William Reddy, director of the Irish Society for Quality and Safety in Healthcare (ISQSH) and executive officer of the European Society for Quality in Healthcare (ESQH).
Personal/family: Married to Deirdre with a gentleman's family, James (8) and Áine (6) in the image and likeness of their mother TG.
What figure from the world of medicine/ health do you most admire?
Prof Declan Lyons - political, scientific, caring and driven with a great sense of "nádur" and family. A can-do and will-do attitude to making things happen.
What other career might you have chosen?
Self-made millionaire - it was a close run thing.
If you were appointed Minister for Health, what would be your first priority?
Take vocation out of the lexicon of dirty words. If we don't care, then how can we care?
Do you have a phobia/what is your greatest fear?
Staying as we are. The status quo is death.
Have you ever been a patient and were you a good one?
Yes. I was a very vulnerable anxious but compliant patient.
What three books would you bring to a desert island?
Complications by Atul Gawande - the reality of learning medicine told in stories that are fascinating and human. The Irish Times, Book of the Century by Fintan O'Toole - how we have got to now. The Snapper by Roddy Doyle - the laughs and the teaching that we can still enjoy ourselves even when there is nothing on the telly.
Have you a fail-safe method of dealing with stress?
Not totally fail-safe. I think honesty and integrity in dealing with people (and yourself) can help cleanse the conscience. The odd game of golf doesn't hurt either.
What is your favourite TV or radio programme?
Frasier and Morning Ireland. It's the contrast.
If you did not live in Ireland, where would you choose to spend the rest of your life?
Somewhere wishing I was in Ireland.
Summarise yourself in 12 words.
Testing the hypotheses that man's inherent goodness will out in the end.
Do you use alternative medicine/therapies?
Beer and wine.
Who or what makes you laugh?
The Life of Brian still does it for me - always looking on the bright side of