Professor Steve Turner, President

Photo of Professor Steve Turner
Consultant
College Officer

Professor Steve Turner is a consultant paediatrician in general and respiratory paediatrics at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital. As of 26 March 2024 he is RCPCH President.

Steve is a Lancastrian by birth, born in Blackburn in 1969. He graduated from medical school in Newcastle in 1992. As a trainee he worked in centres across North East England, New Zealand and Australia. Since 2003 his consultant appointment in Aberdeen has balanced life as a general paediatrician, a respiratory paediatrician and clinical academic.

Steve is active in developing integrated models of scheduled and unscheduled care for children and young people. His research interests are early origins of disease, monitoring asthma and analysing routinely acquired health care data.

In 2017 Steve was given the title professor in recognition of his research activities, focussed on asthma, and given a personal chair by the University of Aberdeen. Since 2018 he has led on a primary care paediatrics project. He chairs the NHS Grampian consultant sub-committee and is regional clinical lead for child health. He is currently on the RCPCH nominations committee and has had lead roles in RCPCH Paediatrics 2040 and Winter Planning initiatives.

Steve was RCPCH Scottish Officer from 2016-2021 and RCPCH Registrar from spring 2021 to spring 2024.

Recent content

News

Navigating the future of paediatrics – President's update

In his latest update, Professor Steve Turner reflects on the pressing challenges facing child health, from rising child poverty to ongoing NHS pressures. He shares how RCPCH is advocating nationally, supporting the paediatric workforce, and working with partners to improve outcomes for children and ...
News

Small changes, big impact - President's update

As clinicians it's vital we encourage young people to invest in a healthy lifestyle for their wider health. Do have a look at the resources we've developed. Steve also encourages members to sign up for an update on the upcoming Facing the Future standards and read about the work of the new Child He...
News

It’s back to school – President’s update

Here in the UK and many parts of the world, children and young people are back at school, and the approaching autumn and winter seasons can mean things get busy for us paediatricians. The College has plenty of new resources to support your clinical and professional practice this year.
News

Child health roundtable, clean air update and new global officer - President's update

In this edition Steve talks about chairing a Westminster roundtable on child health workforce challenges, highlighting burnout, systemic inefficiencies, and the need for holistic, community-based solutions. He also raises RCPCH launching a Child Health Workforce Alliance and continuing advocacy acr...
News

Support at all ages and stages - President's update

Steve talks about resources that are available to support College members at every stage of their career. We also congratulate recipients of our Honorary Fellowship and Member Awards, share our new guidance for supporting neurodivergent paediatricians and opportunities to get involved with two Colle...