The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Health experts scoop OBEs for their efforts
Four local experts who have improved the health of others have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
They were named ahead of the start of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations alongside other recipients from various walks of life across Tayside and Fife.
Health experts receiving OBEs are: Dundee University’s Professor Mary Josephine Renfrew, professor of mother and infant health for services to midwifery; Dr Barry Klaassen, Scotland emergency medicine Malawi project and chief medical adviser, British Red Cross for services to overseas healthcare; Dr Stephen James Cole, intensive care, NHS Tayside for services to the NHS and to the Covid response and Dr Elaine McNaughton, previously Carnoustie Medical Group, now Dundee University for services to general practice and GP training in Scotland.
During a career spanning 40 years, focusing on maternal and infant health and feeding and midwifery, Professor Mary Renfrew has helped shape modern care for mothers and newborns in the UK and internationally.
“Helping to increase our understanding of the early days of life for newborns and their parents has always been a huge motivation,” says Prof Renfrew, who came to Dundee 10 years ago.
“It is an incredibly special time and it has been a great source of joy to have made a difference to woman, babies and families starting their lives together.”
Last month, she became the first midwife to be elected as a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
“My research has always involved collaborations with hugely talented individuals and institutions and I’d like to thank all of my colleagues and collaborators who have worked with me,” she continues.
Dr Barry Klaassen has been recognised by the Queen for services to overseas healthcare.
He has dedicated years of his career working with the Scottish Emergency Medicine – Malawi Project, helping to set up emergency and trauma centres in Malawi.
Through the project, Scottish medical staff have trained and supported staff in Malawi and opened the first emergency and trauma centre in Blantyre, Malawi in 2010.
Dr Klaassen says: “I’m absolutely delighted and honoured. It’s another great accolade for all the effort everyone has put into the project.
“A huge thanks goes to the whole team at the NHS Tayside emergency medicine department, who are so supportive and to Gwen Gordon, the project’s lead nurse.”
Dr Stephen James Cole from Broughty Ferry, is currently a consultant in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine at Ninewells Hospital.
During the pandemic, Dr Cole, in his role as president of the Scottish Intensive Care Society, worked with the Scottish Government to provide the potential for more than 700 ventilated ICU beds, four times the base capacity across Scotland.
He says: “Scotland has much to be proud of in the way the pandemic has been managed.
“This award is gratefully received and is testament to the close collaboration, commitment and dedication of the entire intensive care team not only within Tayside, but across Scotland.”
Dr Elaine McNaughton, from Carnoustie, is a wellknown face in Angus, having joined Carnoustie Medical Practice in 1986 and staying until she retired last year.
This is not Dr McNaughton’s first award for her contribution to the community.
The Royal College of GPs presented her with an outstanding achievement award in 2019 for her work merging local practices in Carnoustie into a purposebuilt centre with allied healthcare teams.
She was heavily involved in developing and implementing innovative GP training programmes in Scotland.
Now an integrated teacher at Dundee University, Dr McNaughton says “the huge honour” is “overwhelming and very humbling.
“This recognises the outstanding work of all my GP colleagues,” she said.
“I hope it inspires people to consider a career in general practice.”