Dr Patricia Hamilton awarded CBE in 2009 Honours

Dr Patricia Hamilton, Senior Lecturer in Neonatal Paediatrics at St George’s, University of London, has been named in the Queen’s New Year’s honours list 2009 and will be awarded a CBE for services to medicine.

This honour is the latest in a distinguished career for Dr Hamilton, who was appointed Director of Medical Education for England in December 2008 and is due to take up the post shortly.

As the Director for Medical Education for England, Dr Hamilton will be in charge of the Modernising Medical Careers Programme. Her remit will cover the full range of medical training: from undergraduate, through pre-registration and Foundation Programme training and specialty and GP training, up to the award of the Certificate of Completion of Training and certain aspects of Continuing Professional Development.

She will work with the professional regulators, Royal Colleges, Deaneries, employers, trade unions, universities and others and will report directly to the NHS Medical Director who has operational responsibility for delivering quality and safety in the NHS, a key component of which is overseeing postgraduate medical education and training and ensuring the workforce is fit for purpose.

She will also co-chair the MMC (England) Programme Board and will be a member of NHS Medical Education England.

Dr Hamilton will remain a Consultant and Senior Lecturer in Neonatal Paediatrics at St George’s when she takes up her new post.

St George’s Principal, Professor Peter Kopelman said: “I am delighted for Patricia on her CBE, and her recent appointment as Director of Medical Education For England, and I feel sure that the future of medical education for England is in the very best hands.”

Dr Hamilton’s career includes her current roles as President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and Vice President of the European Academy of Paediatrics and membership of the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board. She previously held the positions of Vice President for Training and Assessment and Child Health and Honorary Secretary for the Royal College, and Medical Director at St George’s Hospital.

She qualified from The University of Bristol and trained in Paediatrics in London, Birmingham, Bristol, Oxford and Vancouver. She is an active clinician in Neonatology and her research interests have included the pathophysiology of birth asphyxia.

Dr Hamilton has been closely involved in developing new training programmes and teaching methods. She has chaired the Steering Group of Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and national Institute of Innovation and Improvement that has produced a competency framework for Medical leadership. She has been involved in the Darzi Leadership workstream and chaired the London Children’s Clinical Pathway Group.