Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard, Academic Head of Community Based Medicine at the University of Birmingham has been elected the new Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).
Dr Helen Stokes-Lampard, Academic Head of Community Based Medicine at the University of Birmingham has been elected the new Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).
As Chair of Council, Dr Stokes-Lampard will lead on all aspects of policy and strategic decision making for the RCGP and will act as a voice for GPs across the country.
Prior to her election, Helen served as Honorary Treasurer for the RCGP having previously been Honorary Treasurer for the Midland Faculty. She became a Fellow of the Royal College of GPs in 2010.
Dr Stokes-Lampard has been working at the University since 2000, initially as GP Academic Trainee and then progressing through the ranks as Interim Head of Department of Primary Care (until 2015) and the Head of Academic Community Based Medicine teaching across the whole of the MBChB programme. She is also the Head of the dynamic Academic GP Trainee programme, which is the largest in the UK with 12 trainees in programme currently.
Helen commented: “During my academic career at the University of Birmingham, I have had a remarkably diverse range of experiences and responsibilities and these will be invaluable in the years ahead. I am grateful to my colleagues for their encouragement and support of my work with the RCGP and hope that I can use this to build many bridges between the medical Royal Colleges and Medical Schools in general. At a time when the NHS is under great strain, we will be so much stronger if we all unite to ensure the highest educational standards, backed up by world class research, resulting in the finest healthcare professionals.”
Professor David Adams, Head of College of Medical and Dental Sciences at the University commented:
"We are all delighted and proud that Helen has been elected next chair of the RCGP. This is the most prestigious appointment in general practice with a major influence on all aspects of policy relating to health care. Her election is a tremendous accolade reflecting Helen’s outstanding abilities and high standing nationally in the field. Helen follows in the footsteps of Sir Michael Drury, our first professor of GP, who held the RC post from 1985-1988.”
