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Chief Medical Officer
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Sir Liam Donaldson, is the UK Government's principal medical adviser and the professional head of all medical staff in England. These pages provide up-to-date information on key public health and clinical quality issues and offer access to CMO reports and publications. New additions to the CMO webpages and other items of interest are signposted here. New Urgent Communications and CMO Letters can be accessed using the links on the right-hand side of the page.
Flu watch
Friday 1 February 2008
The annual influenza, or 'flu' jab, campaign was launched on 28 September 2007, to encourage people at risk from the complications that can be associated with flu to get immunised. This feature will be regularly updated throughout the winter of 2007 to 2008 to provide information on the impact of flu on public health.
Bird flu and pandemic influenza: what are the risks?
Friday 1 February 2008
A severe form of avian influenza or ‘bird’ flu – called H5N1 – has affected poultry flocks and other birds in several countries since 2003. This regularly updated feature explains the background to the disease, and assesses the nature of the risk to people living in the UK.
CMO Update 46
Friday 23 November 2007
CMO Update is a newsletter sent by the Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health to all doctors in England. It incorporates topics that might otherwise have required an individual letter or progress report, as well as information from the Chief Medical Officer that is of interest to practising doctors.
Chief Medical Officer launches the third year of the cleanyourhands campaign
On 18 October 2007, Sir Liam Donaldson launched the third year of the cleanyourhands campaign at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, and sent a clear message to everyone about the importance of hand hygiene.
Report of the High Level Group (HLG) on Clinical Effectiveness
Wednesday 24 October 2007
Variation in clinical practice across the NHS, and in the treatments that patients receive, was the focus of a chapter in the Chief Medical Officer’s 2005 Annual Report. This report is from the High Level Group which was set up by the CMO to consider the scope for improving clinical effectiveness in the NHS, and to make recommendations for future action.
Indications of Public Health in the English Regions: 8 - Alcohol
Monday 20 August 2007
This new report for the Chief Medical Officer, led by the North West Public Health Observatory, provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of harmful drinking on individuals, their families and the wider community.
Smokefree England one month on
Monday 20 August 2007
In a video podcast on the NHS Choices website, Sir Liam Donaldson, visits a pub in London to ask people how going smokefree in England has affected them.
On the state of public health: Annual report of the Chief Medical Officer 2006
Tuesday 17 July 2007
The 2006 Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer, On the state of public health, has been published today.
Accompanying the report are a series of video podcasts in which Sir Liam Donaldson discusses the Annual Report and some of this year's topics.
Countdown to Smokefree England - CMO video podcasts
The Health Act, passed by Parliament in 2006, makes virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces smokefree from 1 July 2006.
In a series of video podcasts Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer, explores the many reasons why this landmark public health reform is both a positive and necessary move for England.
Breaking Barriers
The research program, Breaking Barriers, is gathering data relating to career progression and gender discrimination, to identify the barriers and driver's to career progression. Phase 3 of the program has now commenced and the project is looking for mid-career women in the health or bioscience sectors to contribute via an online questionnaire.
More body donations needed to sustain medical education, training and research
While the number of people in England and Wales donating kidneys, livers and other organs has increased since 2000, the number of people leaving their whole body for medical science has fallen. An increase in people who are wish to donate their body is necessary to make good the current shortage of bodies for education and surgical training.
Honours nominations
In the United Kingdom, honours are normally awarded twice a year. A small number are awarded to medical professionals. A full list of those receiving honours is published on HM The Queens Birthday in the middle of June and at the New Year. Anyone can nominate an individual for an honour. However, the process is extremely competitive. Further guidance on how to make a nomination is available through the Cabinet Office.
Urgent communications
In cases where information needs to reach health professionals especially quickly, the CMO issues urgent advice electronically via the 'Public Health Link System'. A catalogue of these communications is publicly accessible.
Patient Safety Alerts
These pages are aimed at NHS staff with a particular interest in, or responsibility for, safety of equipment, buildings and patients, including Safety Alert Broadcast System liaison officers in NHS Trusts and Primary Care Trusts. The safety alerts are also likely to be of interest to other organisations which deliver patient care.
How to contact the Chief Medical Officer
What's New Archives
These pages provide links to archived content on the CMO webpages from 2003 to 2007.
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