The Cabinet Secretary earlier this month (7 June 2019) announced RSS fellow Chris Whitty as the new Chief Medical Officer for England and the UK government’s Chief Medical Adviser.
Chris is currently Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department of Health and Social Care, and has overall responsibility for the department’s research and development, including the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and life science strategy.
He is also the Professor of Public and International Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a practising NHS Consultant Physician in acute medicine and infectious diseases at University College London Hospitals, and Gresham Professor of Physic.
He will succeed Professor Dame Sally Davies, when she takes up a new role as master of Trinity College Cambridge in October 2019.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock said he 'could think of no better person to lead the fight against infectious diseases, public health threats, and lead the medical profession to continue keeping us as healthy as possible.'
Chris said it was a 'huge honour' to be offered the role. RSS president Deborah Ashby said: ‘This is an important post, where understanding and being able to communicate evidence and advice to politicians and the public is vital.
'I am delighted to see Chris in this role and if he needs the support of the RSS, we will help in any way we can’.