Paul Roberts, the former Chief Executive of Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, says he is 'humbled, delighted and proud' to receive an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Gloucestershire.

Paul worked as the Chief Executive of the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust from 2018 to 2023, where he led community, mental health and learning disability services. For the first two years of his role, he was the CEO of 2gether and Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trusts.

Paul has received an Honorary Fellowship at the third of the University's six 2024 Graduation Ceremonies at Cheltenham Racecourse in recognition of his career in the field of health and social care.

His achievements as the Chief Executive of the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust include leading the organisation through the COVID-19 pandemic, and having the best vaccination rates in the country for people with mental health issues and learning disabilities.

Paul said: "I am absolutely humbled, delighted and proud to be recognised for my work in this way. I am well aware of the critical relationship between healthcare and education. The training of future healthcare professionals and the development of our current workforce is the lifeblood of the NHS."

Paul studied Geography at Oxford University, and then began his professional career under the NHS General Management Training Scheme in 1987.

His first Chief Executive role was at Grantham and District NHS Trust from 1994 to 1996. He has also held positions at Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust and Plymouth Community Services NHS Trust.

Paul, recently interim CEO of Royal Devon University Healthcare Foundation Trust, said: "The NHS serves local communities, strives for equality and this inspires me to the work I have done throughout my career. It also provides wonderful opportunities for the people who aspire to work in the NHS to live up to their potential.

"Leadership in the NHS is always about the people, and they have individually and collectively inspired me for 36 years. Thank you to the 20,000 people who work in the NHS for what they do every day."

Paul's message to students and graduates at the University of Gloucestershire is both encouraging and inspiring: "None of us can change the world on our own but working together in progressive organisations like the NHS and social care, you can be part of a team, in Gloucestershire, in the UK and right across the world, which changes the world for the better every day, one person at a time."

Picture: Dame Clare Marchant, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire, and Paul Roberts, the former Chief Executive of Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust who has received an Honorary Fellowship