RCN pays tribute to Chief Medical Officer

Published: 17 December 2009

The RCN today (16 December) paid tribute to Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer. Commenting on the announcement of Sir Liam's intention to retire, RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said:

"Sir Liam has done a tremendous job as Chief Medical Officer, taking a bold stance on issues such as smoking in public places and restoring public confidence in the MMR vaccine. More recently his work on swine flu has meant that the country is well-placed to act against the pandemic. Sir Liam's position on public health issues has undoubtedly helped to save lives. We also welcomed Sir Liam's strong stance on alcohol misuse and we look forward to building on this work with his successor. We wish Sir Liam well in his future endeavours."

Ends

Notes for Editors

For further information, interviews or illustrations please contact the RCN Media Office on 0207 647 3633, press.office@rcn.org.uk or visit www.rcn.org.uk/news/mediacentre.php

Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.