Steve West (podiatrist)

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = Sir

| name = Steve West

| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE|DL|FRSM|FRSA}}

| image = File:Steve West.png

| imagesize =

| caption =

| office1 = 3rd Chairman of the University Alliance

| term_start1 = 2012

| term_end1 = 2016

| predecessor1 = Janet Beer

| successor1 = John Latham

| office2 = Vice-chancellor of the University of the West of England

| term_start2 = January 2008

| term_end2 =

| predecessor2 = Sir Howard Newby

| successor2 =

| birthname = Steven George West

| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1961|03}}

| birth_place = London, England

| children =

| relations =

| spouse =

| alma_mater = University of Westminster

| party =

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| website =

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE|DL|FRSA|FRSM}}

}}

Sir Steven George West {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE|DL|FRSM|FRSA}} (born March 1961{{Cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/5IASLu4bFbMe5GF3Cmj5B-___XA/appointments|title=Steven George WEST|last=|first=|date=|website=Companies House|language=en|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-24}}) is a British podiatrist, the vice-chancellor, president and chief executive officer of the University of the West of England{{Cite web|title=Vice-Chancellor – Structure and governance|url=https://www.uwe.ac.uk/about/structure-and-governance/vice-chancellor|access-date=2021-05-24|website=www.uwe.ac.uk|language=en-GB}} since 2008. He holds a number of national and international advisory appointments in higher education, healthcare policy and regional government.

Career

West trained as a podiatrist and podiatric surgeon in London, working in the NHS and private/commercial sector from 1982. He entered academia in 1984 as a lecturer, then senior lecturer, at The Chelsea School of Chiropody and Podiatric Medicine, The London Foot Hospital and Westminster University. He developed his research interests at King’s College London in the Department of Bioengineering. In 1990 he took up a post as Associate Dean and Head of the Department of Podiatry at Huddersfield University, and became Dean of the School of Health and Behavioural Sciences in 1992.{{Cite web|title=Profile of Professor Steve West CBE, Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Officer – Vice-Chancellor|url=https://www.uwe.ac.uk/about/structure-and-governance/vice-chancellor/profile-of-the-vice-chancellor|access-date=2021-05-24|website=www.uwe.ac.uk|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|title=West, Prof. Steven George, (born 27 March 1961), DL; Professor, since 1995, and Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Officer, since 2008, University of the West of England, Bristol|url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-249566|access-date=2021-05-24|website=WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO|language=en|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u249566|isbn=978-0-19-954088-4 }}

In 1995 he joined the University of the West of England as Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Care and Professor of Health and Social Care. In this post he merged three Colleges of Health into a new faculty, establishing one of the largest faculties of Health and Social Care in the UK.

In 2005, Professor West became Pro Vice-Chancellor at the university, with the planning and resources portfolio. Then in 2006 he became Deputy Vice-Chancellor and was later appointed Acting Vice-Chancellor in August 2007. In May 2008 he took up post as Vice-Chancellor, at the age of 46.

In 2018 West was criticised for claiming over £43,000 in expenses for items like chauffeur-driven car trips to London in an 18 month period.{{cite web | url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-uwe-chiefs-43000-expenses-1260782.amp | title=Bristol UWE chief's £43,000 expenses including 'chauffeur' rides to London | date=25 February 2018 }}

He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, Fellow of the Faculty of Podiatric Medicine of the Royal College of Podiatry (FRCPodM) and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

= Other roles =

In June 2013, West was appointed as the first chair of the West of England Academic Health Science Network.{{Cite web|title=Steve West|url=https://www.weahsn.net/whoweare/the-board/professor-steven-west/|access-date=2021-05-24|website=West of England Academic Health Science Network|language=en-GB}} The network is one of 15 across the country that promote innovation in the National Health Service, bringing together bodies including health commissioners and providers, universities, and industry.

