Alumni News

OA Professor Sir Harry Burns (class of '69) has been made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow - a highly prestigious award from the college he initially sat his exams at as a Junior Doctor. Professor Sir Harry Burns has been recognised for his outstanding contribution to social justice and health, having a celebrated career that includes highlights such as being the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland from 2005 - 2014.

Sir Harry also has a long history with the College, being a former Governor and also being inducted into our Hall of Fame in 2019 for his services to the improvement of health and wellbeing in Scotland. 

Sir Harry Burns graduated in medicine in 1974 from Glasgow University and in 1984, he was appointed Consultant Surgeon, University Department of Surgery, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow. In 1990, following completion of an MSc Public Health, he was appointed Medical Director of the Royal Infirmary. Many of his patients lived in the east end of Glasgow and it was this insight to the complex inter-relationships between social and economic status, illness and recovery that began his lifelong focus: to reduce health inequalities.

In 1994, he was appointed Director of Public Health for Greater Glasgow Health Board and in 2005 he became Chief Medical Officer for Scotland. He was Knighted in 2011 and in 2014 then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon presented him with a lifetime achievement award for public service from the Scottish Government.

In April 2014 he became Professor of Global Public Health at Strathclyde University. In addition to research publication and supervision of doctoral students, Sir Harry leads on a number of major, multi-agency projects and is Chair of the University’s Centre for Health Policy. He is a regular invited keynote speaker to local, national and international events and to academic programmes. Among many appointments, he is a member of the Scottish Government’s Council of Economic Advisors; a member of Diabetes UK Board; Chair of the Wheatley Foundation; a member of Johnson & Johnson’s Impact Investment Advisory Committee and a member of the Health Foundation’s Sciana Programme for international health leaders.

We congratulate Sir Harry on his award from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. Read more here.

Photo from Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.