New Associate Dean of Social and Clinical Medicine

Sarah Purdy, Professor of Primary Care in the School of Social and Community Medicine at the University of Bristol, has been appointed Associate Dean of Social and Clinical Medicine.

Professor Purdy, who took up her role on 1 August 2015, will play a key role in the development of the new Faculty of Health Sciences. She will work closely with the Dean of Health Sciences and existing Schools of Social and Community Medicine and Clinical Sciences in preparation for the planned launch of the new School of Social and Clinical Medicine in August 2017.

Professor Purdy said: “I am delighted to be appointed to this new role as Associate Dean for Social and Clinical Medicine. It is a very exciting and challenging time for medical education and research in Bristol. I am looking forward to working with colleagues as we plan a new curriculum and build on our existing research strengths with the aim of significantly impacting the future health of individual patients and populations.”

Biomedical teaching and research at the University has been reorganised into two new faculties – the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, replacing the existing Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and Faculty of Medical and Veterinary Sciences.

The Faculty of Health Sciences comprises the School of Oral and Dental Sciences, School of Veterinary Sciences, Centre for Health Sciences Education, School of Social and Community Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences and Centre for Medical Education.

The Faculty of Biomedical Sciences comprises three schools: Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Physiology and Pharmacology.

As Associate Dean, Professor Purdy will provide leadership for the Schools of Social and Community Medicine and Clinical Sciences and the Centre for Medical Education, supported by the Heads of School and the Programme Directors for MBChB (undergraduate medical programme) and curriculum development. She will work closely with Professor Jonathan Sandy, Dean of Health Sciences, to drive forward the strategy for research, to enhance and strengthen the University’s undergraduate medical curriculum, and to ensure greater integration of teaching and research.

Sarah Purdy is a GP and was a Professor of Primary Care at the University’s Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC). She is an experienced clinical academic who has held leadership roles in both the NHS and several universities. She also acts as advisor to national bodies on policy and research and, until recently, was academic lead for the local NIHR Primary Care Research Network. At CAPC she led a research programme into unplanned hospital admissions, one of the biggest challenges facing the NHS today.