On Thursday 9 December imaging consultant and former medical director Ben Timmis retired after 33 years of service to the NHS. At a farewell gathering on the in the imaging reception areas associate medical director and long time friend to Ben, Dr David Grant gave a speech that outlined the achievements and innovations Ben has brought to the hospital. From bringing The Whittington its first CT scanner to his role in facilitating the consultants’ voice in last years proposed healthcare reforms, Ben has always put the patients first.

Ben then received a lot of gifts including an Arsenal dressing gown and slippers, a painting of The Whittington cat designs he created 15 years ago and a plaque to put in the imaging terrace, called ‘Timmis Terrace’. A colleague, Jane Young, read out a story that summarised Ben’s career in the style of a Winnie the Pooh story.

Ben said a few words of thanks himself, outlining how well the hospital has developed in recent times and outlining some of the tricky situations he has found himself in with the press and when starting as a consultant at The Whittington. As was restated throughout the evening, Ben has always put patients at the centre of everything he does and he implored everyone present to ensure the hospital remains a patient focused institution.