Dr Nick Hopkinson appointed as Medical Director at the British Lung Foundation

The British Lung Foundation (BLF) has appointed Dr Nick Hopkinson as its Medical Director.

Dr Nick Hopkinson is a Reader in Respiratory Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, as well as an Honorary Consultant Chest Physician at The Royal Brompton Hospital.

“It is a great privilege to be able to take on this role at the British Lung Foundation, working with the charity to deliver better lung health for all" Dr Nick Hopkinson

Dr Penny Woods, Chief Executive of the British Lung Foundation said of Nick's appointment: “I am delighted to welcome Dr Nick Hopkinson to the British Lung Foundation as our new Medical Director. Nick has supported the BLF as an honorary medical adviser, health information expert and media spokesperson for many years.  We are very glad that he is joining our team on a formal basis, to continue his tireless work on behalf of the people affected by lung disease that he sees every day”.

Dr Hopkinson qualified in medicine at Cambridge and The London Hospital Medical College and went on to train in Respiratory and General Internal Medicine at St George’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals. He is responsible for an Advanced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) clinical service, with research interests including lung volume reduction, pulmonary rehabilitation and tobacco control. He has published more than one hundred and eighty papers.

Nick commented: “It is a great privilege to be able to take on this role at the British Lung Foundation, working with the charity to deliver better lung health for all. Lung disease is the third biggest killer in the UK so it is important that we are able to support the delivery of the best possible care, ensure timely diagnosis, and take the necessary preventative steps to deliver good lung health – cutting smoking rates further, addressing air quality and challenging child poverty”.

Coverage of Dr Hopkinson’s research from our platforms

• Friends and family increase the risk of children becoming smokers in the UK - teenagers whose mothers smoked during pregnancy, or whose parents or friends smoke, are more likely to smoke themselves.
• Cigarettes have a significant impact on the environment, not just health - new report shows that the six trillion cigarettes produced yearly impact the environment through climate change, water and land use, and toxicity.
• Tobacco display ban linked to fewer children buying cigarettes in shops - removing displays of tobacco products from shops may have reduced the proportion of children buying cigarettes by 17 per cent.
• Can we trust the tobacco industry? - blog for Imperial Medicine.
• Research shows flu vaccine reduces NHS staff sickness - new study from Imperial College London shows that improving NHS flu vaccination programmes can reduce staff sickness, to help cope with winter demand.
• How COPD patients can sing their way to better health this Christmas - blog for Imperial Medicine.
• Lung volume reduction – new hopes and missed opportunities in COPD - blog for Imperial Medicine.