Prof Peter Donnelly

Prof Peter Donnelly

Chair in Public Health

Co Director of the MacKenzie Institute (Clinical)

Researcher profile

Phone
+44 (0)1334 46 4199
Email
pdd21@st-andrews.ac.uk

 

Research areas

This is my second spell at the University. My previous appointment (2008-2014) is described below. During the period between leaving and returning I was, amongst other things, President and CEO of a large Provincial Public Health Agency in Canada. In 2021, I was reappointed as Professor of Public Health Medicine and since then have worked on a variety of projects which are united by thier dependence on clinical and applied epidemiology. With others I am seeking to ensure that the new wave of medcal diagnostics are evidence based and are introduced and used in a way that maximises patient benefit and health service efficiency. This involves working across university schools, with academics from other universities, with industry and with regulators.

During my previous appointment, as St Andrews first Professor of Public Health Medicine, I built a team of individuals with diverse backgrounds and sought to provide an opportunity for doctoral study to a variety of students including those following atypical academic career paths. My principle focus at that time was on violence reduction on which subject I worked closely with the World Health Organisation and colleagues in a number of countries including South Africa, Jamaica and Lithuania. Closer to home we evaluated a violence reduction and gang member rehabilitation programme in Glasgow (which became a REF case study) and worked on a number of issues related to the Scottish Government's equally well programme. 

In a career of over 30 years, which has combined academia with senior leadership positions, I have remained fascinated by the application of epidemiological principles to practical problems of health improvement and healthcare delivery. This extends to an interest in Health Sytems; their organisation, funding, governance and accountability and how they can be optimised to maximise patient benefit and to reduce health inequalities.  In this area I have enjoyed working with the WHO and the New York based, Milbank Memorial Fund as well as policy makers and politicians from around the world.  

PhD supervision

  • John Bayram
  • Sophie Given
  • Nina MacKenzie
  • Tilcia Woodville-Price

Selected publications

 

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