Ali Jawad awarded OBE in 2022 New Year's Honours
Professor Ali Jawad has been named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2022 New Year’s Honours for his services to healthcare, including his role as a doctor, a researcher and a global medical educator.
A deserving recipient
A consultant rheumatologist at Barts Health, Ali, worked in the NHS for 42 years, with 27 of them spent at Barts Health NHS Trust. He was also a Professor of Rheumatology at the William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary, University of London.
Having studied medicine in Baghdad, Ali moved to the UK in 1978. He studied and worked his way up to consultant level, taking up his second consultant post at The Royal London Hospital in 1997, where he stayed until his retirement this year.
We practice high-quality, innovative medicine in the UK and it’s something we should be proud of.
As well as his great work as a clinician, running over five clinics a week and coming out of retirement in 2020 to help with the response to Covid-19, Ali has done a huge amount of work in the field of medical education and training, both in the UK and globally.
This positions he’s held in this area of training and education include:
- Vice President (Global) of Royal College of Physicians of London
- Medical Director of Global Office, Royal College of Physicians London
- Co-Chair of International Affairs British Society for Rheumatology
- International Development Lead, Barts Health NHS Trust
- Associate International Director for the Middle East and North Africa Royal College of Physicians of London
Speaking on his work to educate medical professionals around the world, Ali said: “We practice high-quality, innovative medicine in the UK and it’s something we should be proud of. My vision as a global educator was to bring our practices to other countries, to help them further their own healthcare services.
“I’ve been involved in running end-of-life courses in Pakistan, training workshops and conferences in various medical specialties in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia, bringing junior doctors from low and middle income countries to the UK for training and establishing a hub for medical training in Muscat. Through these projects, my colleagues and I worked in partnership with our international colleagues - junior and senior doctors and other medical professionals – globally, to raise the standard for delivering evidence-based, high-quality patient care, in a safe manner.
“We also learned from our colleagues experiences how to function effectively and efficiently with limited resources. I’m proud to say we are achieving those goals in lots of ways, and these programmes continue to this day.”
A family affair
While Ali is the first in his family to receive and OBE, he’s not the first medical professional. He explains: “In my family, 14 of us work in the NHS. This includes my two brothers and two sisters and their children, who are all medical professionals; my wife, who is a pathology consultant (the longest serving as a consultant in the UK!) and my two daughters, who are also doctors!”
I’m privileged to have worked in the NHS and Barts Health with so many great colleagues for so long.
On top of this, at one point, in recent years, Ali, his daughters Noor and Farrah and his son-in-law Jamie all worked in different roles across Barts Health. Noor works at Newham Hospital, while Farrah has worked at Mile End and Jamie has worked at The Royal London Hospital.
Receiving the honour
Speaking on receiving the honour, Ali says: “I was shocked and overwhelmed when I received the letter – it’s such an honour. Throughout my career, everything I’ve done has been to improve the services we provide patients and to improve their outcomes.
“For me, patients are at the heart of everything we do – from medical education to developing new treatments. It’s all about them. I’m privileged to have worked in the NHS and Barts Health with so many great colleagues for so long, and to have been able to help people. I feel very privileged.”
On Ali’s recognition, Dame Alwen Williams, group chief executive for Barts Health said: “Throughout his time at Barts Health, Professor Jawad has been not only a great clinician who truly cares for his patients, but also a huge advocate and pioneer in the field of medical education. On behalf of everyone at Barts Health, I would like to congratulate Ali on his award which is truly deserved and to thank him for all he has done to improve healthcare in London and around the world.”
Ali with his daughters Farrah and Noor and son-in-law Jamie
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