His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire The Countess Howe announces new Deputy Lieutenant

Dr Nighat Arif has today been appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant for Buckinghamshire receiving her commission to take on the role from The Countess Howe, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire.

Dr Nighat is a GP specialising in women's health, family planning and menopause care with over 16 years of experience in the NHS and she runs her own private practice. She is the resident Doctor on BBC Breakfast and ITV This Morning. She is a health content creator working with YouTube Health and the WHO Fides programme. Dr Nighat is the Ambassador for Wellbeing of Women and the recipient of a 2023 Prime Ministers 'Point of Light' Award in recognition of her work of raising awareness of Women's Health issues in the UK. Dr Nighat was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from City University, London for Science and Public Health. In September 2023, Dr Nighat formed The Health Collective in partnership with Dame Lesley Regan to help map grassroots organisations in the UK to ensure equitable access to healthcare and appropriate nuanced policies as part of Women's Health Strategy.

Dr Nighat is the author of her debut book "The Knowledge. Your guide to female health from Menstruation to the Menopause". It is an illustrated, inclusive book for all things Women's Health available now and her extensive clinical work has been featured in HELLO!, The Times, GOOD Housekeeping and British Vogue.

Deputy Lieutenants are appointed from across Buckinghamshire, from Milton Keynes in the north to the very south of Buckinghamshire, to support the work of the Lord-Lieutenant and promote the wellbeing of the county.  Aiming to reflect the diversity of Buckinghamshire in terms of their skills and experience, cultural backgrounds, gender and social range, their local and specialist knowledge is increasingly being used to positive effect in key sectors ranging from education, health and youth services to business and the rural economy. They are the eyes and ears of the Lieutenancy in our local communities and liaise closely with many organisations throughout the county.  Buckinghamshire currently has 28 Deputy Lieutenants.

Lady Howe offered her personal congratulations, saying: "The appointment of Dr Nighat Arif as Deputy Lieutenant of the county comes with my warmest wishes to her for a successful and rewarding period in office. Nighat brings a wealth of experience and a commitment to serving the community and has so much to offer the county. I look forward to working with her for the benefit of our communities."