Wales appoints a new Chief Medical Officer to replace Sir Frank Atherton
A new Chief Medical Officer for Wales has been announced following the departure of Sir Frank Atherton. Sir Frank became a familiar face in 2020 as he regularly featured on the Welsh Government's daily press briefings regarding the coronavirus pandemic.
As CMO, he was directly involved in Wales' response to the pandemic, and has helped shaped the health of the nation since he started his role in 2016. Now his replacement has been revealed as Professor Isabel Oliver.
Prof. Oliver will join the Welsh Government from her role as Director General of Science and Research and Chief Scientific Officer at the UK Health Security Agency. As CMO, she will be responsible for providing independent professional advice to the Welsh Government about health.
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Prof. Oliver said she has a great passion for health and wellbeing and can see "unique opportunities in Wales" to make improvements for all. Stay informed on the latest health news by signing up to our newsletter here
Upon her appointment, Prof. Oliver said: “Today, we face challenges from our ageing population, inequalities and global factors such as climate change. For someone like me with a great passion for health and wellbeing, there are some unique opportunities in Wales to secure major improvements in public health and health services for all, thanks to innovative policies and effective collaboration between sectors and it will be my privilege to serve the people of Wales to secure healthy, resilient and prosperous communities.”
Prof. Oliver has a background in acute hospital medicine before she pursued a career in public health. She also holds positions as co-director of the National Institute for Health Research, Health Protection Research Unit on Behavioural Science and Evaluation at the University of Bristo
She is set to take on the role at the end of this month as Sir Frank steps down. Cabinet secretary for health, Jeremy Miles, said: "Professor Oliver brings a wealth of experience to Wales after working at a senior level in public health in the UK and I look forward to working with her. I’m delighted she has joined us as we work to improve health and wellbeing, and I’d like to offer her a warm welcome to Wales.”