Health Services Research Unit's (HSRU) representatives had a very special work trip yesterday: they were invited to the Buckingham Palace to collect the Queen's Anniversary Prize for sustained research excellence in healthcare research leading to improvements in academic and clinical practice and delivery of care.
Professor Craig Ramsay, Director of the Health Services Research Unit, and Professor Sir Ian Diamond, Principal of the University of Aberdeen, led the presentation party to receive the highest national honour for a United Kingdom university, representing the Health Services Research Unit, the Health Economics Research Unit and the University of Aberdeen. The Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education was presented to them by The Prince of Wales, on behalf of The Queen. The Duchess of Cornwall presented the Prize Certificates.
Professor Mandy Ryan, Director of the Health Economics Research Unit, was present as well as Professor Marion Campbell, former HSRU Director and current Vice-Principal for Research & Knowledge Exchange at the University of Aberdeen. The University of Aberdeen’s Pro-Chancellor, the Very Reverend Professor Iain Torrance accompanied the group. Early career researchers joined the party on behalf of both Units: Beatriz Goulao (PhD student and statistician) and Heidi Gardner (PhD student) represented our Unit; Alastair Irvine (PhD student), Ruben Sakowsky (PhD student), and Maria Dimitrova (Research Assistant) represented the Health Economics Research Unit.
Both teams had an opportunity to discuss the important research we do in our Units with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in a meet and greet session with the Prize-winning institutions after the awards had been presented. Afterwards, Professors Ramsay, Ryan, Diamond and Torrance collected the medal as a symbol of our sustained research excellence.
The evening before Professor Craig Ramsay was joined by a team of Health Services Research Unit collaborators who had made major contributions to the success of the Unit over the last thirty years at a gala dinner at the Guildhall in the City of London. Four generations of Directors of the Unit came together to celebrate this amazing achievement: joining Professor Ramsay (4th Director) were Professor Marion Campbell (3rd Director), Professor Elizabeth Russell (Co-Director and original grant holder), Frances Grant (representing Professor Adrian Grant, the Unit’s 2nd Director) and Professor Ian Russell (the Unit’s 1st Director).
Overall, it was a fantastic event for our Unit and a recognition of the innovation and impact that our research has had in healthcare and improving lives over the years. The Health Services Research Unit could not be prouder of receiving this honour and will continue to work to innovate and improve academic and clinical practice with excellent research.