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Town and Gown Join Forces for Elderly Health – University of Reading

03 September 2003

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High quality care for elderly people in the Reading area is set to be expanded by the establishment of a professorship of elderly care medicine, held by Professor Margot Gosney, who has been jointly appointed by the University of Reading and the Royal Berkshire & Battle Hospitals NHS Trust. Professor Gosney has taken up her post leading an integrated service for high quality care for the elderly at the RBBH Trust. This new appointment will allow increased opportunities for a joined-up approach to service design and delivery. RBBH Chairman, Colin Maclean said, "It shows both the University and the hospital bringing together medical and research expertise to ensure that the people of Berkshire get the very best elderly care service the system can afford". "Older frail patients often have multi-faceted needs," said Professor Gosney. "Here in Reading we will be meeting those needs through a holistic, patient-centred approach, supported by the interdisciplinary collaboration between University and NHS Trust. Our policy at the RBBH is needs-related rather than age-related." At the University Professor Gosney is contributing to both teaching and research programmes. Based in the School of Food Biosciences, she works alongside the Human Nutrition Group. The association between nutrition and the health of elderly people has been a feature of Professor Gosney's research and the University group has an international reputation for its findings in this area. Professor Peter Gregory, Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of Reading commented: "We are very pleased to make this appointment, which is a key one for the University. It is a major step forward in our plans to expand our education and research in healthcare to benefit the people of the Reading area." This is the first joint appointment for the University and the RBBH NHS Trust and both organisations are committed to supporting Professor Gosney's work through further senior appointments that will expand clinical care and research opportunities. Photographs available on request Contacts: At the RBBH: Deborah Wearing, Communications Officer, Tel: 0118 987 7421 or Andrea Jenkins, Communications Manager, Tel: 0118 987 7447. At the University of Reading: Caroline Groves, Director of Communications, 0118 378 6060 or Sue Rayner, Communications Manager, 0118 378 8005. Notes for editors 1. Professor Gosney's research interests also include oncology, dental science for stroke patients, influenza, incontinence, falls and intellectual decline and impaired vision and hearing. 2. Professor Gosney trained at the University of Liverpool Medical School and worked at the Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen University Hospitals and the University of Liverpool until taking this appointment. 3. Professor Margot Gosney (age 44) was born in the Wirral but attended St Joseph's Convent School in Reading (1971-78) where her classmates might remember her as Margot Couling. 4. Professor Gosney is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. Useful link: British Geriatrics Society www.bgs.org.uk