A watchdog has retired after six years at the helm of Healthwatch Brighton and Hove and after 50 years working in health and social care.
David Liley, 66, started his working life as a hospital porter in the early 1970s – and bowed out as the statutory watchdog’s chief officer.
Mr Liley wrote a farewell email to his Healthwatch colleagues on Tuesday (28 February): “It is now 50 years since my first job in health and social care. I was a hospital porter and then a community worker in Belfast.
“Since then, I established the NSPCC national child protection helpline, which we merged with Childline, helped close down three major psychiatric hospitals, secured the funding and plans for Mill View Hospital, in Brighton and Hove, and saw the building work start.
“I set up eight projects to improve the health and care of older and vulnerable people in East Sussex and secured £3 million of funding for community development in Eastbourne, receiving a Prime Minister’s commendation for that work.
“In Healthwatch, I have been here from the very start, establishing local Healthwatch in West Sussex, Surrey, Slough, Wokingham and the Isle of Wight (and) for the last six years as chief officer of Healthwatch Brighton and Hove.
“I cannot speak highly enough of my great team here in Brighton. We saw each other through the covid days, all of us touched in some way in our physical and emotional health and wellbeing.
“But we emerged having made a real difference for local people, creating a hospital discharge system hailed as a national exemplar.
“I leave Healthwatch Brighton and Hove in better shape than I found it, a strong and stable staff team and a financially sustainable organisation, well led, safe and caring, making a difference every day for local people, improving health and social care.
“Thank you all for the opportunity to pursue our common cause of social justice.”
Mr Liley’s successor, Alan Boyd, thanked him “for everything you have given and contributed to Healthwatch”.
Mr Boyd said: “David’s CV is a testament to how much he has given to supporting health and care services over 50 years.”
During Mr Liley’s tenure, the watchdog was a trusted source of information about the coronavirus pandemic, shone a spotlight on problems with NHS dentistry and proposed improvements in the way that the Royal Sussex County Hospital discharges patients.
What an amazing career this gentleman has had.