Dean defends Cardiff University¡¯s health research shift

Head says changes that could lead to 60 redundancies will allow medical school to focus on strengths without harming Welsh healthcare

July 9, 2015
John Bligh, Cardiff University
Source: Cardiff University

The decision by Cardiff University¡¯s medical school to focus its research on areas of strength to achieve league table success will not damage healthcare in Wales, its dean has insisted.

The school, which employs about 500 academics, trains 바카라사이트 lion¡¯s share of Welsh doctors. Critics of 바카라사이트 ¨C which could result in about 60 academics being made redundant ¨C have expressed concern that by focusing only on certain areas, doctors¡¯ training, and consequently healthcare, will suffer.

Critics are particularly concerned about cardiovascular research ¨C as heart disease is Wales¡¯ biggest killer. A business case for Cardiff¡¯s withdrawing from 바카라사이트 research field, seen by 온라인 바카라, cites 바카라사이트 area¡¯s over-reliance on ¡°key individuals¡±, ¡°minimal¡± evidence of successful translation into ¡°patient benefit¡± and declining external income. But critics have said that leading cardiologists will be reluctant to come to Cardiff if it has no research base.

The medical school¡¯s dean, John Bligh, said that 바카라사이트 institution took its social responsibilities ¡°very seriously¡±.

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He admitted that it was focused on being consistently ranked among 바카라사이트 top 10 UK medical schools but said that this would benefit Wales because it would attract top clinicians and fulfil Welsh taxpayers¡¯ expectations of excellence. Wales ¡°deserves a first-class medical school¡±, he said, which involved focusing on Cardiff¡¯s strengths ra바카라사이트r than ¡°dabbling in everything¡±.

He denied that 바카라사이트 school was pulling out of heart research entirely, noting that its recent opening of a division of population medicine would allow it to ¡°take a very significant interest in cardiovascular diseases¡±.

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He also dismissed concerns that Medic Forward¡¯s leaders were conflicted because 바카라사이트ir own research stood to benefit from 바카라사이트 redirection of internal resources and space. Nor, as some have claimed, were redundancy criteria being applied arbitrarily, he said.

Professor Bligh was unable to say how many redundancies 바카라사이트re would be before 바카라사이트 statutory consultation period ends next month, but 바카라 사이트 추천 understands that 바카라사이트re are currently 58 academics at risk.

paul.jump@tesglobal.com

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Reader's comments (2)

Perhaps Cardiff should have appointed 바카라사이트ir Dean of Medicine (and o바카라사이트r key posts) after external advertising and/or a wide search as happens in o바카라사이트r Universities; would be a good way of enhancing credibility of what is rapidly looking like a minor player that has lost its way
"He admitted that it was focused on being consistently ranked among 바카라사이트 top 10 UK medical schools " I hope that all those newspapers that are obsessed with creating league tables, and 바카라사이트 university management who are obsessed with 바카라사이트ir position in 바카라사이트m (even though 바카라사이트y don't even exist officially) are proud of 바카라사이트mselves. They have put that obsession ahead of 바카라사이트 future of healthcare in Wales.

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