Professor Malcolm Reed, Dean of Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) since 2013, retires from his role at the end of July 2024. He reflects on his time as Dean, looking back at some of the achievements, challenges and hopes for the future, as well as what his retirement will look like.

Reflecting on my career

It's a real mix of emotions as I prepare to leave BSMS. I'm sad to leave because my time at BSMS has been incredibly fulfilling. Initially, I thought I might stay for three years if things didn't go so well and up to five if they did! However, it has turned into ten years, and I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to be in the role of Dean throughout most of the second decade of BSMS. Now is the right time for a leadership change, as fresh new perspectives are vital for the development of BSMS through its third decade. I will miss the role and the wonderful friendships I've made but I am happy with the decision to step down and it feels like the right time to do so. I am delighted that Prof Richard McManus will be joining as Dean and I hope he will have a very successful and fulfilling period guiding BSMS forwards. Although things seem more difficult now than they have been in recent years, the change of government provides good reason to be optimistic about the future for higher education in relation to health and in the NHS over the next five to 10 years. 

It’s amazing to reflect and realise I qualified as a doctor 43 years ago and that I'm well into my fifth decade working in the NHS with most of that time as a clinical academic! My first job in the NHS was nearly 50 years ago as a cleaner in a local hospital in Birmingham, like my mother. I did not anticipate becoming a cancer surgeon and clinical academic in Sheffield and then Brighton, so my career has been diverse and very fulfilling. As I look back on it now, I would change very little. I feel very fortunate to finish as Dean of BSMS and this has really been the icing on the cake.

BSMS20 celebrations

The 20th-anniversary celebrations of BSMS have been fantastic over the last year commencing with Prof Mood Bhutta’s inaugural lecture to signing off with the alumni reunion, staff celebration events and graduation in June and July this year. BSMS20 has also provided an opportunity to reflect on the wide range of achievements of the school and it was great to welcome the Founder Dean, Prof Jon Cohen, back for the Individual Research Projects conference and alumni celebration event.

Proud moments

Graduation ceremonies stand out as the proudest moments. They symbolise the culmination of years of hard work and dedication by our students, and it’s an honour to play a role in these events. It can cause some anxieties, but I personally believe this is an enormous privilege and I thoroughly enjoy seeing all our graduates and their families and friends celebrating their fantastic achievements!

Additionally, seeing the diversity in our student body and staff grow has been incredibly rewarding. It’s a testament to our commitment to inclusivity, which was also a key theme in our 20th-anniversary celebrations. This has been recognised in a number of different ways, particularly in the achievement of the gold Athena Swan award.

Being appointed Chair of the Medical Schools Council (2019-2022), the first from a medical school outside the Russell Group, was a real achievement and fantastic experience. This period included Covid-19 response and extensive negotiations with the General Medical Council in relation to the Medical Licensing Assessment – both interesting experiences! I was fortunate to have a fantastic Co-Chair (Prof John Atherton) and sharing the workload at that time proved extremely helpful.

Overcoming challenges

Managing BSMS as a joint venture between two universities is undoubtedly a complex challenge, especially regarding governance and working between the two partner universities. Navigating this has been helped and made possible with the support of many colleagues, to whom I am very grateful. In recent years we have seen enormous improvements in the management of our financial resources, and this has been of great importance in planning for the future with confidence.

It is great that BSMS is now producing more doctors, and this year’s graduating cohort was the first of our 200 strong cohort since we expanded our student numbers in 2019. However, it is well recognised that growth is typically associated with a negative impact on student experience and staff morale, and BSMS is no different in this regard. I am hopeful that over the next two to three years the many changes will settle down and that the student experience will return to being as positive as it was previously. The government’s Long-Term Workforce plan for the NHS is, in my view, absolutely essential for the future of the NHS and I hope BSMS will be able to fully engage in this vital project even with the undoubted associated risks of further change.

The last decade has been under a government regime that hasn't been supportive to universities. It seems unlikely that the incoming government will substantially increase funding or focus on higher education, but I do hope there will be much more collaboration and recognition of the crucial role that universities and their medical schools play in society.

My plans in retirement

Although I'm leaving my role as Dean, I'm not completely stopping work. I will be doing more clinical work at the Park Centre for Breast Care. I am excited to continue developing specific dedicated clinical pathways for older patients with frailty, dementia and breast cancer, which is something I've been working in for some time but not been able to develop more fully in recent years.  

I have also been appointed to a role advising the NHS Medical Director for Undergraduate Medicine in the implementation the NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan in universities and medical schools, which is a major challenge and an exciting project!

But I certainly plan to enjoy more personal time and to be fully retired by age 70 (in three years!).

Final reflections

If I had to sum up my time at BSMS, I would say it has been fulfilling almost all the time; frustrating sometimes; and fun nearly always.