Dr Andrew Goddard, president of Royal College of Physicians (RCP), has been knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Dr Goddard will shortly complete his 4-year term as president but has held senior roles at the RCP for 20 years. He has continued working as a gastroenterologist at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton throughout his term as president, during which he has led the RCP’s 40,000 global members through the most challenging times most will experience in their careers. Dr Goddard has played a significant role helping to shape the NHS’s response to COVID-19, as well as being a powerful voice for all the health care professionals involved.
The citation for his award reads:
“He has been a powerful advocate for workforce development, diversity and inclusion and reduction in health inequalities. Much of his RCP activity has been unpaid, including all his charity associated roles. As well as being one of the UK’s leading gastroenterologists, he has had a long career in workforce development.
“His lasting contributions include the annual workforce census of physicians, creation of the Faculty of Physician Associates and practical support for the wellbeing of trainees and other doctors. The latter has been recognised by honorary fellowship of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine. As RCP Registrar he oversaw modernisation of the governance of the organisation, the creation of a new charter for members and a re-writing of the centuries old Bye-Laws.”
Dr Goddard said: “I'm completely humbled by this honour as all the work I have been involved with over the past 20 years has involved so many others. I do, though, see it as a recognition of all the physician workforce did in response to the pandemic and the issues it highlighted, including health inequality and workforce shortages. The pandemic brought out the best in physicians and I have never been prouder to be one.
“No-one can even start to make an impact at a national level without many people working, usually unseen, to support them. I would like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to all the staff at the RCP, my long-suffering clinical and admin colleagues in Derby and my even more long-suffering family for all they have done for me over the years.
“I have been so very fortunate to work with many brilliant and inspirational people in my career, some of whom are sadly no longer with us. I hope their contributions are seen in what we have achieved together: this honour would not have been possible without their work, love and support.”
After qualifying at Cambridge University, Dr Goddard trained in East Anglia and the East Midlands, gaining an MD whilst working in Nottingham. He was appointed as consultant physician and gastroenterologist in Derby in 2002, working now at the Royal Derby Hospital.
After various committee roles he became director of the RCP's Medical Workforce Unit in 2008 for 6 years and was then appointed as RCP registrar, a role he held for 5 years. In this latter role, he oversaw professional and clinical affairs at the college, both in the UK and internationally. In 2018 he was elected the 121st RCP president, the youngest for 400 years and first from the East Midlands. In the same year he was made an Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham. The focus on the policy areas of workforce, health inequalities, the structure of the NHS and clinical research have run through the four years and although the onset of COVID-19 required a radical change in the way the RCP worked, these priorities remained core themes throughout the pandemic.
Dr Goddard’s term as RCP president ends on 13 September when he will be succeeded by Professor David Oliver, a consultant physician in geriatrics and general medicine at Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, Reading.