The Royal College of Physicians has appointed its first female Treasurer, Professor Linda Luxon.
Professor Luxon is Chair of Audiovestibular Medicine at the University of London, based at UCL and also becomes the first Treasurer in many years to represent a small medical specialty. The College has had two female Presidents – Dame Margaret Turner-Warwick and Dame Carol Black, but has not had a female Treasurer since it was founded nearly 500 years ago.
The Treasurer is responsible for the RCP’s financial affairs, monitoring and reporting to the Board of Trustees on the financial health of the RCP, overseeing the production of necessary financial reports/returns, accounts and audits, and overseeing the custody, protection, enhancement and development of the assets and resources of the RCP.
In her new role Professor Luxon will chair the Finance & General Purposes Board, report to the Board of Trustees in relation to the financial performance and viability of the RCP, making fellow trustees aware of their financial obligations and taking a lead in interpreting financial data to them.
She will also be responsible for the annual RCP budget and liaising with the RCP’s auditors, and will present the accounts at the annual general meeting, and will act as chair and a director of the RCP Regent’s Park Limited, the RCP’s trading subsidiary.
Professor Luxon said she was looking forward to taking up the new role:
The College plays a key role in Medicine both in the UK and in many countries worldwide by promoting and improving the provision of excellent clinical care through its diverse activities. I am delighted to have been appointed Treasurer to oversee the continued strengthening of the College’s financial position, despite the current downturn, and ensure adequate resources to meet the fundamental aims and objectives, which enable the College to maintain its pivotal role in Medicine and Society.
- Professor Linda Luxon qualified at St Thomas’ Hospital and, after training in Medicine and Neurology in London, developed an interest in Neuro-otology while working as a lecturer at the Institute of Neurology. In 1980, she was appointed to the staff of the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and had the excellent opportunity to work in the Department of Neurology/Otolaryngology at University of California, Los Angeles for 6 months. In 1991, she was appointed to the Chair of Audiovestibular Medicine at the University of London, based at UCL.
- In the RCP, Professor Luxon led the establishment of the SAC and curriculum in Audiovestibular Medicine, served as a regional specialty advisor and has recently served on Council. Her career has centred on striving to improve the “hidden handicaps” of hearing and balance disorders through training, clinical service, research and the charitable sector. This has culminated in her appointment as Dept of Health National Clinical Champion in Audiology. She has published extensively, editing books, writing chapters, spanning paediatric to geriatric and otological to neurological topics, and research papers. Her interests include vestibular diagnosis and management; genetic, noise induced and autoimmune hearing loss and auditory processing disorders.
- Professor Luxon has been President of a number of professional bodies in the UK and is currently President of the International Association of Physicians in Audiology and President of the European Federation of Audiological Societies.