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Report of the General Board on the establishment of a Professorship of Stroke Medicine

The GENERAL BOARD beg leave to report to the University as follows:

1. Strokes affect the vessels which supply blood to the brain, and can lead to a range of disabilities affecting the senses, motor activity, and behavioural patterns. Research in the field of stroke medicine encompasses better prevention, diagnosis and treatment, and rehabilitation. In their recent Green Paper on Public Health, and in recognition of the public health burden of stroke and its consequential disabilities, the Government targeted this as an important subject of study, and set a goal of achieving a significant reduction in the death rate from heart disease and stroke-related illnesses by 2010.

2. The Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine accord a high priority to academic developments relating to the neurosciences, in recognition of underlying strengths in this area within the University and in associated research institutes. Recent developments have included the establishment of new Professorships of Neurosurgery, Neurology, and Child and Adolescent Psy- chiatry, and a Research Professorship of Behavioural Neurology. The Faculty Board consider that the Clinical School is now well placed to develop further teaching and research in the field of stroke medicine. Research opportunities exist for collaborative work with other institutions, such as human brain function analysis at the MRC Cognitive Bioscience Unit, while the School's Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre on the Addenbrooke's Hospital site provides a unique resource for the investigation of brain structure and function in acutely ill patients with neurological disorders, and for research into vascular disease, including strokes. The principles of vascular neurology are taught to clinical medical students, and the Department of Medicine also plays an important part in the postgraduate training of junior hospital doctors, including research supervision.

3. The Faculty Board have represented to the General Board that, in order to build on these initiatives, it would now be appropriate for a Professorship of Stroke Medicine to be established in the Faculty of Clinical Medicine. The holder of such a Professorship would provide leadership in teaching, research, and clinical work.

4. The General Board have accepted the case made by the Faculty Board. Funds have been made available to meet the full cost of the Professorship, at consultant level, from the NHS Regional Academic Posts Budget. Should the NHS financial support cease prematurely, the cost of the office would be met by the Faculty Board from within their existing resources, ahead of any new developments or the filling of vacant offices. The General Board are assured that suitable accommodation for the Professor is available, and that the necessary support and facilities can also be provided. The Board are satisfied that an appointment at this level will be likely to attract a strong field of well-qualified candidates. The Addenbrooke's NHS Trust have agreed to award an honorary Consultant contract to the holder of the Professorship.

5. The General Board accordingly propose that a Professorship of Stroke Medicine should be established in the University for one tenure from 1 October 1999, and assigned to the Department of Medicine. They have agreed to concur in the view of the Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine that the election to the Professorship should be made by an ad hoc Board of Electors, and that candidature should be open without limitation or preference to all persons whose work falls within the general field of the title of the office.

6. The General Board recommend:

That a Professorship of Stroke Medicine be established for one tenure from 1 October 1999, placed in Schedule B of the Statutes, and assigned to the Department of Medicine.

21 July 1999

J. E. CARROLL, Vice-Chancellor's deputy JOHN A. LEAKE ADRIAN POOLE
P. J. BAYLEY PETER LIPTON K. B. PRETTY
A. L. R. FINDLAY N. J. MACKINTOSH M. SCHOFIELD
BRIAN F. G. JOHNSON

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Cambridge University Reporter, 28 July 1999
Copyright © 1999 The Chancellor, Masters and Scholars of the University of Cambridge.