Day 9 and 10 - quite a big adventure

I set off at 7.45am yesterday, cycled to the station, got the train to Gatwick then the shuttle to the North Terminal for big pow-wow with 250 senior people from the NHS, social care, GPs, independent and voluntary sector with an interest in health from across Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

I've shown a pic of me with Sir David Nicholson, Chief Executive of the NHS Commissioning Board, because he was an inspirational speaker at the event and he sponsored me £50. We talked about we can meet the needs of an ageing population and deliver even better care despite the economic downturn, increasing demands and the NHS reorganisation.

Then it was onto Victoria by train, followed by a hairy cycle across London to Liverpool Street Station, and a train to Norwich which gave me a peaceful two hours to write a couple of urgent papers.

An even hairier ride in the dark out of Norwich followed along unlit main roads with lorries hurtling past to Dunston Hall, where I was staying overnight prior to interviews today for the chief executive for a new trust serving the whole of Norfolk and Suffolk. I was the external assessor. As always at interviews, I learned as much as I contributed - we have much in common with East Anglia. They appointed Aidan Thomas who was brilliant and I am sure will be there for a long time to come.

I was persuaded to catch the bus back into Norwich as the main road was really busy by mid afternoon. I had to wait half an hour in pouring rain but was in good company with new chum Steve who chairs their service user council. I caught up with emails on the train back, then the hairiest ride of all back across London in the rush hour, including getting lost and going past Mansion House three times. But the glorious views over the river from Westminster Bridge made up for it.

Finally, I got the train back to Brighton, and just about managed to cycle back up the hill home. Luckily I've only got nine miles on the bike tomorrow, plus I seem to have mastered the Brompton - takes less than 30 seconds to fold or unfold it now.

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