Chief Medical Officer
Encyclopedia
There are four Chief Medical Officers (CMO) in the United Kingdom
who are appointed to advise their respective governments on health
related matters: Her Majesty's Government, the Northern Ireland Executive
, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly Government
. The CMO is the most senior advisor on health matters in each government, and each CMO is assisted by one or more Deputy Chief Medical Officers.
In England
, the CMO is a member of the board of the National Health Service
(NHS), a civil servant in the Department of Health
, and head of the medical civil service. The Republic of Ireland
has a similar officer
.
The Chief Medical Officer is a qualified medical doctor whose specialty is in public health
and in the health of communities, rather than health of individuals. The CMO is one of the six chief professional officers, one for each of six professions, who advise the government in their respective specialty.
The equivalent U.S.
term is Surgeon General
. The term Surgeon General
is also a used in the British Armed Forces
for the head of medical services. In non-government organisations, such as policing
, chief medical officer may refer to a senior medical post in the organisation. When appointed outside government the chief medical officer will often decide on physical and mental fitness to serve issues, and the role may not be in public health.
epidemics. In 1969 the post of Chief Medical Officer for Wales was created, and prior to this both England and Wales were covered by the post of Chief Medical Officer of England and Wales.
, Scottish Board of Health, Department of Health for Scotland, the Scottish Home and Health Department, the Scottish Executive Health Department and now the Scottish Government:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
who are appointed to advise their respective governments on health
Health
Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
related matters: Her Majesty's Government, the Northern Ireland Executive
Northern Ireland Executive
The Northern Ireland Executive is the executive arm of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature for Northern Ireland. It is answerable to the Assembly and was established according to the terms of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which followed the Good Friday Agreement...
, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly Government
Welsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
. The CMO is the most senior advisor on health matters in each government, and each CMO is assisted by one or more Deputy Chief Medical Officers.
In England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the CMO is a member of the board of the National Health Service
National Health Service (England)
The National Health Service or NHS is the publicly funded healthcare system in England. It is both the largest and oldest single-payer healthcare system in the world. It is able to function in the way that it does because it is primarily funded through the general taxation system, similar to how...
(NHS), a civil servant in the Department of Health
Department of Health (United Kingdom)
The Department of Health is a department of the United Kingdom government with responsibility for government policy for health and social care matters and for the National Health Service in England along with a few elements of the same matters which are not otherwise devolved to the Scottish,...
, and head of the medical civil service. The Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
has a similar officer
Chief Medical Officer (Ireland)
The Chief Medical Officer for the Republic of Ireland is the head of medical services. It is a government post.-List of post holders:*Dr. Tony Holohan 2008 - current*Dr Jim Kiely 1997 - 2008...
.
The Chief Medical Officer is a qualified medical doctor whose specialty is in public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
and in the health of communities, rather than health of individuals. The CMO is one of the six chief professional officers, one for each of six professions, who advise the government in their respective specialty.
The equivalent U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
term is Surgeon General
Surgeon General of the United States
The Surgeon General of the United States is the operational head of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government...
. The term Surgeon General
Surgeon-General (United Kingdom)
The Surgeon-General is the senior medical officer of the British Armed Forces; the post is held by the senior of the three individual service medical directors....
is also a used in the British Armed Forces
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
for the head of medical services. In non-government organisations, such as policing
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, chief medical officer may refer to a senior medical post in the organisation. When appointed outside government the chief medical officer will often decide on physical and mental fitness to serve issues, and the role may not be in public health.
Chief Medical Officers for Her Majesty's Government
The historic post was created in Victorian times to help to prevent choleraCholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
epidemics. In 1969 the post of Chief Medical Officer for Wales was created, and prior to this both England and Wales were covered by the post of Chief Medical Officer of England and Wales.
- Dr William Duncan 1847–1855 (the first CMO for the UK)
- Sir John SimonJohn Simon (doctor)Sir John Simon KCB, FRS, FRCS was and English pathologist, surgeon and public health officer. He was the second Chief Medical Officer for Her Majesty's Government from 1855–1876.- Biography :...
1855–1876 - Dr Edward Cater Seaton 1876–1879
- Sir George Buchanan 1879–1892
- Sir Richard Thorne-Thorne 1892–1899
- Sir William Henry PowerWilliam Henry PowerSir William Henry Power was a British medical doctor. He was Chief Medical Officer of England from 1900 to 1908, and in 1907 he was awarded the Buchanan Medal....
1900–1908 - Sir Arthur Newsholme 1908–1919
- Sir George NewmanGeorge Newman (doctor)Sir George Newman GBE, KCB was an English public health physician, Quaker, the first Chief Medical Officer to the Ministry of Health in England, and wrote a seminal treatise on the social problems causing infant mortality.-Introduction:George Newman was educated at Sidcot School in North Somerset ...
