RCGP awards - congratulations from SAPC

RCGP awards

The SAPC comunity would like to congratulate Anthony Harnden and Greg Irving on recent awards from RCGP:

The President’s Medal – Professor Anthony Harnden

The President’s Medal is given in recognition of consistent and excellent efforts and contributions that have achieved the RCGP’s overall mission ‘to encourage, foster and maintain the highest possible standards in general medical practice’.

Professor Anthony Harnden, Professor of Primary Care and Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Oxford has research interests in infections and paediatrics in primary care, specifically common childhood infections, vaccine preventable infections and the early diagnosis of rare but important childhood diseases. 

Professor Harnden was thrust into the limelight in early 2020 becoming acting chair of the JCVI. We are not aware that a GP has chaired this important group in the past.  The leadership demonstrated by the JCVI in general and Professor Harnden in particular have been hugely influential in the success of the vaccination programme throughout the UK. Their advice to government has been well considered and explained and Professor Harnden in particular has played a key role in communicating the committee’s deliberations and decisions to the public. 

John Fry Award – Dr Greg Irving

The John Fry Award is presented to a Member or Fellow who has promoted the discipline of general practice through research and scholarship. The award is intended to encourage people to undertake research as a practising GP, within 20 years of qualification as a GP, and not holding a professorial role.

Dr Greg Irving is an academic general practitioner with an interest in primary care research and medical education. He has received three consecutive personal National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Fellowships including an Academic Clinical Fellow, Doctoral and Academic Clinical Lecturer awards. Greg's research interests have focused on developing and evaluating complex interventions for use in primary care. He has experience in systematic reviews, randomised trials, observational studies along with qualitative research approaches. 

Greg is a past recipient of the prestigious Yvonne Carter award.