In 2010 he was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours' in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Medicine.[4] Sir Ian was Chair of Liverpool Health Partners 2013-2017.[5]
Public statements
In 2001, he chaired a Royal College of Physicians working party that produced the report "Alcohol – can the NHS afford it?"[2]
During his time as president of the College from 2006 to 2010 he made several public statements on alcohol misuse in the
United Kingdom, and under his leadership the Royal College initiated the
Alcohol Health Alliance UK in 2007.[6] He was
knighted in the 2010 Queen's Birthday Honours.[7]
In August 2010, Sir Ian said that "making drugs such as heroin and cocaine legal would 'drastically' cut crime and addicts' health problems" in interviews with both newspapers and the
BBC.[8][9]
He resigned from his position with
Public Health England when the agency refused to break their connection with
Drinkaware in their Drink Free Days campaign in 2018.[10]