Professor Lucy Chappell has been appointed as the chief scientific adviser for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the Department has announced.
Professor Chappell will lead the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) from August 2021, taking responsibility for its research policy, management and the delivery of its £1.3bn research budget.
She will also play a leading role in helping the Government to transform the delivery of services and improve health outcomes, in addition to advising ministers on a range of health topics, it said.
The incoming adviser is a professor of obstetrics at King’s College London, an honorary consultant obstetrician at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and an NIHR senior investigator.
Professor Chappell said: ‘At a time when the health and social care communities have worked so hard in response to the pandemic, I see it as an enormous opportunity to help shape the next stages of improving lives through science and research in the UK.
‘I am excited at the prospect of working with many excellent colleagues around the country towards this common goal.’
Professor Chris Whitty, chief medical officer and the DHSC’s current chief scientific adviser, said that professor Chappell has an ‘excellent track record of leading wide-ranging collaborative research’ to improve health outcomes for the public and patients.
Sir Patrick Vallance, Government chief scientific adviser, said: ‘She is a talented scientist, researcher and expert in her field with specialist knowledge in obstetrics.
‘Her experience leading research programmes designed to improve health outcomes for the public and patients will be a great asset in this role.’
