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Respected health and social care leaders appointed as Honorary Professors

Published: Tuesday, 02 May 2023

Respected health and social care leaders appointed as Honorary Professors

Two highly-respected leaders in health and social care confirmed as Honorary Professors at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU)

Soumen Sengupta and Ross McGuffie are the Chief Officers of South Lanarkshire and North Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) respectively.

Both have been appointed as Honorary Professors jointly with the Yunus Centre for Social Business & Health and the School of Health & Life Sciences.  The appointments have been made in recognition of their substantial leadership, contributions and expertise in the health and social care field, both locally and nationally. 

The appointments also represent the next stage in the developing strategic partnership between GCU and health and social care provision in Lanarkshire and will strengthen the ability to work together to address health inequalities in the area.

Professor Sengupta said: “I feel very privileged to be joining GCU as an Honorary Professor and excited by the scope for further collaboration and innovation that lie ahead.

“I am really grateful for this opportunity to develop my relationships with some of the best health and care experts in the world - and share my own knowledge and insights with staff and students alike.

“I look forward to engaging with, and contributing to, the inspiring and vitally important work of the Yunus Centre and the School of Health & Life Sciences to improve the common good.”

Professor McGuffie echoed that sentiment and added: “In Lanarkshire, the workforce and our wider partnerships are committed to delivering health and care that’s preventative, proactive and focused on reducing inequalities. Those core values chime with GCU’s.

“I am also delighted to have the opportunity to further develop our collaboration through this appointment, and reaping mutual benefits.”

Professor Rachel Baker, Interim Pro Vice-Chancellor Research at Glasgow Caledonian, said: “I’m delighted to recognise our existing relationships with both South and North Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnerships through these Honorary Professorial appointments.  We are looking forward to working together in research, capacity building and community health.”

This strategic partnership is currently demonstrated through GCU’s and the HSCPs’ CommonHealth Catalyst project. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the project is focused on creating a community research consortium to confront the legacy of deindustrialisation.

Professor Soumen Sengupta has been appointed Honorary Professor of Strategy and Public Health.

Professor Sengupta is the Director of Health and Social Care for South Lanarkshire.

Alongside being Chief Officer for the South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership, he is:

  • Executive Director of Social Work Services for South Lanarkshire Council, with strategic responsibility for the Children and Justice Services.
  • Executive Director of Primary Care for NHS Lanarkshire, providing strategic leadership for pan-Lanarkshire Primary Care services.

His appointment as Director followed an extensive career in public health and in health and social care management; and his having led strategic transformation programmes at local, regional and national levels.

Professor Sengupta has a MSc in Public Health from the University of Aberdeen and an MBA from the University of Strathclyde.

Professor Ross McGuffie has been made Honorary Professor of Public Health and Integration.

He has worked within the health and social care agenda in Lanarkshire since 2003, commencing within Health Improvement, which nurtured a focus on prevention, early intervention and living independently at home for as long as possible.

Following this, Professor McGuffie moved into roles within general management and then from 2013-15, project managed the Health Board Boundary Changes, working jointly between NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Most recently, he held the position of Head of Planning, Performance and Quality Assurance within the North Lanarkshire Health and Social Care partnership.