After 35 years in the health service, David Hume is eager to point out that he is taking early retirement.

David, who is originally from Nottingham, first came to Scotland as a student in 1977 when he studied at Dundee University. David’s career has spanned both sides of the border and it was while in Dundee that David’s love for Scotland and the Scottish people began.

As well as being academic, while at Dundee University, David represented the Scottish Universities football team in 1980. Following this he then went on to play for the Scottish amateur team in 1984.

David’s NHS career started in England in 1981 where he took part in the management training in Leeds. He then moved on to Newcastle where he was assistant to Ms Dorothy Dlenkinsop, regional director of the north east region.

In 1983 David returned north to work in the Victoria Infirmary in Kirkcaldy before moving to Glasgow in 1985. It wasn’t until the new millennium that David eventually settled in Lanarkshire.

David became the general manager of Hairmyres in 2001, a role that saw him lead on the move to the new Hairmyres Hospital in 2001. At the time, Hairmyres was the first PFI hospital in Scotland and nothing could have prepared David for the intense political attention he was subjected to.

After fulfilling a couple of other roles, including general manager for older people services, David returned to the helm at Hairmyres in 2014 as the director of hospital services and he would remain in this role until his retiral.

Dr Helen Mackie, chief of medical services at Hairmyres, said: “To say that David will be missed is a huge understatement. Although, given his propensity for a mishap, I am sure he will continue to see him in our emergency department.”