Alan retired from a career in Anaesthesia in 2017, having worked in South Yorkshire for 25 years. During the last 10 years of that he worked with Mercy Ships International, volunteering short-term as an Anaesthesia Provider. This organisiation provides world class surgery without payment, for some of the world's poorest populations. He has recently (November 2021) spent time helping to outfit the latest vessel in the MS fleet, the MV Global Mercy, the largest purpose built hospital ship in the world.