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Staff spotlight: Professor Sube Banerjee

Meet Professor Sube Banerjee, Honorary Visiting Professor.

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?

I’m an old age psychiatrist and epidemiologist. I trained at St Thomas’s, Guy’s, the Maudsley, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Institute of Psychiatry, KCL. I work in applied heath research and health and care policy in dementia. I have worked at DHSC and led the development of the National Dementia Strategy for England. My research focusses on understanding and improving quality of life and quality of care for people with dementia and their family carers.

Why did you choose your field of specialty?

Three reasons. First, the fascinating interplay between physical and mental health and social care and functioning. Second, the feeling that there was so much that could be done to help that was not being done. And third, the people, the stories that the older people I met when I did old age psychiatry as an SHO in south east London were amazing and their dignity and stoicism in the face of terrible challenges was inspiring.

What was it that originally brought you to BSMS?

I came to BSMS from The Institute of Psychiatry KCL as Associate Dean for Strategy and then Deputy Dean. After 20 years at KCL, I knew very little about education in universities, but from my policy work I knew we needed to create a better workforce for the future. So in 2012 I moved to BSMS to lead its strategy, and to understand and innovate in healthcare education. I learned an immense amount at BSMS, including that education, like research, is about innovation and evaluation to enable translation of novel and best practice. Unlike research, it is the reason why most students come to us so there is an absolute necessity to do it brilliantly and generate positive student experience. BSMS does just that.

Where are you now?

For the past four years I have been Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health at the University of Plymouth looking after its Schools of: Biomedical Sciences, Health Professions, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery, and Psychology. From November 2023 I will moving to be the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham.

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

What's your favourite memory from your time at BSMS?

Always the people, the wonderful people I met and worked with in my seven happy years at BSMS.

What is your biggest professional achievement?

Always the next one, the next challenge.

Who has inspired you most in life?

Three psychiatrists who were my mentors: Alistair Macdonald for clinical excellence and sharpness of clinical judgement; Elaine Murphy for innovation and ambition; and Anthony Mann for research excellence.

Describe BSMS in three words.

Friendly. Fun. Exceptional.

What’s the best piece of advice you would give your younger self?

Great strategy is about deciding what you don’t do as well as what you do do.