On Friday, 2nd May we say farewell to Orthopaedic Consultant, Sudhi Ankarath, as he retires from CHFT after 23 years at the Trust.

Sudhi worked initially in HRI as part of his training rotation in 1995 and then came back to work as a Consultant in Trauma & Orthopaedics. For the past 11 years Sudhi has been the lead for Revalidation and Appraisal for Non-Training Grade Medical Staff, working alongside Revalidation and Appraisal Officer, Sue Burton and Revalidation and Appraisal Administrator, Dawn Vince.

Sue said: “Sudhi has been instrumental in developing several of the processes the Trust has in place for GMC revalidation. He has been a great advocate for revalidation and annual appraisal, and I have really enjoyed working with him over the years. He has always been there at the end of the phone or email for me!”

In fact, Sudhi has made 787 recommendations to the GMC for revalidation of our colleagues in that time, with the support of the Revalidation Team.

Medical Director, Neeraj Bhasin, said: “Sudhi has carried out the role diligently, working with Sue and Dawn, and has played a huge role in keeping everyone safe.

“The sheer number of recommendations he has been involved in, along with the number of patient contacts that will have resulted through those colleagues, is immense. He has not only kept colleagues safe by adhering to GMC regulations, but ensured the organisation and the care we deliver to our patients is as safe as it can be.”

Sudhi plans to spend his retirement travelling, playing golf, tennis, cycling and volunteering for the National Trust and other organisations.

He said: “Working at CHFT has been a fantastic experience. It’s all about teamwork with the people around you, who are friendly and just a brilliant team to work with.

“Of course, I must thank Sue for her unwavering support over the years. She truly has been amazing.”

Orthopaedic Consultant, Mr. Sam Mahmoud, recalls Sudhi’s support at his first on-call shift at HRI. He said: “I walked out of the hospital wondering what the next 24hrs would hold for me, when I got a comforting text message from Sudhi to check on me and offering support anytime during the on-call.

“The next morning, I woke up to a complex trauma in a child and I had to pick up the phone to seek his advice at 06:30. He responded promptly providing his advice and support. Thanks Sudhi.”