As a survivor of teenage cancer I took up a career in medicine and worked as a GP in Clapham and Canada before specialising in haematology.
Since becoming a consultant in 1989 I have endeavored to practice patient centred medicine and have participated in self help and support groups and was a member of the DoH/Cancer Macmillan survivorship initiative.
After retiring from my consultant post I joined the local hospital Cancer Services User Group to help in advising the Trust on the need to implement the recommendations of the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative. I work with local patient groups on patient involvement and with the CLP.
I was a clinical director and Basildon hospital for 10 years and have seen excellent work in the NHS as well as some challenging situations.
I see SHA as an important influence in health policy and that to be more effective we must make our immediate focus to be promoting policies to improve the NHS; to end the purchaser/ provider split and restore a comprehensive health system.
In the last weeks I have been forming a new group of doctors, Doctors for the NHS, to campaign for the NHS to return to its founding principles as I believe the weight of our professional opinions can help the pro NHS alliance & SHA in influencing public opinion and defending the attacks on the service.
No interests to declare.
Eric Watts posts on this site