England’s Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, will step down in May 2010 after 12 years of service, the longest serving Chief Medical Officer of modern times.

Sir Liam is the 15th person to take up the independent role since the first Chief Medical Officer was appointed in 1855 as a response to the cholera epidemics that swept Victorian England.

Since 1998, Sir Liam has been at the forefront of reforms to the NHS and major improvements to the country’s public health. His work and policy recommendations in the role have led to many reforms including:

• Smokefree public places and work places;
• the creation of the Health Protection Agency;
• the introduction of clinical governance in the NHS;
• the setting up of the National Patient Safety Agency;
• new legislation for research using embryonic cells;
• new legislation on consent for removal of organs and tissues; and
• action plans in key areas of infectious disease control such as tuberculosis, West Nile fever and health care associated infection.

In keeping with the traditions of the post, Sir Liam holds critical responsibilities across the whole field of health and healthcare. He is the United Kingdom’s chief adviser on health issues and advises the Secretary of State for Health, the Prime Minister and other Government Ministers. He represents the United Kingdom in international fora including the World Health Organization.

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