We thank the College members nominating individuals for Honorary Fellowship.
Our Honorary Fellows in 2024 are (in alphabetical order) - scroll down to read their citations, provided by the nominators:
- Professor Tim Cheetham
- Dr Ajay Gaur
- Professor Deirdre Kelly - also awarded the James Spence Medal 2025
- Dr Camilla Kingdon
- Professor Betty Kirkwood
- Dr Mithilesh Lal
- Dr Tufail Muhammad
- Dr Raymond Nethercott
- Professor Martin Savage - also awarded the James Spence Medal 2025
- Dr Stephanie Smith
- Dr Naveen Thacker
- Dr Deepak Ugra
Professor Tim Cheetham
Professor Cheetham has worked as a translational researcher and clinician in Paediatric Endocrinology for over 30 years. He has supervised more than 20 MD/PhD/MSc/MRes students, authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles, and written 11 book chapters. His research has wide-ranging impact with over 10,000 citations. Tim has led many research projects, notably as chief investigator of a multi-centre CTIMP investigating rituximab in Graves’ disease and a BPSU study on glucocorticoid-induced adrenal insufficiency. He chairs the national Congenital Hypothyroidism Board and advises on the national Blood Spot Advisory Board.
Tim is a ‘polymath’ in child health, having been a key clinical leader in the Newcastle General Paediatric Team and starting his consultant career as a neonatologist. He ensures clinical services and research run smoothly, with unrivalled dedication to patients. He has taught, mentored, and inspired countless paediatricians, with over 50 now in consultant posts across the northeast, UK, and abroad. He also set up and chairs the Northern Region Paediatric Endocrine Group (NORPEG) meeting, fundamental to training junior and senior colleagues.
Dr Ajay Gaur
Dr Gaur has significantly advanced child health through clinical, research, and advocacy efforts. His clinical work has improved patient outcomes in infectious diseases, malnutrition, and communicable diseases. His research has developed new treatment protocols, benefiting countless children.
He has trained healthcare professionals, building a skilled workforce for high-quality paediatric care. His advocacy for health policies has led to systemic changes, ensuring better healthcare access for children nationally. His interest in teaching and training front-line health workers has led to the development of training modules on severe acute malnutrition, breastfeeding, Vitamin A supplementation, and HIV. He has tested these modules in remote areas to train front-line workers.
Recognized by the Indian Academy of Paediatrics, he is a member of the National Ethics Committee and the IAP research cell. He also serves as an associate editor for IAP publications, including the Journal of Medical Education and the Postgraduate Journal of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine.
Dr Camilla Kingdon
As a previous College President, Camilla led the college's advocacy for child health from 2021 to 2024. Her leadership was notable in establishing Thrive, addressing social determinants of child health, and working towards a national policy on gender dysphoria.
Camilla is particularly interested in enhancing the working lives of paediatricians, improving team morale, and combating burnout and disillusionment with medicine. As Head of the London School of Paediatrics and Child Health for five years, she gained unique insights into the highs and lows of working in paediatrics and its sub-specialties across various clinical settings.
During her presidency, Camilla advocated for members and children on numerous national initiatives, including wellbeing and training of members, Martha's Rule, and Gender Identity services. She also served as VP for Education and Professional Development before becoming President.
Professor Betty Kirkwood
Professor Betty Kirkwood has been a leader in global child health for over 30 years, focusing on improving the health of mothers and young children in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). She has authored over 200 academic papers, cited more than 10,000 times, and has significantly influenced international health policy.
Her research has advanced understanding in areas such as diarrhoeal diseases, pneumonia, vitamin A supplementation, breastfeeding practices, and maternal depression. She has also evaluated community-based interventions and contributed to the WHO/UNICEF IMNCI initiative.
Professor Kirkwood's work has led to strategies improving access to child health interventions for disadvantaged families, such as mobile apps for CHW supervision in Uganda and Mozambique, and the Newhints trial in Ghana. Her commitment to teaching and capacity development is evident through her supervision of numerous PhD students and the establishment of the Kintampo Health Research Centre. Her contributions have been recognized by various prestigious awards and fellowships.
Dr Mithilesh Lal
Dr Mithilesh Lal began his paediatric career in the UK in 1994 and became a Full-Time NHS Consultant Neonatologist in 2003. He has made significant contributions to child health in the UK and globally, including providing high-quality Tertiary Perinatal Services in the northeast of England, reconfiguring Perinatal Services in the Northern Neonatal Network, and implementing the Global Child Health Programme and RCPCH Clinical Examination in Nepal. He has played key roles in education, training, and assessment for medical trainees, nursing education, and training. Dr Lal has authored several books, book chapters, and research publications, and has organized International Neonatal Conferences for over 20 years. His research contributions include leading NIHR-funded multicentre clinical trials and international collaborative research trials.
Dr Lal has developed several child health services locally, regionally, and internationally, including Integrated Care Services, regional neonatal service models, and specialist clinics. He has collaborated on national studies of neonatal sepsis and healthcare delivery projects with RCPCH Global and the Nepal Paediatric Society.
Dr Lal has advanced the specialty through research, training, and management, serving as a Programme Director, RCPCH Tutor, and Senior Examiner. He has organized and led teaching and training courses, conferences, and examiner trainings in Nepal and India. His contributions have been recognized with multiple awards and fellowships.
