NHS Fife Local Infrastructure
NHS Fife has recently integrated Innovation into its well established Research & Development (R&D) Department. R&D, led by the Assistant R&D Director, is supported by the extensive R&D team. Innovation is headed up locally by the Innovation Champion, supported by an Innovation Support post and centrally by the South East Scotland Innovation Network.
R&D and Innovation activities are overseen by the NHS Fife RD&I Director, with the Board Medical Director acting as the RD&I Lead. Both R&D and Innovation are located in Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline.
Meet the Team
Professor Frances Quirk
Assistant Research and Development Director
Professor Frances Quirk is the newly appointed Assistant Research and Development Director at NHS Fife, previous roles include; Director of the New England Institute of Healthcare Research at the University of New England, Director of Research at Barwon Health, Victoria, Professor of Mental Health and Behavioural Science at James Cook University and Senior Associate Director Clinical Development at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Frances is a Chartered Health Psychologist, behavioural scientist, psychometrician and sexologist and is recognised as an expert internationally in the development of measures to assess aspects of quality of life, function and assessment (specifically across four clinical areas; respiratory disease, sexual function, eating disorders and mental health) either in the acute, community or clinical trials setting.
Frances has an extensive track record of international collaboration, publications, presentations and consultation and engagement with 100+ presentations at scientific meetings in Europe, UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand. As a consultant and profile staff within the Pharmaceutical industry Frances engaged in extensive consultation and engagement with industry, Key Opinion Leaders and regulatory agencies in the UK, Europe and the USA.
Professor Alex Baldacchino
Professor in Medicine, Psychiatry and Addictions
Professor Baldacchino is Professor in Medicine, Psychiatry and Addictions at the St Andrews University in Scotland. He was awarded membership with the UK Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych) in 1994, Fellowship with the UK Royal College of Psychiatrists (FRCPsych) in 2007 and Fellow with the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh) (FRCPE) in 2017.
Since 2001 he has, alongside his academic career, also worked with NHS Scotland as a Senior Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Director in Addiction Medicine and in 2015 NHS Fife Research and Development (R&D) Director. He is President Elect and Executive Board Member for the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM).
His research portfolio have a common thread of understanding the comorbid conditions (physical and psychological) arising as a result of chronic abuse of pharmacological agents with dependence potential especially opioids, nicotine and alcohol. He has around 150 peer reviewed publications
Neil Mitchell
Innovation Manager
Neil has an undergraduate and post graduate degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Dundee and University of Glasgow, respectively.
Following graduation Neil worked in Busan, South Korea for two years. Returning to the UK, Neil first began working in the research environment in Regulatory Affairs for a Contract Research Organisation, based in Nottingham.
After moving north to Edinburgh, he joined NHS Lothian Research and Development as a Research Governance Officer, focussing on commercial research within the NHS. After gaining experience in research governance, Neil moved to a sponsorship role in the University of Edinburgh, working on a European wide Alzheimer’s research project. Following the end of this trial, Neil moved to the role of Clinical Research Facilitator within the University of Edinburgh working on non-CTIMPs, CTIMPs and NHS Lothian led research projects and clinical trials requiring sponsorship.
Neil has joined NHS Fife as Innovation Manager and brings extensive knowledge in research governance and health and medical research. Neil looks forward to working closely with the HISES team and utilising his wealth of experience to support Innovation projects in Fife and the South East.