Doctor’s palace date by Royal appointment (From The Bolton News)

Doctor’s palace date by Royal appointment

9:02am Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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HE WAS a driving force behind a hugely successful campaign which transformed the health and extended the life expectancy of thousands of people in Bolton.

Yesterday Dr Stephen Liversedge was honoured by The Queen for his efforts.

And he described meeting Her Majesty as being “right up there at the top” of his achievements.

He said: “It was absolutely fantastic and quite overwhelming.

“My family and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.”

Dr Liversedge, the man behind The BIG Bolton Health Check, was at Buckingham Palace with his family to receive an MBE for services to healthcare after being honoured in the New Year’s Honours list.

He said: “The Queen is primed before you go up to accept the award so she can start a two way conversation. She knew I was GP.

“When I spoke to her about The BIG Bolton Health Check her comments to me were: ‘Heavens you must have been very busy’.”

Dr Liversedge added: “It was a thoroughly charming occasion. You are nervous beforehand but the staff help put you at ease.

“I think I didn’t bow properly at the beginning because of my nerves and because you are thinking about walking up, but my daughter said nobody did.”

The GP of 27 years, who is based at Egerton and Dunscar Health Centre, in Darwen Road, Bromley Cross, conceived the campaign after being struck by the poor health record in Bolton, where people die two years earlier than the national average.

Dr Liversedge, who lives in Edgworth, said it was an honour to receive the award personally but added: “This honour is a reflection of Bolton, the healthcare workers, the health trainers but also the Bolton public.”

He took his three children Laura, aged 24, Tom, aged 23, and Katherine, aged 16, to the ceremony. Limited tickets meant his wife Julie, a sister at the Royal Bolton Hospital A&E department, opted to let the youngsters enjoy the day at the Palace with their dad.

At the ceremony Dr Liversedge bumped into a former colleague, Professor Joe Savage, a paediatrician in Northern Ireland, as well as footballer Jason Roberts.

He said: “Being keen Bolton Wanderers supporters and with Jason Roberts having an eye for a goal we asked if there was any chance he would play for us.”

He added: “There was a real sense that all people were there for having done something they had done.”