Dr Tufail Muhammad
Dr Tufail Muhammad is a pioneer in child protection initiatives in Pakistan. Since 1990, he has chaired the Child Rights Group under the Pakistan Paediatric Association, training hundreds of child health workers on managing child abuse and neglect. He established Hospital Child Protection Committees in secondary and tertiary care hospitals across Pakistan and led studies on child sexual abuse and commercial sexual exploitation.
Dr Muhammad also contributed to treating Thalassaemic children by establishing two centres in Peshawar and Swabi. As a Board member of Gajju Khan Medical College in Swabi, he established a state-of-the-art Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, serving as a training centre for postgraduate trainees. Additionally, he founded a Nutrition Rehabilitation Unit at a community hospital in Marghuz, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, addressing local nutritional needs. Dr. Muhammad’s extensive work in child health and protection exemplifies his dedication to advancing paediatric care and improving the lives of countless children in Pakistan.
Dr Raymond Nethercott
Ray has been a consultant paediatrician at South West Acute Hospital formerly Erne Hospital, Northern Ireland since 2003, providing general paediatric services and leading the local respiratory service. He is also an instructor for Advanced Paediatric Life Support and European Paediatric Life Support courses.
As College Officer for Northern Ireland from 2019-2024, Ray made significant contributions to healthcare delivery in Northern Ireland and influenced the college's advocacy for healthcare delivery across the UK. During his tenure, he navigated the challenges of the COVID pandemic and the collapse of the Northern Ireland assembly. He also served as the local Chief Clinical Information Officer from 2015-2019.
Ray has advanced the specialty through research, training, and management, serving as a postgraduate tutor, associate medical director for medical education, and clinical lead for electronic document and record management projects. He played a key role in the four-nations response to the COVID pandemic and championed members and patients in Northern Ireland
Dr Stephanie Smith
Dr Stephanie Smith was a Consultant Emergency Paediatrician at Nottingham Children's Hospital (NCH) for nearly 30 years, retiring in 2022. She held several leadership roles, championing the safeguarding agenda as a Named Doctor for safeguarding for 15 years. She ensured all clinical staff had appropriate training in safeguarding children. In 2010, she became Head of Service/Clinical Director and later Deputy Divisional Director, overseeing the development of the paediatric department at Nottingham University Hospitals into Nottingham Children's Hospital. This separate identity and Stephanie's leadership contributed to the department's reputation as a leading Children's Hospital, attracting paediatric clinicians to train and work in Nottingham.
Stephanie initiated the fundraising campaign "The Big Appeal," raising over £1 million for projects like parent accommodation and neonatal and intraoperative MRI scanners. Colleagues recognize her many years of service and dedication to doctors and nursing staff, providing non-judgemental support to colleagues at any level. She is sought out by colleagues in other areas to support paediatricians in difficulty.
Dr Naveen Thacker
Dr. Naveen Thacker, the current President of the International Paediatric Association (2023-2025), has made the IPA a dynamic and visible global organization. He developed an active CPD programme benefiting paediatricians worldwide and engaged countries and regions historically less involved with the IPA. His efforts have significantly raised the profile of the IPA. He chairs the Scientific Committee for the IPA 2025 Conference in Mexico City. Dr. Thacker is a former President of the Asia Pacific Paediatric Association (2016-18) and the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (2007).
As a clinical leader in Gujarat, Dr Thacker has a proven track record in developing healthcare services in India. He promotes vaccine uptake and addresses vaccine hesitancy, particularly concerning Covishield's cardiovascular side effects.
Dr Thacker's accomplishments in vaccinology include extensive experience and influence, leading the IPA Vaccine Trust Project, and publishing over 50 articles on vaccines and immunization. He has received numerous awards, including the Outstanding Asian Paediatrician Award (2012) and Rotary International Regional Award for Polio-free World (2010).
Dr Deepak Ugra
Dr Ugra has been extensively involved in various child health issues in India. He has established paediatric care protocols to reduce hospital admissions, led a regional asthma awareness programme, and contributed to the national paediatric COVID-19 protocol. He has supervised multiple research projects for MD (Paediatrics) dissertations.
Dr Ugra has developed paediatric care protocols to improve outcomes and led initiatives to reduce hospital readmissions. He coordinated a pediatric asthma awareness program that reached over 5,000 families and managed multiple child health initiative task forces, including COVID-19 management in children.
He has trained and taught postgraduate students, authored multiple books, chaired various projects, and mentored MD students for their dissertations. He has been a postgraduate examiner for the Indian Postgraduate exam and MRCPCH exam, receiving multiple awards, including lifetime achievement awards in Paediatrics. He has served as President of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics.
Dr Ugra is actively involved in hosting and coordinating MRCPCH exams in India. He has supported scenario creation and the spread of the MRCPCH exam. He is currently a member of the RCPCH council, as our International Officer: Asia, and will become an Honorary Fellow once he has demitted from this position.
Dr Ugra is currently the RCPCH Officer for International - Asia, and for those that love the regulations and bye-laws, the College stipulates that the Officer must be an Ordinary member or Fellow. For this reason, we have presented Deepak with his Honorary Fellowship for all that he has accomplished and to celebrate all that he has undertaken. However, Dr Ugra will not be an official Honorary Fellow of the College until he has demitted from his position.