Queens honours for two Medicine academics

Two academics from Medicine have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

Professor Paul Little was awarded a CBE for services to General Practice Research while Professor Keith Palmer was awarded an OBE for services to Occupational Health and Medicine.

Amongst Professor Little’s 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.

“I am very touched by the fact that my colleagues appreciate what I have done to nominate me for this honour,” said Professor Little. “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!” he concluded.

Professor Palmer’s research is focused on the epidemiology of occupational diseases, and the clinical management and prevention of work-associated illnesses. He is a joint leader of an MRC funded research programme on work and health and was Academic Dean and Deputy President of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine at the Royal College of Physicians.

He was also  editor of the main specialist academic journal in his field and chair of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) - a statutory body that advises the Secretary of State at the DWP on state-funded compensation to workers suffering recognised occupational diseases and injuries.

He said: "I am hugely honoured 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."