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United Kingdom Rachel Clarke has transitioned from a broadcast journalist to a palliative care doctor and bestselling author, sharing her experiences within the NHS and specializing in end-of-life care.
Rachel Clarke is an author published by Simon & Schuster, with three Sunday Times bestselling books: Breathtaking, Your Life in My Hands, and Dear Life.
Dr Rachel Clarke serves as a tutor for Arvon, an organization that runs creative writing courses and retreats.
Rachel Clarke writes regularly for The Guardian, sharing her insights as an NHS palliative care doctor and author.
Rachel Clarke is a regular writer for The Sunday Times (London), in addition to being a three-time Sunday Times bestselling author.
Rachel Clarke contributes articles to The New York Times, expanding her reach as a medical opinion leader.
Rachel Clarke makes regular television and radio appearances on outlets including the BBC, sharing her expertise and experiences. She was also a panellist on the BBC's Question Time.
Dr. Rachel Clarke served as an expert for Topical Talk, a program by the Economist Foundation, participating in their festivals.
Rachel Clarke was born in Wiltshire in 1972. She graduated from the University of Oxford in 1993 with a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics. Prior to her medical career, Clarke worked as a broadcast journalist, producing and directing current affairs documentaries for Channel 4 and the BBC. Her work focused on significant global events and issues, including Al Qaeda, the Gulf War, and the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. At the age of 29, in 2003, she began her medical degree at University College London, later transferring to Oxford for her clinical training, and qualified as a doctor in 2009. She is now a physician specializing in palliative and end-of-life care, working at Great Western Hospital.
Clarke’s career took a significant turn into public advocacy during 2015–2016, where she became a vocal campaigner against the proposed new contract for junior doctors in the United Kingdom. She appeared in numerous television debates and interviews, arguing that the contract’s imposition would harm the National Health Service (NHS) and compromise doctors’ ability to maintain compassion. She further gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020 through her public commentary and participation as a panellist on the BBC’s “Question Time” on April 16, 2020. Her experiences and advocacy have led her to become an author of multiple bestselling books describing her work and insights within the medical field.
Her literary career began with “Your Life in My Hands” (2017), a Sunday Times bestseller that detailed her experiences as a junior doctor. She followed this with “Dear Life” (2020), which explored themes of death, dying, and end-of-life care, receiving longlist recognition for the Baillie Gifford Prize and shortlist for the Costa Book Awards. Her 2021 book, “Breathtaking,” offered an account of working inside the NHS during the first wave of COVID-19, which was later adapted into a TV series. In 2024, her book “The Story of a Heart” was awarded the 2025 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction. Clarke continues to write for publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Sunday Times, and makes regular television and radio appearances, living in Oxfordshire with her husband and two children.
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