A surgeon who led colleagues through the coronavirus pandemic and has been at the heart of plans to reform the health service is stepping down from a high profile role.
Professor Mark Taylor is stepping down after five years as the Northern Ireland Director of the Royal College of Surgeons.
Professor Taylor, an hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgeon, was one of a host of leading medics who pushed for an end to the political deadlock at Stormont to focus on the health service in 2019 and, again, during the ongoing crisis.
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"The scale of Northern Ireland's waiting lists are significant and we were determined to play our part in advocating for greater surgical activity for our patients," he said.
Derry native Professor Taylor has been a high-profile advocate for patients and a champion for elective recovery, which took on significant relevance when the pandemic arrived in March 2020," he said.
"In the early stages of the pandemic elective surgery was effectively switched off, and over the next few years, activity rates waxed and waned as fresh COVID-19 and winter spikes hit the system. In the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Taylor as Director advocated for greater protection of surgical patients and elective surgery.
"We know the pandemic wreaked havoc on health systems all over the world and Northern Ireland is no different. Central to this role has been the need to champion more chances for surgeons to operate in a protected environment and the need for a refreshed workforce strategy that addresses the deep challenges in our medical and nursing workforce."
He added: "We welcome the Elective Care Framework and the opportunities that now exist to transform our health and social care system."
Professor Taylor gave evidence and engaged with MLAs on a regular basis throughout his five-year tenure and gave formal evidence on pandemic impacts to the Northern Ireland Health Committee at Stormont and the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee at Westminster.
He also joined other Royal Colleges in urging the NI Executive to return and help efforts in addressing the health service crisis during the political stalemate of 2019 and again in 2022.
Speaking about his time as Director coming to an end, Professor Taylor said: "It has been a privilege to serve as the Royal College of Surgeons of England Director in Northern Ireland over the last years and I pay tribute to my colleagues who work every day to do their best in very challenging situations. I would like to thank all those in the Department, SPPG, Trusts, primary care, relevant stakeholder groups and local politicians who supported and assisted me and the College team over the last five years."
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