The ever-quotable Dr Peter Holden may not have been re-elected as GPC negotiator this year, but he vows it is not the last you’ll see of him.
Nominated by his colleagues for his ‘honest and straightforward leadership’, the Derbyshire GP is one of only five negotiators ever to serve 15 years or more.
He admits it will take time for him to learn how to take things a little easier. But he won’t miss the deluge of emails and hours of work every weekend that was associated with his GPC role.
‘It is a huge change in my life but I still have an enormous workload in London and I’m taking time to refocus my efforts and learn to relax again,’ he says.
This year he is proud of progress made on practice premises and his work as a senior member of the British Association for Intermediate Care.
At 58, he is not planning on retiring from his Matlock practice anytime soon. Instead he will getting out in his Air Ambulance helicopter and plans to shoot for the position of BMA treasurer.
‘You have not seen the end of Peter Holden,’ he says. ‘And I have made no secret of the fact that when Andrew Dearden steps down I intend to go up for treasurer of the BMA.’
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