Edward Docherty - Exec. Dir. for Nurses, Midwives and A.H.P.s

President Katrina welcomed everyone to the meeting including Edward Docherty -   Executive Director for Nurses, Midwives and Advanced Nurse Practice in NHS Lanarkshire.

In her interesting Rotary information segment, tonight, President Katrina highlighted an article from this month’s Rotary magazine on HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Prince Philip was an Honorary Rotarian of the London, Edinburgh, King’s Lynn and Windsor St George Rotary Clubs. He had close connections with both of the Berkshire town’s Rotary Clubs, where he would turn up to meetings unannounced. 

President Chris Davies recalled meeting Prince Philip at a fund-raising dinner at Windsor Guildhall, “Prince Philip chatted in German to representatives from our German twin club, much to their surprise and pleasure and when I asked club members to stand and toast our guests, he stood up and toasted the guests. He saw himself as a member of our Club. At the end, he thanked me for a pleasant evening and quietly walked off back up to the castle. It was as though he had just popped out to have dinner with some friends.”

One of the quotes attributed to Prince Philip is - “The significance of Rotary is that it has become one of the most active and effective forces on the lay side of righteousness, co-operation and goodwill.” 

Dave King, Editor of the Rotary magazine, said “With the death of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in April, aged 99, Rotary lost a true friend.”

Katrina introduced our speaker for the evening, Eddie Docherty.

During his career, Eddie has held top nursing posts in NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Dumfries & Galloway and, currently, NHS Lanarkshire.

Eddie talked about his extensive role and career with the NHS. He started his nursing career with NHS Lanarkshire at the age of 18.  He has held a variety of posts during his career.  He has driven forward the Advance Nurse Practice work in Scotland.  He became a Nurse Consultant which gave him wide scope to develop the profession and manage acutely unwell patients in HHS Ayrshire for 8 years.

He was involved in the building of the new Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary which was delivered on time and on budget with no infectious control issues or infra-structure problems, unlike new builds in Glasgow and Lothian.  As an Executive Nurse Director in Lanarkshire he is a voting member of the Health Board. Eddie has professional responsibility for all nurses, midwives and allied care professional in NHS Lanarkshire, ensuring standards of care and competence across all sectors including Care and Nursing Homes, during the pandemic, in consultation with the Scottish Government.  He is also responsible for child and adult protection, working with police, social work and education. 

Eddie talked about the Patient Safety Fellowship course in Alaska that he was selected for.  Alaska is recognised as an area of excellence for primary care and G.P. services.

After a series of questions by the members, in proposing our Vote of Thanks, John McDonald thanked Eddie for an interesting and informative talk and for fielding the wide variety of questions so well.

Secretary Ian paid tribute to our Honorary Member, Bill McDonald, who passed away, in Croftbank Care home in Uddingston, on 10^th December 2020.

He became a Rotarian in the Rotary Club of Motherwell & Wishaw, on 20^th April 1972, when he was the Managing Director of the Lanarkshire Welding Company.

Joining the Club at around the same time as Bob Craig, Archie McCunn, Barclay Anderson, Alex Money and John Arthur, Bill was an active member becoming Club President in session 1985/86.  After 36 years of loyal service to the Club, Bill retired from active Rotary service in 2008.  In 2009 he became an Honorary Member and, in recognition of his service to Rotary, he was awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship in 2010.”

Once again, Willie Talbot reported that the bonus ball had been a rollover.