Sir Frank Atherton - FSA Board Member

Frank Atherton - FSA Board Member

Professor Sir Frank Atherton graduated in medicine from Leeds University and worked in hospital and primary care posts around the North of England for several years before undertaking voluntary work as a District Medical Officer in Malawi.

On his return to the UK he completed specialist training in Public Health Medicine in the Yorkshire Region and then worked on international health and development programmes for WHO and the UK Department for International Development in various locations including the Former Yugoslavia, Tanzania, and Bangladesh. 

From 2002 to 2012 Frank worked as a Director of Public Health in Lancashire and from 2008 to 2012 he also served as President of the UK Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH). In 2012 Frank moved to Canada to take up post as the Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health in the Department of Health and Wellness, Nova Scotia. From 2016 to 2025 Frank was the Chief Medical Officer and National Medical Director for Wales during which time he advised Welsh Ministers and provided health system leadership in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Frank was knighted in the 2022 New Year Honours list for his services to public health and he was appointed as visiting Professor at Leeds University in 2023.

Personal Interests

Consultancies and/or direct employment:

• Employed by Welsh Government on part time contract (1 day per week) to complete input into the Covid Inquiry

Unpaid Roles:

• None.

Fee-paid work:

• None.

Shareholdings:

• None.

Clubs and other organisations:

• None.

Other personal interests:

• None.

Fellowships:

• None.

Indirect support:

• None.

Trusteeships:

• Charity “Freedom from Torture” which provides support to victims of torture and campaigns for an end to torture.  The term of my appointment is three years (renewable from February 2025)

Land and property:

• None.

Other public appointments:

• None.

Non-personal interests

• None.