Professor West is chair of the UK Mental Health in Higher Education Advisory Group{{Cite web|title=New guidance on mental health and wellbeing – supporting staff and students more important now than ever|url=https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/news/Pages/New-guidance-on-mental-health-and-wellbeing--%E2%80%93-supporting-staff-and-students-more-important-now-than-ever.aspx|access-date=2021-05-24|website=www.universitiesuk.ac.uk}} and a non-executive director of Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board.{{Cite web |title=BNSSG ICB - Our Integrated Care Board - Chair and Non-Executive Members |work=NHS BNSSG ICB |date=28 June 2022 |url=https://bnssg.icb.nhs.uk/about-us/our-integrated-care-board/}} He is currently the president of Universities UK, 2021–2023.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=12 March 2021 |title=Professor Steve West CBE, DL elected as next UUK President |url=https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/news/Pages/prof-steve-west-elected-next-uuk-president-march-2021.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210524153801/https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/news/Pages/prof-steve-west-elected-next-uuk-president-march-2021.aspx |archive-date=24 May 2021 |website=Universities UK |via=Internet Archive}}

From 2017 to 2021, West was chair of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=LEP Board: Professor Steve West (Chair)|url=https://www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/lep/lep-board/prof-steve-west-chair/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117215747/https://www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/lep/lep-board/prof-steve-west-chair/|archive-date=17 January 2021|website=West of England Combined Authority|via=Internet Archive}} and consequently a non-voting member of the West of England Combined Authority (WECA).{{cite news |url=https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2017-05-08/west-of-england-metro-mayor-is-sworn-in |title=West of England Metro Mayor is sworn in |work=ITV News |date=8 May 2017 |access-date=12 February 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/politics/mediator-appointed-deadlock-regional-leaders-96455/ |title=Mediator appointed in bid to break deadlock between regional leaders |last=Postans |first=Adam |newspaper=Bath Echo |date=12 November 2021 |access-date=12 February 2022}}

West's other previous external commitments include non-executive director for the Office for Students,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2018-03-20|title=Our board and committees|url=https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/about/who-we-are/our-board-and-committees/|access-date=2021-05-24|website=Office for Students|language=en-GB}} chair of University Alliance,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Professor Steven West|url=http://www.unialliance.ac.uk/about/who-we-are/vice-chancellors/professor-steven-west/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130214093235/http://www.unialliance.ac.uk/about/who-we-are/vice-chancellors/professor-steven-west/|archive-date=14 February 2013|access-date=|website=University Alliance}} president of Bristol chamber of commerce, chair of the West of England Initiative, and president of the South West CBI.{{cite news |url=https://www.insidermedia.com/news/south-west/uwe-vice-chancellor-to-head-up-lep |title=UWE vice chancellor to head up LEP |last=Farrell |first=Stephen |website=Insider |date=25 April 2017 |access-date=12 February 2022}} He also served as President for the Anchor Society,{{Cite web |title=Anchor Society, Collections from Former Presidents |work=The Anchor Society |url=https://www.anchorsociety.co.uk/collections/ }} a charity for the care of older people in the Bristol area, in 2018.

Personal life

West's leisure-time interests include scuba diving.{{cite web|url=http://www.hero.ac.uk/media_relations/18221.cfm|title=West leads West of England University|work=Higher Education and Research Opportunities|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926042157/http://www.hero.ac.uk/media_relations/18221.cfm|archivedate=2008-09-26|url-status=dead|accessdate=2008-01-08}}

West has been a member of The Society of Merchant Venturers since 2014.{{Cite web|title=Our Members|url=https://www.merchantventurers.com/who-we-are/members/|access-date=2020-06-15|website=The Society of Merchant Venturers|language=en-US}}

Honours

West was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to higher education{{London Gazette

| issue = 61803

| date = 31 December 2016

| page = N10

| supp = y

}} and was made a deputy lieutenant of Gloucestershire in 2012.{{cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Profile of Professor Steve West|url=https://www1.uwe.ac.uk/about/corporateinformation/structureandgovernance/vice-chancellor/vice-chancellorsprofile.aspx|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|work=University of the West of England|access-date=24 April 2020}}

He received honorary degrees from the University of Bristol (Doctor of Laws, 2014){{Cite web |last= |first= |date=16 July 2014 |title=Professor Steven West |url=http://www.bristol.ac.uk/graduation/honorary-degrees/hondeg14/west.html |access-date=2023-02-20 |website=University of Bristol |language=en-GB}} and Taylor’s University, Malaysia (2016, Doctor of Education).{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}

He was knighted in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to health and education.{{London Gazette|issue=64082|supp=y|page=B2|date=17 June 2023}}