Professor Sir Lewis Ritchie

Biography

Professor Sir Lewis Duthie Ritchie OBE FRSE

Qualifications:

BSc (Chemistry), MBChB, MD [University of Aberdeen]; MSc (Community Medicine) [University of Edinburgh]

Honours:  

OBE, HM Queen's Birthday Honours 2001: For services to General Practice and Primary Care in Scotland

Knight Bachelor, New Year Honours 2011: For services to the NHS in Scotland 

Postgraduate Prizes/Awards National and Regional:

1978: Kincardine Prize of the North East Faculty of the Royal College of General Practitioners (for contributions to the management of hypertension)

1991: John Perry Prize of the British Computer Society (for the application of computers to cardiovascular prevention)

1992: Ian Stokoe Memorial Award of the Royal College of General Practitioners UK (for increasing understanding of cardiovascular prevention in primary care)

1995: Blackwell Prize of the University of Aberdeen (for the book/monograph: Computers in Primary Care - Heinemann Medical 1984, 1986 (for contributions to scholarship and computing in medicine)

2003-04: President of the Aberdeen Medico-Chirurgical Society

2004-07: Provost of the North East Scotland Faculty of the Royal College of General Practitioners

2007: Richard Scott Lectureship, University of Edinburgh (for academic primary care leadership)

2010: Provost Medal, North East Scotland Faculty of the Royal College of General Practitioners (for services to general practice)

2010: James Mackenzie Lectureship and Medal, Royal College of General Practitioners UK (for contributions to general practice and primary care) Lecture: 'Beyond the Numbers Game: the Call of Leadership'

2012: Fulton Lectureship, West of Scotland Faculty, Royal College of General Practitioners (for contributions to general practice)

2012: Stock Memorial Lecture, Port Health Authorities UK (for contributions to public health)

2014: DARE Lecture, Faculty of Public Health UK (for contributions to public health)

2015: Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow FRCPSG

2015: Honorary Membership of Aberdeen Medico-Chirurgical Society

2016: Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh FRSE

2017: Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (ad hominem) FRCSE

2018-19: President, Harveian Society of Edinburgh

International Awards

2007: Eric Elder Medal, Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) 

Present Posts 

1992- James Mackenzie Professor of General Practice, University of Aberdeen

2014- Honorary/Visiting Professor of Primary Care and Public Health, University of the Highlands and Islands

2015- Honorary Professor of General Practice, University of Edinburgh.

2014- Honorary Consultant in Public Health, NHS Grampian 

2015- Chair of the Queen's Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS)

Former Posts

1980-2017 General Practitioner, Peterhead Health Centre and Community Hospital

1984-2012 Principal and Senior Partner (2002-12), Peterhead Health Centre

1992-2007 Head of Department of General Practice and Primary Care, University of Aberdeen

2012-14 Director of Public Health, NHS Grampian

1987-92 Consultant in Public Health Medicine, Grampian Health Board (Honorary Consultant, 1993-2012)

Book

1984 Computers in Primary Care, Heinemann Medical,  first edition; 1986 second edition and Spanish translation (Ordenadores in Atencion Primaria)

NHS Leadership Contributions

1984-86 Book: Computers in Primary Care, which flagged the potential of computers in general practice to enhance patient care but also epidemiology and security/confidentality imperatives. Advocated data custodians, subsequently adopted as Caldicott Guardians

1993: Inaugural Professorial Lecture: General Practice Beyond the Numbers Game, considered the future of general practice and primary care, which pointed to a new balance between reactive and proactive care, primary and secondary care, and the need to embrace innovative technologies.  Exploitation/innovation of evolving computing and information technology important to deliver optimal care in new ways - including remote consulting/working (telemedicine/telecare), multidisciplinary teams, the growing importance of a public health dimension to primary care. Preservation of the confidence, trust and engagement with the public key (co-production)

1995-96: Chair - Independent Review of the purpose and potential for community hospitals in Scotland.  Recommended a new and widely accepted definition of their function and future role

1996-1998: Chair  - Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) - Lipids and the Primary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease: SIGN 40. This led to a revision of the SIGN process, incorporating cost-effectiveness as well as clinical effectiveness in guideline development

1998-99: Independent Review of Primary and Intermediate Care Services in Mid-Argyll. Main recommendation was to establish a new community hospital and integrated, co-located primary and intermediate care service at Lochgilphead - since realised

1998-2001: Chair - Primary Care Research Implementation Group of the Chief Scientist Office. Imperative was to increase research investment in primary care. Outcomes: a four fold increase in CSO funding of primary care research in Scotland 1998-2001. Leadership of co-funding - secured from Scottish Government and other NHS bodies co-funding to establish the Scottish School of Primary Care (SSPC) in 1999, in order to enhance the capacity and leadership of primary care research in Scotland.

