A further two Southampton professors have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2018, which follows yesterday’s news that Professor Bashir M. Al-Hashimi had received a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) award.
Professor Paul Little was awarded a CBE for services to General Practice Research, whilst Professor Keith Palmer received an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to Occupational Health and Medicine.
Left to right: Professor Paul Little and Professor Keith Palmer
Paul, Professor of Primary Care Research, reflected on his award:
“I am very touched by the fact that my colleagues appreciate what I have done to nominate me for this honour.
“There are so many people to thank but I would like to acknowledge my GP colleagues who are working at the pretty tough coal face without whom no patients would be asked to participate in the studies I have done.
“I would also like to thank the patients who, despite being unwell, have given their time and energy to help in research that will benefit others, my immediate University and other colleagues and lovely hard-working research teams who make it possible and fun to work together, and to my great family for supporting me – and putting up with me working more hours than I should!”
Amongst his two primary interests of research are the importance of health promotion and the management of common self-limiting illnesses – including the more appropriate use of antibiotics to combat the major public health threat of antibiotic resistance.
A major focus of Paul’s research in the last five years has focused on developing internet-based behavioural support to help health professionals and their patients manage a wide range of health problems.
More information on Paul’s career and his award can be found here.
Keith is a Professor of Occupational Medicine within Medicine. He holds a tenured research post at consultant grade in occupational epidemiology with the MRC Epidemiology Lifecourse Unit in Southampton, as well as being an honorary consultant with the Southampton University NHS Trust and holding a Chair in Occupational Medicine with the University of Southampton.
On his award, Keith commented:
“Of course I am hugely honoured to receive this award and keen to thank all my colleagues in Southampton and the Occupational Health community nationally, my many colleagues at IIAC, and especially my wife for her enormous support behind the scenes.”
In addition to serving as Academic Dean and Deputy President of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine for the Royal College of Physicians – the national college which trains medical specialists in his field – Professor Palmer has also been an adviser to the Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs’ Expert Committee on Pesticides. During the 2000s, he was Editor of the British Medical Journal Publishing Group journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
More information on Keith’s career and his award can be found here.
