Group Leader (Health).