Celebrity doctor receives ceremonial role representing royal family in Buckinghamshire

A celebrity doctor has been given a ceremonial role representing the royal family in Buckinghamshire.

Dr Nighat Arif, a resident doctor known to appear on BBC and ITV Programming, has been named as a deputy lieutenant for Buckinghamshire.

This morning (8 March) Countess Howe, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, announced the doctor as one of her deputies.

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. Dr Nighat is one of 28 deputy lieutenants in Buckinghamshire.

Countess Howe said: “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.”

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 a regular on BBC Breakfast and ITV This Morning. She also appears on a YouTube channel broadcast by worldwide organisations. Dr Nighat received a 'Point of Light' Award from the Prime Minister for raising awareness of Women's Health issues in the UK. She also has an Honorary Doctorate from City University, London for Science and Public Health. She has previously been referred to as the TikTok doc and her advice is also widely published by national online and print publications.

September 2023, Dr Nighat formed The Health Collective in partnership with Dame Lesley Regan. She also wrote “The Knowledge. Your guide to female health from Menstruation to the Menopause". Her work has been featured in HELLO!, The Times, GOOD Housekeeping and British Vogue.

Deputy lieutenants tend to be people who either have served the local community, or have a history of public service in other fields. They are required to represent lords in their absence at events, ceremonies, and other public gatherings.