Professor Sir George Alberti,
the National Director for Emergency Access

* Sir George was appointed as the first
   National Director for Emergency Access in
   2002 and is responsible for overseeing the
   implementation of the Reforming
   Emergency Care strategy.

* Formerly President of the Royal College of
   Physicians, he worked closely with
   Government and the Department of
   Health, providing advice and feedback
   from a medical viewpoint to ensure high
   standards of patient care in the
   implementation of new NHS developments.

* Co-chairman of the first of the national
   service frameworks (NSFs) on coronary
   heart disease, he is a member of the
   Modernisation Board and the Council
   of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

* Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the
   University of Newcastle upon Tyne and a
   Senior Research Associate at Imperial
   College. Sir George works extensively
   with both the International Diabetes
   Federation and the World Health
   Organisation. He is also Vice President
   of Diabetes UK.

* Heavily involved in diabetes work in sub-
   Saharan Africa, particularly Tanzania, and
   in Mauritius and has published more than
   1000 articles on diabetes and metabolism.