Professor Sir Mansel Aylward CB

It is with great sadness that Cardiff University marks the passing of Professor Sir Mansel Aylward CB, an extraordinary leader and dedicated champion for public health.

Mansel, as he was known to all his friends and colleagues locally and across the globe, was a giant in the quest to improve the health of Wales.  Born in Merthyr Tydfil, he saw at first hand the health inequalities that so badly impacted the Valleys communities of Wales, sparking his ambition to become a doctor and make a difference.  As a first step, he went to London to study Medicine. Fate played a key role when, as a 5^th year student heading home to Merthyr for a few days, he found himself by chance pulled into the Aberfan disaster, one of the first health professionals at the devastating scene. He spoke eloquently about the experience and the effect it had on his future path, directing him towards a career in Public Health Medicine.

His achievements in the Public Health field in Wales and the UK are many.  From 1995 to 2005 he served as Chief Medical Adviser, Medical Director and Chief Scientist in the UK Department for Work and Pensions in London. In 2009 he was appointed the first Chair of the newly established Public Health Wales NHS Trust, created to protect and improve health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities in Wales. He Chaired the Bevan Commission, Wales’ leading health and care think tank, from its inception in 2008. This was a particular passion of his and he remained involved up to his death.

Mansel was Director of the Centre for Psychosocial and Disability Research at Cardiff University for a number of years, delivering outstanding research in key aspects of Public Health. In 2017 he was appointed inaugural Chair of the Life Sciences Hub Wales. Outside of academia, he made important contributions to Life Sciences companies in Wales working in diagnostics and rehabilitation.

Mansel received numerous awards and honours over his illustrious career. Most notably, he was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 2002, and was knighted in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours 2010 for services to health and healthcare.

Mansel was a great enthusiast for health sciences and an inspiration and support to many in Wales and beyond who worked with him.  He was a delight to meet – always smiling, kind and compassionate - and equally happy to talk science or Welsh rugby and a font of wisdom on both.  He will be missed.

Professor Wendy Larner, President and Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University, said: “We are greatly saddened to hear of the passing of Professor Sir Mansel Aylward CB. The contributions he has made to the health and wellbeing of people in Wales are immeasurable, and the impacts of his work will continue to serve the public at a national, local and community level in Wales well into the future. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”

- Professor Paul Morgan and Greg Spencer