Professor Rich Withnall

Professor Rich Withnall became Chief Executive Officer of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management in June 2023 and is one of the UK's most senior medical leaders.

He is a Professor in General Practice, GP Advisor to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, and Medical Director and Chief Examiner at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), with responsibility for the UK's GP licensing assessment and RCGP's International education and training programme.

Professor Withnall is an Air Vice-Marshal (2* Officer), and has served on seven operational tours, including in Afghanistan and Iraq, across multiple continents.

He spent 34 years in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and was the first RAF Officer to become its Professor of General Practice, Medical Director and Director of Defence Healthcare — a role with responsibility for healthcare delivery to all UK Armed Forces personnel and entitled civilians worldwide.

He has acted as a clinical advisor to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and undertook the cross-Government Major Projects Leadership Academy as Senior Responsible Owner of the MoD's Healthcare Improvement Programme.

Professor Withnall has advised the Government on national medical emergencies, including the response to the Salisbury Novichok poisoning incident, and has served as Honorary Surgeon to Her Majesty the Queen (2018), Officer in the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem (2020), and Honorary Surgeon to His Majesty the King (2022).