Professor Gillian Leng CBE appointed Dean of Education at the Royal Society of Medicine

Professor Gillian Leng CBE has been appointed the next Dean of Education at the Royal Society of Medicine. She will take up her post on 24 October 2022.

A recent Trustee of the Royal Society of Medicine, Professor Leng has had a long career in academia, as a doctor, and in public service, supporting quality improvement and educational initiatives using evidence-based guidelines and policy. She now works with evidence and guideline producers around the world through roles with the Cochrane Collaboration, the Global Commission on Evidence and the Guidelines International Network. She was formerly the Chief Executive at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), having worked there in senior roles for over 20 years.  

Professor Leng has worked closely on new policy development with government, including the Office for Life Sciences; Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Department of Health and Social Care; Department for Education; and the What Works Centre Network.

In addition, she has spent time as a public health consultant in London, and has worked on clinical trials and epidemiological research in Edinburgh. Professor Leng is a visiting professor at King’s College London and an affiliate professor at the National University of Singapore.

As Dean at the RSM, she will provide strategic leadership across all aspects of the RSM’s charitable mission to share learning and support innovation in healthcare.

Professor Roger Kirby, President of the Royal Society of Medicine, said: “Gillian strongly believes in the power of education and evidence to improve clinical practice and patient care, and has successfully demonstrated this across her impressive career.

“Our shared values and her reputation as a global thought leader make her an excellent fit for the Society, as we continue to implement our ambitious strategy.”

Professor Leng said: “I'm delighted to have been appointed to the role of Dean of the Royal Society of Medicine. The Society has played an important role in the history of medicine and I’m looking forward to supporting its future development.”

She takes over as Dean from Professor Humphrey Scott, who will be stepping down after two years in the role.

Professor Kirby added: “I’d like to thank our outgoing Dean, Humphrey Scott, for his valuable contribution to the Society. We are delighted that he will continue to be an active member of our community, as we strive to be the leading provider of continuing learning to healthcare professionals.”