Keele University’s Professor Ian Cumming OBE is leading the response to Covid-19 for the UK’s fourteen overseas territories including Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, and Bermuda in his role as UK Ambassador for Health of Overseas Territories during Covid-19.

The role has seen Professor Cumming travel across the globe during the pandemic in order to set up the infrastructure needed to tackle the virus including hospitals, testing facilities and vaccination programmes.

The vaccination programmes of the Overseas Territories have been successful with lockdowns now being eased in many cases. More than 90% of adults from Gibraltar have now received their second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, becoming the first place in the world to vaccinate its whole population.

At Keele, Professor Cumming is playing a significant role in the Keele Deal | Health which represents a commitment between Keele University and local healthcare partners to address the region’s health and care priorities. Professor Cumming is drawing upon his experience as the former Chief Executive of Health Education England to help inform work around training and education to ensure the future workforce needs of local NHS and government organisations.

Professor Cumming also brings a wealth of expertise and experience in global healthcare management to Keele and is working with the Institute for Global Health to build international partnerships and educate students on healthcare systems of countries around the world.

Speaking about why he joined Keele last year, Professor Cumming said: “Keele is a high quality, innovative, research-based university, with talented, high calibre, committed people, who are really nice to work with, so is the perfect place for me.”