Robert Loader Zoology with Marine Zoology BSc

Current job title

Retired (was Deputy Director in the internal audit service for the NHS)

When did you start in the NHS?

2000.

Why did you choose to work in the NHS?

Good opportunity to use my skill set and experience in an environment that was in the overall public good - felt like a good fit to me. Also allowed me to take up a professional high level role close to home - which in Devon is not an easy feat.

Describe what you do

My role, until June 2023, was as Deputy Director in the internal audit service for the NHS in Devon, Cornwall and Bristol. Developing and advising on effective board and corporate governance.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

The variety of work, the ethos and values of working and leading in a professional service in such an important environment that has a real opportunity of improving lives. The team of like-minded people which made a huge difference - feeling that it was doing something with our skills that made a difference. The work life balance and the pleasure of working in and travelling around a beautiful part of the world.

What would you say to someone thinking about a career in the NHS?

The NHS can be a fantastic environment to pursue a career. While it gets a bashing daily in the media and is chronically underfunded it is full of like minded people at all levels who want to make a difference and are a great team. I had a fantastic career and was proud to have worked in the health service, and would love more people in my field of work to consider it.

How would you describe the NHS in one word?

Impossible to sum up in one word - perhaps cherished but undervalued.