One thing if I may Mr Grimsdale, as you seem to have experience of PhDs and consulting work... If I get onto the PhD I was thinking of doing it in an hot topic area that is relevant to the needs of the NHS or some other public service. Combine this with making contacts over the three years and do you think this will help me get my foot in the door somewhere as a consultant or something?
Absolutely, but PhDs are generally a place to make academic contacts. The best contacts are those made in the outside (real) world, at least that what it seemed when I was doing mine. Get stuck, go through the normal period of "why the **** did I choose to do this?" with a PhD and you'll come out the other side with a shiny qualification that impresses employers and birds. And you can also start claiming to be a flying doctor!