Stephen Eames, the Chief Executive of Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, is this week celebrating 50 years working in the NHS.
The 66-year-old married father-of-two who lives near Thirsk began his career as a trainee at Batley and District General Hospital in 1973.
Stephen was awarded a CBE for services to the NHS in 2019. Today he leads NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) which has an annual turnover of around £3.5 billion and oversees NHS services in our region for approximately 1.7 million people.
Stephen, a lifelong Leeds United fan and regular Elland Road attendee, who also enjoys playing guitar and piano in his spare time, said: “I scraped five o-levels and didn’t actually plan to leave school. But at the time my parents split up which was unusual back in 1973. I had two younger sisters, and mum on her own, so I just thought I need to go out and get a job.
“I was fortunate to be recruited as a trainee. But it wasn’t until I took the plunge and moved south five or six years later that I began seriously thinking about a career in the NHS.
“Since then, I’ve been extremely blessed to have spent my entire working life in the NHS, alongside some wonderful colleagues. And while the NHS is an organisation not without its challenges, I’m immensely proud to be a champion for the organisation and our health and care partnership in Humber and North Yorkshire.”
Sue Symington, the chair of NHS Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “Spending 50 years working in the NHS is some achievement and I would like to pay tribute to Stephen for his leadership and insight.
“He’s a fantastic colleague and is helping to drive our Partnership’s bold ambition to improve people’s life chances by helping people start well, live well and age well.
“It’s fitting that with the NHS about to celebrate its own landmark of 75 years, Stephen is celebrating his own personal milestone and has been at the forefront of much of the change that makes the NHS the organisation it is today.”