The Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Executive Department of Health is pleased to announce that one of the six awards made nationally each year to further the careers of high flyers working within primary care research has gone to Dr Blair Smith, a General Practitioner and Senior Lecturer in the Department of General Practice at Aberdeen University. The award takes effect from 1st October.

The Primary Care Career Scientist Awards scheme is operated by the NHS Executive, and is intended to unblock the career pathways of the highest calibre individuals, so that in 3 to 5 years time they can become the independent research leaders in primary care. The awards are for five years, and are awarded to the individual and not tied to a specific institution. The award covers salary, tuition and conferences, and a small contribution towards research costs.

Dr Blair Smith will be undertaking a programme of work looking at the treatment of chronic pain within general practice and community based settings, and will be aiming to test the effectiveness of a range of approaches to managing chronic pain. He will continue his work as a General Practitioner on a part time basis, in order to ensure that his research retains its practical focus.