1919–1935 - Sir Arthur McNalty 1935–1940
- Sir Wilson JamesonWilson JamesonSir William Wilson Jameson was a Scottish medical doctor and Chief Medical Officer of England 1940 - 1950....
1940–1950 - Sir John Charles 1950–1960
- Sir George GodberGeorge GodberSir George Edward Godber, GCB served as Chief Medical Officer for Her Majesty's Government in England from 1960–1973 and was instrumental in the establishment of the National Health Service ....
1960–1973 - Sir Henry Yellowlees 1973–1984
- Sir Donald AchesonDonald AchesonSir Donald Acheson KBE was a British physician and epidemiologist who served as Chief Medical Officer of the United Kingdom from 1983–91...
1984–1991 - Sir Kenneth CalmanKenneth CalmanSir Kenneth Charles Calman, KCB, DL, FRSE is a Scottish cancer researcher and former Chief Medical Officer of Scotland, and then England. He was Warden and Vice-Chancellor of Durham University from 1998 to 2006, before becoming Chancellor of the University of Glasgow. He has held the position of...
1991–1998 - Sir Liam DonaldsonLiam DonaldsonSir Liam Joseph Donaldson was the Chief Medical Officer for England, the 15th occupant of the post since it was established in 1855...
1998–31 May 2010 - Professor Dame Sally Davies from 1 June 2010
Chief Medical Officers for Scotland
Through various reorganisations, the CMOs for Scotland has been the chief medical officer in the Local Government Board for ScotlandLocal Government Board for Scotland
The Local Government Board for Scotland was the body charged with overseeing local government, public health and poor law in Scotland from 1894 to 1919.-Establishment:...
, Scottish Board of Health, Department of Health for Scotland, the Scottish Home and Health Department, the Scottish Executive Health Department and now the Scottish Government:
- JB McLintock (1894–1898)
- JB Russell (1898–1904)
- Sir Leslie Mackenzie (1904–1929)
- JP Kinloch (1929–1932)
- JL Brownlie (1932–1937)
- JM Mackintosh (1937–1941)
- Sir Andrew Davidson (1941–1954)
- Sir Kenneth Cowan (1954–1964)
- Sir John Brotherston (1964–1977)
- Sir John Reid (1977–1985)
- Dr Iain Macdonald 1985–1989
- Prof Sir Kenneth CalmanKenneth CalmanSir Kenneth Charles Calman, KCB, DL, FRSE is a Scottish cancer researcher and former Chief Medical Officer of Scotland, and then England. He was Warden and Vice-Chancellor of Durham University from 1998 to 2006, before becoming Chancellor of the University of Glasgow. He has held the position of...
1989–1991 - Dr Robert Kendell 1991–1996
- Prof Sir David Carter 1996–2000
- Dr Ernest Macalpine ("Mac") ArmstrongErnest Macalpine ArmstrongDr Ernest Macalpine Armstrong CB is a former Chief Medical Officer for Scotland.Born in Motherwell, Lanarkshire, Scotland, Ernest Macalpine Armstrong was educated at the former Hamilton Academy, subsequently graduating with First Class Honours in Physiology and with Honours in Medicine at the...
2000–2005 - Dr Harry BurnsHarry Burns (doctor)Sir Henry "Harry" Burns has been the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland since September 2005.Burns attended Glasgow's St. Aloysius College. In 1974 he graduated in medicine from the University of Glasgow. He started a career in general surgery, and for five years he was a consultant surgeon at the...
2005–current
Chief Medical Officers for Wales
The Welsh regional post was created in 1969, prior to this there was one post for both England and Wales, the Chief Medical Officer for England and Wales.- Dr Richard Bevan 1969–1977
- Prof Gareth Crompton 1978–1989
- Dame Deirdre HineDeirdre HineDame Deirdre Joan Hine, née Curran DBE FFPH FRCP FLSW is a Welsh medical doctor. In 1984 she began her career as a public health physician in Wales. She was named Chair of the Commission for Health Improvement. Since January 2004 she has chaired the-Background:Hine was born to David Alban Curran...
1990–1997 - Dr Ruth Hall 1997–2006
- Dr Tony JewellTony Jewell (doctor)Tony Jewell is the Chief Medical Officer for Wales. He took up this post on 18 April 2006. Jewell was a GP in inner London for 10 years before training in public health in East Anglia...
18 April 2006–present
Chief Medical Officers for Northern Ireland
- Dr Henrietta Campbell
- Dr Michael McBride 2006–present