Colleagues past and present joined Consultant Ashwin Verma at his official leaving party* last Friday - and our social media posts generated some fabulous comments from patients, colleagues and former colleagues.
One from a patient said: "This is the day I've been dreading since the start of my journey with Dr Verma 21 years ago. I have never met a nicer man who listens to you, is kind and understanding and puts you at ease when you're at your worst and truly cares about the individual he is treating.
For 21 years he's kept me away from the knife and hopefully my body will keep up his good work for another 21 years. I definitely owe my life to him and all the team around him."
If you missed Ashwin's story last week, you can read it below:
Consultant Ashwin Verma has bid farewell to CHFT after 23 years in Gastroenterology and General Medicine…and says bring on the Himalayas.
He’s taking part in a charity trek for Bowel Cancer UK and can be supported here https://www.justgiving.com/page/ashwin-verma-1677350220318. He has spoken openly about his own health issue a few years ago and is passionate about screening.
Looking back, he says it’s been fantastic career caring for Yorkshire patients. “Coming up from London what struck me was how stoic Yorkshire folk were. They put up with their lot and carry on. As rule, it had been fantastic looking after them. I hope I have contributed a little to help them.”
He recalls his first move into management was in a Friday teatime call to our then CEO, Diane Whittingham. Switchboard put him through. He says: “Diane answered driving home to Manchester on the M62! I told her I wanted to Chair the Medicine Management Committee. A week later I had the job and hence began my journey. I now cringe at my cheek!”
He has since had various role in education as the RCP Rep and then Clinical Tutor, before becoming Clinical Director in Medicine in 2008 and then Divisional Director in 2011.
The development of the gastroenterology department has been his greatest source of pride. “A few years ago, we were literally on our knees, needing a number of locums to keep the service going, struggling to recruit. Today we are 10 consultants (and an 11th joining in June), developing services that certainly did not exist when I started and providing great care for our patients (in my humble opinion!). None of this would have been possible without Dr Sonwalkar. I am the noise in this partnership, but he provides the vision and drive.”
And he reckons the culture of a place is so important. “When trainees who are about to apply for consultant posts ask me what to look for, I advise them to try and understand the culture of the organisation. The job is the job, but the culture determines how happy you are going to be in that job. Even in tough times, I have always felt CHFT is special.”
He adds: “I can truly say I have had a blast! Yorkshire is truly God’s Own County. A great place to bring up a family. We were welcomed from the first day by colleagues. They are now my family in the North and I am a proud Yorkshireman!”
And he hails his wife Seema and daughters Karishma and Shruti – both now married – for their support and is looking forward to seeing more of them.
“They have put up with my silly hours for far too long. I am not sure they will see it as a promise or a threat! Looking at a map recently I was surprised to see how much of the world is left to explore. Some of it will undoubtedly have to be in the hippy campervan my wife “designed!"
He says he will continue to live in Halifax and will follow CHFT’s progress with pride. “I’ll be no doubt thinking and telling others “I used to work there”.
*Pictured are former colleagues Maggie Metcalfe, left and Mary Nolan right, who joined the celebrations on Friday. Deputy Chief Nurse, second left, joined Ashwin too.
