They say pride is one of the vices but I’m sure it’s not when you are actually proud of somebody else and I’m proud to say that this chap is my brother-in-law:
http://www.salisbury.nhs.uk/AboutUs/media/Pages/NationalJournalnamesPeterHillintop50NHSHospitalChiefExecutives.aspx
You’ll note that he started his career in the NHS as a humble nurse, which is how he met my sister. By hard work and night study he made his way to the top. He didn’t want the Chief Exec. job but in the end he accepted it because, as he said: “As the Deputy I have to suffer whoever gets the job so I might as well do it myself”. He’s an all-round good bloke, you can have a beer with him and chat about anything under the sun. He is decent, patient, modest, discrete and liked by almost everybody in the Trust because everybody knows he made his way there by hard work.
What has been noticeable to us, his family, is the massive stress of the job and the effect on his health. He has lost both his parents during his time as CE and continued to do the job without a break. He has to be on top of his game at any time and his grasp of the facts and figures is impressive. People like this are the good side of the NHS, they make you realise that despite its shortcomings, it is staffed by some incredible people.
OK, I’ll shut up now.