1999-2001: Chair - Introduction of the Meningococal C (Men C) Immunisation Programme in Scotland. Outcomes: Scotland achieved highest UK uptake rates for all subgroups immunised. In the final report a recommendation was made to create a secure and confidential electronic lifetime immunisation record for all individuals irrespective of locus delivery, which would safely be accessible for health professionals, at all times, to afford best protection and care of the whole populace

2000-03: Chair - Electronic Clinical Communications Implementation (ECCI) Group.  Outcomes:  The main work of the group; (1) established automatic downloading of laboratory test results undertaken by general practices throughout Scotland with direct incorporation into general practice electronic records; (2) Made possible and amplified direct electronic general practice to hospital out-patient appointment referrals

2001-02: Chair - Review of the functionality of the National General Practice Computer System in Scotland: GPASS (General Practice Administrative System Scotland). Report of required improvements: Promoting General Practice Computing in Scotland, allowed the system to continue in use for another ten years

2001-07: Chair - Biomedical and Therapeutic Research Committee of the Chief Scientist Scotland

2001-07: Non Executive Director of NHS 24; Vice Chair 2001-06; Chair (Interim) 2006-07

2003: Book chapter: Developing Primary Care in Scotland. In: Woods K, Carter D (eds). Scotland's Health and Health Services. The Nuffield Trust, TSO, London, 2003

2003-04: Chair - Introduction of the Adult Pneumococcal Immunisation Programme in Scotland. Final Report: Adult Pneumococcal Immunisation Programme in Scotland 2004

2004-07: Co-Chair - Steering Group all SIGN Cardiovascular Guidelines (SIGN 93-97). Incorporated guidance for the public as well as clinical guidelines

2005: Chair - Internal Review of the functionality and effectiveness of NHS 24, with external peer input 

2006-07: Chair - NHS 24 Board (Interim)

2006-08: Chair - Review of the Seasonal Influenza Immunisation Programme in Scotland. Output: The Review Report made a number of recommendations to streamline more resilient vaccine procurement, to implement new models of delivery and to maximise vaccine uptake by health professionals and the public. Further impetus was given to the concept of a lifetime electronic immunisation record, first mooted during the intoduction of the MenC vaccine (1999-2001 - see above)

2007-09: Chair - Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, Scotland Group: Chronic Medication Services Advisory Group. Report:  Establishing Effective Therapeutic Partnerships, 2010

2007-15: Chair - Scottish Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee (SMASAC - Vice-Chair 1998-2007). Main output: Report - Promoting Professionalism and Excellence in Scottish Medicine (2009), which spawned the Scottish Clinical Leader Fellowship (SCLEF) scheme

2008-09: Chair - Prevention Group, Quality Improvement Scotland, Implementation of SIGN Cardiovascular Guidelines, 2007

2009-10: Chair - Delivery Group, National H1N1 Swine Flu Pandemic Immunisation Programme. Final Report Published 2010.

2009-10: Chair - Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME-CFS, including patient guidance and summary clinical guidance. Three guidance documents published.

2011-13: Non-Executive Director Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)

2012-14: Director of Public Health and Board Executive Director NHS Grampian. Three Annual Director of Public Health Reports published 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-15: Chair - Health Informatics Research Advisory Group (HIRAG) of the Chief Scientist Scotland. Report: A Health and Biomedical Informatics Research Strategy for Scotland, published 2015

2015:  Chair - National Review of Out of Hours Primary Care Services in Scotland.  Report: Pulling Together - Transforming Urgent Care for the People of Scotland, published 2015

2015-18: Chair - Steering Group revision of all six SIGN Scottish Cardiovascular Guidelines (SIGN 147-152), published 2016-18

2017: Chair - National Review of the Resilience of Public Holiday Services in Scotland, Report: Improving Health and Social Care Service Resilience over Public Holidays, published 2017

2017-19: Chair - Assurance and Advisory Group, NHS Tayside regarding addressing recurring annual financial deficits and transformation of care, commissioned by Scottish Government. Staging Report published 06/17, accepted in full by the Board of NHS Tayside. First progress report published 09/17; Second progress report published 01/18; Third progress report published 12/18; Fourth (final) progress report published 02/19

2018-20: Chair - External Review of Out of Hours Services in Skye, Lochalsh and South West Ross, commissioned by NHS Highland. Report published 05/18, accepted in full by NHS Highland Board. Follow up reviews of progress 12/18 and 05/19 (another review planned in 2020)

2018-ongoing: Chair - Remote and Rural Working Group Implementation of the 2018 General Practice Contract in Scotland.  Report: Shaping the Future Together, published 01/20

2019-20: Chair - Funding Group, Five-Year Integrated Pharmacy Degree Programme in Scotland on behalf of the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer

2019-ongoing: Chair - Independent Assurance of Primary Care Out of Hours Services in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC). Report submitted to Board Chair 12/19 and recommendations adopted by NHS GGC Board 02/20.