"among the world’s most engaging public intellectuals and most effective change agents in the area of public policy."
Professor Sir Ian Kennedy KC (hon) is a world-recognised expert in Health Law, Ethics and Policy, has chaired Public Inquiries and Reviews, advised governments and international agencies and been a keynote speaker throughout the UK, Europe, North America and Australasia.
Areas of Expertise
Leadership
Sir Ian has an outstanding track record in leading organisations, many of which he had to create from scratch. He led the first regulator of the UK's National Health Service and then the body regulating MPs after the Expenses Scandal. He was a Dean of a Law School for 10 years, chaired a major Public Inquiry and has led a number of national reviews of health policy.
Strategy
Sir Ian is an expert in strategic analysis in the area of public policy. He designed the framework for regulating the National Health Service revolutionising the use of data. He changed the face of Public Inquiries through his strategic approach in the Bristol Public Inquiry. He has been at the forefront of advocating strategic re-balancing of policy away from healthcare towards prevention of illness and health promotion.
Public Policy
Sir Ian has contributed to the formulation of public policy in areas including children's healthcare, safety in healthcare, human rights, organ donation, "pets' passports", the definition of death, legal education, human factors analysis, the regulation of professionals, the training of leaders. homelessness, innovation in the pharmaceutical industry.
Medical Law and Ethics
Sir Ian is recognised as the founder of the study of Medical Law and Ethics in the UK. He founded a Centre at King's College London in 1976 dedicated to postgraduate studies and research. He is the co-author of leading texts for students and legal practitioners. He has lectured and been a visiting Professor all over the world.
ReGULATION
Sir Ian has a special interest and expertise in regulation, particularly in the public sector. He has established and led two major regulatory bodies in the UK. He has written widely about the role that regulatory bodies can play in improving performance, particularly through setting norms of performance and using a wide range of data to measure compliance.
SAFETY IN HEALTHCARE
Sir Ian has been a pioneer in the field of safe care for patients. Human Factors Analysis and the identification and collection and publication of relevant data are central to his approach He has led a call to rethink the use of legal actions against healthcare workers, because of the tendency to cover-up mistakes rather than learn from them. He has stressed the importance of training existing and future leaders in safe care.
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men together to gather wood, divide work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”