Maltese Doctor Dame Clare Gerada Appointed To House Of Lords

Professor Dame Clare Gerada, a south London GP of Maltese heritage, has been appointed to the House of Lords as a crossbench peer.

The independent House of Lords Appointments Commission recognised her long service to medicine and mental health.

Her appointment makes her the first Maltese woman to sit in the Lords. Dame Clare, who was born in Malta and has lived in the UK for most of her life, said she intends to take the voice of general practice into the chamber and continue her commitment to NHS values.

She has worked in the NHS since 1983, training in psychiatry and general practice, and is senior GP partner at the Hurley Group in London, which provides general practice and urgent care in deprived areas.

Dame Clare led NHS Practitioner Health from 2008 to 2020, a confidential service supporting health professionals with mental health or addiction issues.

She also founded the NHS Primary Care Gambling Service in 2019 to improve support for those affected by gambling harms.

Her leadership roles include chairing the Royal College of General Practitioners from 2010 to 2013 and serving as its president between 2021 and 2023. She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2020 for services to mental health and the NHS.

Dame Clare is also patron of the charity Doctors in Distress, which works to reduce suicide among healthcare professionals.

#MaltaDaily