Liam Donaldson

Professor Sir Liam Donaldson is currently the Chief Medical Officer for England, United Kingdom. As such he is principal advisor to the United Kingdom Government on health matters and one of the most senior officials in the National Health Service (NHS).

Career

Sir Liam was appointed as Chief Medical Officer in 1998. Between 1994 and 1998 he was Regional Director for the NHS Region of Northern and Yorkshire, and prior to that Regional Medical Officer and Regional Director of Public Health for the Northern Regional Health Authority. He began his career as a surgeon before training in public health.

Academic and Other Posts

Professor Donaldson is Visiting Professor in the University of Leicester Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and also holds an honorary Chair of Applied Epidemiology at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

He is also Chair of the World Alliance for Patient Safety, which was established by the Director-General of the World Health Organization in October 2004. [ [http://www.who.int/patientsafety/about/staff/en/index.html World Alliance for Patient Safety webpage] retrieved on 16 April 2008]

Publications

Sir Liam is co-author of a standard text book of public health, [cite book |last= Donaldson |first= Liam |coauthors= R J Donaldson|title= Essential Public Health|publisher= Radcliffe |year= 2000 |isbn= 190060387X ] a history of the Chief Medical Officers of England [cite book |last= Donaldson |first= Liam |coauthors= Sally Sheard, Denis Pereira Gray |title= The Nation's Doctor|publisher= Radcliffe |year= 2005 |isbn= 1846190010] and over 120 papers in peer review journals.

Degrees

Professor Donaldson has degrees from:
* the University of Bristol (MB ChB, 1972), where he attended Wills Hall, [ [http://www.alumni.bris.ac.uk/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=287&srcid=190 University of Bristol notable medical and dental alumni] and [http://www.willshallassociation.org.uk/biogld.htm Wills Hall Association biography] , both retrieved 16 April 2008]
* the University of Birmingham, [ [http://www.alumni.bham.ac.uk/your/ouralumni.shtml University of Birmingham list of famous alumni] retrieved on 16 April 2008] and
* the University of Leicester (MD, 1981), and he was also a Lecturer in the Department of Community Health, and subsequently Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology for four years. [ [http://www.le.ac.uk/ua/pr/press/chiefmedofficer.html University of Leicester press release] retrieved on 16 April 2008]

He has also been awarded honorary Doctorates by:
* Huddersfield University (honorary DSc, 1998), [ [http://www2.hud.ac.uk/about/honorary_graduates/1996-99.php University of Huddersfield list of honorary graduates] retrieved 16 April 2008]
* the University of Bristol (honorary MD, 1999), [ [http://www.bristol.ac.uk/cms/go/statutes/records/hongrads.html University of Bristol list of honorary graduates] retrived 16 April 2008]
* the University of Leicester, [ [http://www.le.ac.uk/press/ebulletin/features/happyanniversary.html University of Leicester article] retrieved 16 April 2008]
* Cranfield University (2000), [ [http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/alumni/graduation/hongrads/hongrads1970-07.pdf Cranfield University list of honorary graduates] retrieved on 16 April 2008]
* the University of Portsmouth,
* the University of East Anglia (honorary ScD, 2003), [ [http://www1.uea.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.20753!f25%20honorary%20graduates%20of%20the.pdf University of East Anglia list of honorary graduates] retrieved 16 April 2008]
* the University of Teeside (honorary DSc, 2004), [ [http://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/about/hon_grads.cfm University of Teeside directory of honorary graduates] retrieved 16 April 2008]
* the University of York (2004), [ [http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/presspr/pressreleases/hongrads2004.htm University of York press release] retrieved on 16 April 2008]
* the University of Nottingham (honorary DM, 2005), [ [http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/registrar/honorary-degrees/hon-deg-list-oct07.pdf University of Nottingham list of honorary graduates] retrieved 16 April 2008]
* De Montfort University (honorary DSc, 2005), [ [http://www.dmu.ac.uk/news_events/events/previous/sir_liam_donaldson.jsp De Montfort University article] retrieved on 16 April 2008]
* the University of Sunderland (honorary DSc, 2006), [ [http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/university/ourpeople/graduates/hondocs/ University of Sunderland listing of honorary graduates] retired 16 April 2008] and
* the University of Hull (honorary DSc, 2006). [ [http://www.hull.ac.uk/news/april06/hondegrees.html University of Hull press release] retrieved on 16 April 2008]

Fellowships

Sir Liam is also:
* a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCS(Ed)),
* a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine (FFPHM),
* a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP),
* a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (FRCP(Ed)),
* a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci), and
* a Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (FRCA).

Other Honours

Other honours include:
* the post of Queen's Honorary Physician during the mid-1990s,
* the College Medal by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, awarded in June 2000,
* a knighthood in the New Year's Honours List in 2002, [ [http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.aspx?pdf=56683&geotype=London&gpn=10738&type=Issue&all=Liam%20Donaldson. London Gazette 6 September 2002] reporting the conferment of the knighthood by the Prince of Wales on behalf of the Queen] and
* the Picker Award for Excellence, in recognition of his achievements in the field of patient-centred care and patient safety. [ [http://www.who.int/patientsafety/news/picker_award/en/ Article from World Health Organisation] retrieved 16 April 2008]

References