New IDF Responsible Officer Appointed

As many of you are aware Mr Ian Mackay is retiring from his role as the IDF Responsible Officer on 31st March; we are exceptionally grateful for the wisdom and dedication he has shown in the role and wish him well as he sets off to enjoy everything that life after medicine holds for him.

We are delighted to announce that we have appointed Dr Alexandra Harkins to step into the role. While she won't take over as IDF Responsible Officer until 1st April she starts her employment today, so she and Ian will have a month working together to ensure as seamless a handover as possible. We look forward to working with her and to welcoming her onto the IDF Executive Board.

Since 2001 Alex worked as a private GP in the City with special interests in clinical governance, appraisal, health promotion and education. She was the Primary Care Medical Director, Lead Appraiser and member of the Clinical Governance group and Wider Leadership team at Health Management from 2013 to February 2020. Between 2007 and February 2020 she was an Appraiser at the IDF. She has also been an Appraiser for Public Health England and an Appraiser of Responsible Officers for NHS England. Since 2013 she has been an NHS England GP appraiser in the North West London region. In 2019 she became a GP specialist advisor for CQC. Alex completed her pre-clinical training at Christ’s College, Cambridge in 1994 with a First Class Honours Degree in Medical Sciences. She subsequently completed her clinical training at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington in 1997 achieving distinctions in Pathology and Clinical Pharmacology. Alex undertook vocational training as a General Practitioner at St Mary’s, Paddington from 1998 - 2001 and achieved MRCGP with Distinction.