Aston University professor appointed at senior position for MI Health
Professor Anthony Hilton, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the College of Health and Life Sciences at Aston University, has been named as the new Convenor for Midlands Innovation Health (MI Health).
Professor Pauline Walsh, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Keele University, previously acted in the role, which rotates between the university deans of the medical and healthcare schools on behalf of the seven MI Health universities. The aim of MI Health is to improve health and regional growth through research innovation.
Under Professor Walsh’s tenure, MI Health has been undertaking a policy commission examining health and care inequalities in the Midlands, and is expected to shortly publish its findings. This follows a recent exclusive preview of the report’s key preliminary findings that the policy commission’s chair and report’s author gave to MPs and peers from the region, which included a discussion on how the issues could best be tackled.
In 2021, also under Professor Walsh’s leadership, MI Health convened the region’s first Health and Life Science Symposium, bring together experts from academia, industry and the NHS across the region to discuss how the Midlands can build on its strengths in the future. More recently, MI Health has also played a leading convening role in bringing together senior figures from the integrated care systems (ICSs) from across the East and West Midlands to discuss research and innovation opportunities across the region.
Professor Hilton, said:
“I am honoured to take over the position of Convenor on behalf of the seven leading health and medical schools across the East and West Midlands.
“MI Health draws together a critical mass of innovative regional stakeholders to impact national and global health challenges using local training strengths, expertise, networks, best practice and facilities.
“We have a bold ambition of what we want to achieve during my two-year tenure, but I would firstly like to pay tribute to the work of Professor Walsh in guiding our partnership and for her role representing MI Health as a Commissioner on the MI Health Policy Commission.
“The Commission has assembled leading figures nationally and regionally and it is a testament to Professor Walsh for the guidance and leadership of this work and of MI Health. I know the report is extensive and we look forward to publishing it in due course.
“Moving forward, it is my intention to continue to foster collaborative research opportunities among our member institutions; facilitating the exchange of knowledge and best practice and driving research and development initiatives that address pressing health challenges.
“Within the Midlands region there is such a diverse and rich pool of expertise that working together I believe we can accelerate innovation in healthcare technologies and digital health, promote equitable access to healthcare services, drive initiatives to address regional health challenges, and improve the well-being of our communities.”
MI Health partners include the universities of Aston, Birmingham, Keele, Leicester, Loughborough, Nottingham, and Warwick. MI Health also works closely with Medilink Midlands, Midlands Engine and Midlands Health Alliance to lobby for the health and life science expertise across the region.