Madeliene Long made Honorary Fellow

One of the world's leading research and teaching universities, King's College London (KCL), awarded SLaM's Chair, Madeliene Long, an Honorary Fellowship on Friday (1 July).

Madeliene received the honour from the 182 year old institution at a ceremony in Southwark Cathedral. KCL was founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington (then Prime Minister) and has grown and developed through mergers with several institutions including the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals and the Institute of Psychiatry.

KCL is part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (KHP) and was awarded the title of 'University of the Year 2010/11'.

Stuart Bell, SLaM's Chief Executive, said: "I am delighted that Madeliene has been awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Trust's key academic partner. I know how passionately she believes in bringing together excellence in clinical care, research and education to deliver the best for local people and in the wider service of society as a whole, not least because of her own background and experience in both the worlds of healthcare and higher education.

"This award is particularly fitting given Madeliene's central role in chairing King's Health Partners through the national accreditation process. I am sure that all of my colleagues across the Trust will join me in offering her heartfelt congratulations. " Madeliene said: "This is a tremendous honour. It was especially significant to receive the award from Prof Sir Rick Trainor, Principal of KCL and Prof Robert Lechler, KCL Chair, as we have all worked so closely together developing KHP. The acknowledgement of the work of SLaM in this exciting venture made the day more memorable for me."

KCLs' citation for Madeliene read: "Madeliene Long is Chair of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and a Member of Lewisham Council. As the longest-serving interim chair of the Board of King's Health Partners she played a vital role in the emergence, recognition and development of this partnership, which unites King's College London and the Foundation Trusts of Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley, to create a centre where world-class research, teaching and clinical practice are brought together for the benefit of patients…

"Ms Long's first career was in social work education and training, and until 1997 she was Head of the Department of Social Work at the Mid-Kent College of Higher and Further Education. She was called to the Bar by Grays Inn in 1999, and as a Barrister she has experience in both civil and criminal law, with a keen interest in health and social care issues, education and employment relations…

"Ms Long has held several key roles on Lewisham Council including Chair of the Council; Cabinet Member for Resources and Finance, and Chair of the Social Services and Personnel Committees and of the first Joint Committee of Health and Social Services...

"Ms Long was a Non-Executive Director at Lewisham and Guy's NHS Trust before being appointed as the first Chair of South London and Maudsley NHS Trust in 1999. She led the Trust during its successful application for Foundation Trust Accreditation in 2006, and has been re-appointed as Chair by the Members' Council in 2010. She was also interim Chair of the Board of King's Health Partners when it was accredited as one of the UK's first five Academic Health Science Centres in 2009."