BERNARD Ribeiro has imparted his medical wisdom to thousands of young trainee doctors.

To those young NHS recruits, however, he is more than just a remarkable doctor and teacher - he's a much-loved father figure who's always on hand to help.

The 64-year-old, who is regarded as one of the most distinguished and long-serving clinicians at Basildon Hospital, has retired from his post as consultant general surgeon.

But although the father of four, who has worked for the trust for 30 years, has seen his last patient, his outstanding achievements and reputation as a warm and caring doctor will live on at the hospital for years to come.

Mr Ribeiro, or Bernie as he is affectionately known, has been instrumental in bringing several ground-breaking medical procedures to the hospital.

He has also given the trust a certain prestige after being elected President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 2005.

Anyone who has had keyhole surgery at Basildon or Orsett hospital probably has Mr Riberio to thank for their rapid recovery.

After being appointed to the hospital in 1979, with an interest in urology and colorectal surgery, he went on to pioneer the use of this type of surgery inside the hospital's operating wards.

In the early 1990s, he performed the trust's first gall bladder removal through keyhole surgery, and went on to set up Basildon Hospital's advanced laparoscopic unit.

The family man, who went to school in Cheltenham and lives with his wife Elisabeth in Alresford, Hampshire, also contributed to the trust's successful bid for the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre to be built on the hospital's site.

But the list of Mr Ribeiros achievements doesn't end there. An examiner in surgery for three university medical schools, his interest in undergraduate education contributed to the trust achieving university status in 2002.

Although he's performed countless operations since graduating from medical school, it's sharing his knowledge with the next generation of surgeons that really inspires Mr Ribeiro.

"Teaching, teaching, teaching! It's so important to me and the trust, said Mr Ribeiro, who was made a CBE in 2004 for services to medicine.

"There's no point keeping your skills to yourself. We need to have the best doctors in the future and that's something I like to think I've had a part in achieving.

"Although I'm retiring from my post, I will carry on teaching at the hospital from time to time. It'll give me the chance to come back and catch up with my colleagues and the students."

The keen fisherman added: "If I could go back in time and do it all over again, I wouldn't change a single minute of my career.

"I'd still come here to Basildon and meet all the wonderful people I've worked with. I've learnt a lot over the years, of course. One of the most important lessons I've learnt is you have to trust your patient.

"I've had times when I've been surprised by patients' reactions and I think you have to keep on your toes at all times. If you start thinking, oh this is another routine operation' then that's when you'll run into trouble."

He continued: "Medicine today has changed a lot since when I first started. Today, patients want and demand specialist treatment and we have more specialist doctors than ever before. We also have to work together as a team - the doctors and patients. We used to say that doctor always knows best, but a patient knows their own body and you have to respect that."

So is there anything that concerns such an experienced doctor when it comes to the future of medicine? "I worry about where all our surgeons are going to come from in the future," he says.

As well as casting off on the banks of the River Itchen, near his Hampshire home, Mr Ribeiro will have plenty to keep him occupied during his retirement years.

"My first grandchild is due in the summer and one of my children is getting married," he said.

"Also, my wife and I are about to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. I couldn't have achieved what I have in my career without the support of Elisabeth."

In a fitting tribute to a man who is both down to earth and scholarly, Mr Ribeiro's supreme career was celebrated recently at a prestigious Entertaining and Educational Day at the Royal College of Surgeons in London.