Consultant Geriatrician, Somerset Foundation NHS Trust.

"I am a consultant geriatrician. I love my job and sharing my enthusiasm for high-quality patient-centered care of older people. We will all become old if we are lucky – older people are just the rest of us, growing up. I enjoy meeting and teaching students and AHPs, and watching our trainees learn what it is about geriatric medicine that is so irresistible. I am also made happy by family and friends, birds, plants, reading, music, food, wine, slow running and even slower swimming.

I trained at Cambridge and Barts and worked as a junior doctor in the East End, Camden and Lambeth before moving to Somerset in 1997. I’ve chaired our clinical ethics committee for 10 years, and am currently Clinical Director for Frailty at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. I’m proud to have contributed a tiny part of the Medicine for Older People syllabus for Bristol University Medical School, which I confidently believe to be the most comprehensive, effective (and popular!) undergraduate training in geriatric medicine in the world."

The Book About Getting Older (Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House) was published in 2021 and comes out in paperback at the end of May 2022.

Lucy will present 'Living and dying well in old age - laughter, love and delicate conversations' on day two of our conference (Friday 21 October).

The session will address the rewards of working with older people, taboo subjects and how to talk about them, the unpredictability of frailty and living with uncertainty, how we might 'do less but better', and how to avoid doing things that don't help, in order to spend more time on the things that matter most. 

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Reviews for Dr Lucy's book, 'The Book About Getting Older.'

'The most important book about the second half of your life you'll ever read. I wish everyone in the UK could be under Dr Lucy's care, but this is the next best thing' ― Sandi Toksvig

'This warm and compassionate book gets to the heart of older age. Using stories and accessible explanations, it covers issues of declining health, quality of life and choices about the things that matter most. The BGS is delighted to endorse this universally relevant and approachable exploration of what it means to get older' ― The British Geriatrics Society

'Dr Lucy Pollock offers useful tips about thorny subjects such as choosing medications and identifying dementia' ― Independent, 'Books of the Month

'Dr Pollock writes with spirit and empathy, making this an engaging and thought-provoking read. Anyone struggling with old age will feel less alone for having Dr Pollock on their team' ― Sunday Express

'Serious, funny, kind and knowledgeable, this book helps guide us through essential conversations about issues of getting older' ― Eastern Daily Press

'Terrific . . . I suggest we all get a copy of Dr Lucy's book' ― Evening Standard

'Interesting and engaging . . . Eminently readable prose. The tone throughout is warm and friendly, even as serious and dark subjects are under discussion. It is an important book' ― Irish Times

'Wise, compassionate, well researched and very broad in its coverage. I've learnt a lot that will help me both as a doctor and a patient. Thank you' -- Dr Phil Hammond

'Kind, touching and, at times, achingly funny. An enlightening - and important - read whatever your age. Dr Lucy Pollock is just the kind of healthcare professional you want by your side' ― Waitrose Weekend

'A brilliant book . . . We all know the statistics. We are an ageing population and we are going to be having these chats over and over again. [The Book About Getting Older] is a very good starting point' -- Ray D'Arcy ― RTE Radio 1

'Serious, at times funny, but also kind and knowledgable' ― Hertfordshire Life

'A lovely, thoughtful, caring and informative book which will help very many people' -- Ed Balls

'Include in 'Health solutions for your mind and body' ― Woman's Weekly

'Wise, brim-full of excellent advice and thoughts from the frontline of caring for older people, it's a book full of humour and beautifully written' ― Kate Mosse