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Report of the General Board on the re-establishment of the Professorship of Anaesthesia

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

1. Anaesthesia is universally recognized as a major branch of clinical medicine, which extends beyond the administration of anaesthetics to the management of critically ill patients and those with acute or chronic pain. There are close links between academic work in the field and the biological sciences, particularly the neurosciences, for example in relation to the fundamental mechanics of anaesthesia and of pain and its perception, and to the physiology of critically ill patients. In 1990 a single-tenure Professorship of Anaesthesia, assigned to the Faculty of Clinical Medicine, was established with funding provided by the Regional Health Authority (Reporter, 1989-90, p. 684). The Professorship is due to lapse on 31 August 1999 on the early retirement of Professor J.G. Jones.

2. In view of the continuing importance of the Professorship in providing leadership in teaching and research in the University, in Addenbrooke's Hospital, and throughout the region, the NHS Executive Eastern Region have generously agreed to make funds available to support the full cost of the Professorship and associated costs for a further tenure. The Faculty Board of Clinical Medicine have advised the General Board that the re-establishment of the Professorship is important for the future development of research and teaching in anaesthesia, in relation both to the extent of the undergraduate and postgraduate teaching programme in anaesthesia and also to the continuity of senior leadership for the development and supervision of collaborative research with cognate institutions on the Addenbrooke's Hospital site and also with biological science Departments in the University.

3. The Faculty Board have warmly welcomed the offer of further funding, and the General Board have agreed to propose the re-establishment of the Professorship. The Faculty Board have assured the General Board that suitable accommodation for the Professor is available. The Board are assured that an appointment at this level will attract a strong field of well-qualified candidates. They have agreed to concur in the view of the Faculty Board 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 field of anaesthesia. The Board have also agreed to concur in the view of the Faculty Board that the assignment of the Professorship to a Department within the Faculty should be determined in the light of the research interests of the person appointed.

4. The General Board recommend:

That the Professorship of Anaesthesia be re-established from 1 October 1999 for one further tenure, placed in Schedule B of the Statutes, and assigned to the Faculty of Clinical 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.