Goodbye GMC

On 31st December I will go to 350 Euston Road for the last time as an employee of the General Medical Council to hand in my laptop, blackberry and security pass. It brings to an end an eight and a half year journey- the first two and half mostly on secondment from KPMG- the last six as an employee.

It has been a fantastic experience- a period of incredible change and massive challenge. It has been a great privilege to play a small role in helping the organisation through those changes and to share in its success, especially working with my brilliant Strategy and Communication colleagues over the last few years.

It has also been a period of great learning for me. I reflected on this with my team earlier this week; If you want to trust people, you have to let them make mistakes. I've learnt to pick my battles more. I've learnt not to measure achievement in volume or activity, whether that's in numbers of projects or emails you send or receive at weekends! I walk slower than I did three years ago- realising I used to rush everywhere but not get there any quicker. And I have learnt that you often have more impact by doing less.

As well as reflecting on recent achievements, the enormous change the organisation has been through and my own personal journey and learning, I was able to thank my team for all they have done. They are a brilliant group of people. I am immensely proud to have shared in their recent success and delighted to have worked with them. It has been a blast.

In closing, I drew inspiration from a previous GMC leader, Sir Graeme Catto, who was fond of this quote from Hilaire Beloc.

From quiet homes and first beginning,
Out to the undiscovered ends,
There's nothing worth the wear of winning,
But laughter and the love of friends.

Great words from two great men as I close the page on a hugely rewarding chapter in my career.