In the United Kingdom, a chief medical officer (CMO) is the most senior government advisor on matter relating to health. There are four chief medical officers in the United Kingdom who are appointed to advise their respective governments:
*
His Majesty's Government
His Majesty's Government, abbreviated to HM Government or otherwise UK Government, is the central government, central executive authority of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (CMO for England and medical advisor to the United Kingdom government)
*
Scottish Government
The Scottish Government (, ) is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was formed in 1999 as the Scottish Executive following the 1997 referendum on Scottish devolution, and is headquartered at St Andrew's House in ...
*
Welsh Government
The Welsh Government ( ) is the Executive (government), executive arm of the Welsh devolution, devolved government of Wales. The government consists of Cabinet secretary, cabinet secretaries and Minister of State, ministers. It is led by the F ...
*
Northern Ireland Executive
The Northern Ireland Executive (Irish language, Irish: ''Feidhmeannas Thuaisceart Éireann'', Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster Scots: ''Norlin Airlan Executive'') is the devolution, devolved government of Northern Ireland, an administrative branc ...
Each CMO is assisted by one or more deputy chief medical officers, and complemented by a
chief nursing officer
Nursing management consists of the performance of the leadership functions of governance and decision-making within organizations employing nurses. It includes processes common to all management like planning, organizing, staffing, directing an ...
.
The chief medical officer is a qualified
medical doctor
A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the study, diagnosis, prognosis ...
whose medical speciality traditionally was
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". Analyzing the de ...
medicine, and whose work focused on the health of communities rather than health of individuals. More recently, some appointees have been senior clinicians without training in public health medicine. In the UK, the CMO is one of the chief professional officers who advise the government in their respective health and social care disciplines.
[
] The CMO has independent statutory authority, first established in the 19th century, to issue reports without requiring government approval.
Chief Medical Officers for England
The historic post was created in Victorian times to help to prevent
cholera
Cholera () is an infection of the small intestine by some Strain (biology), strains of the Bacteria, bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea last ...
and other 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.
*
Sir John Simon
John Allsebrook Simon, 1st Viscount Simon, (28 February 1873 – 11 January 1954) was a British politician who held senior Cabinet posts from the beginning of the First World War to the end of the Second World War. He is one of three people to ...
(1855–1876)
*
Edward Cator Seaton (1876–1879)
*
Sir George Buchanan (1879–1892)
*
Sir Richard Thorne Thorne (1892–1899)
*
Sir William Henry Power (1900–1908)
*
Sir Arthur Newsholme (1908–1919)
*
Sir George Newman (1919–1935)
*
Sir Arthur MacNalty (1935–1940)
*
Sir Wilson Jameson (1940–1950)
*
Sir John Charles (1950–1960)
*
Sir George Godber (1960–1973)
*
Sir Henry Yellowlees (1973–1984)
*
Sir Donald Acheson (1984–1991)
*
Sir Kenneth Calman (1991–1998)
*
Sir Liam Donaldson (1998–May 2010)
*
Dame Sally Davies (June 2010–September 2019)
*
Sir Chris Whitty (October 2019–present)
Deputies
* John Reid (1972 to 1977)
*
Liz Shore (1977 to 1985)
* Michael Abrams (1985 to 1992)
* David Walker (2013 to 2015)
* John Watson (2013 to 2017)
*
Gina Radford (2015 to 2019)
*
Jenny Harries (July 2019 – March 2021)
*
Sir Jonathan Van-Tam (October 2017 – March 2022)
* Aidan Fowler (March 2020 – present)
* Thomas Waite ''interim'' (May 2021 – April 2022)
*
Jeanelle de Gruchy (September 2021 – present)
* Thomas Waite (April 2022 – present)
Chief Medical Officers for Scotland
Through various reorganisations, the CMOs for Scotland has been the chief medical officer in the
Local Government Board for Scotland, 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
The Scottish Government (, ) is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was formed in 1999 as the Scottish Executive following the 1997 referendum on Scottish devolution, and is headquartered at St Andrew's House in ...
:
* J. B. McLintock (1894–1898)
* James Burn Russell (1898–1904)
* Sir Leslie Mackenzie (1904–1929)
* J. P. Kinloch (1929–1932)
* J. L. Brownlie (1932–1937)
* J. M. Mackintosh (1937–1941)
*
Sir Andrew Davidson (1941–1954)
* Sir Kenneth Cowan (1954–1964)
* Sir John Brotherston (1964–1977)
* Sir John Reid (1977–1985)
* Iain Macdonald (1985–1989)
*
Sir Kenneth Calman (1989–1991)
*
Robert Kendell (1991–1996)
*
Sir David Carter (1996–2000)
*
Ernest Macalpine ("Mac") Armstrong (2000–2005)
*
Sir Harry Burns (2005–2014)
[
]
*
Aileen Keel (2014–2015; acting)
*
Catherine Calderwood (2015–2020)
*
Sir Gregor Smith (2020–2025; acting until 23 December 2020, thereafter permanent)
Chief Medical Officers for Wales
The Welsh 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.
* Richard Bevan (1969–1977)
*
Gareth Crompton (1978–1989)
*
Dame Deirdre Hine (1990–1997)
*
Ruth Hall (1997–2005)
* David Salter (July 2005–April 2006; acting)
*
Tony Jewell (April 2006 – 2012)
*
Ruth Hussey
Ruth Carol Hussey (October 30, 1911 – April 19, 2005) was an American actress best known for her Academy Award-nominated role as photographer Elizabeth Imbrie in '' The Philadelphia Story''.
Early life
Hussey was born in Providence, Rho ...
(2012–2016)
* Chris Jones (March–July 2016; acting)
*
Sir Frank Atherton (2016–2025)
* Professor Isabel Oliver (2025–present)
Chief Medical Officers for Northern Ireland
* William Richard Dawson (1922–1929) Chief Medical Officer of Ministry of Home Affairs, Northern Ireland
* Frank F. Main (1954–1968)
* Thomas Terence Baird (1973–1978)
* Bob Weir (1978–1986)
* James McKenna (1988–1995)
* Henrietta Campbell (1995–2006)
*
Sir Michael McBride (2006–present)
See also
*
Medical officer of health
*
Chief Dental Officers (United Kingdom)
*
Chief Nursing Officer (United Kingdom)
*
Government Chief Scientific Adviser (United Kingdom)
The UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) is the personal adviser on science and technology-related activities and policies to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. They are also the head of the Government Office for Science.
Many indivi ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
Chief Medical Officers
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
Government occupations
Government of Northern Ireland
Government of Scotland
Government of Wales
Health in the United Kingdom
Civil Service (United Kingdom)
Administrators in the National Health Service
Public health in the United Kingdom