[3] He was President (2014 - 2020) of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh,[4] elected in November 2013 he took office on 1 March 2014 succeeding Neil Dewhurst.

Professor Bell has undertaken several invited visits to Countries and hospital to review aspects of their system of emergency or urgent care including Australia, Ireland and most recently in 2023 Singapore.

As a joint partnership North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust serve a population of 1.85 million and employs over 14,700 members of staff with a shared hospital bed count of 1,495 and 40 operating theatres.

The joint partnership remains focused on delivering more together for the population it serves, following a set of key principles which were agreed by the Joint Partnership Board, which are: -         The very best care for everyone -         Equity of access to services and outcomes -         Respect, compassion and dignity in everything they do -         Learning from all, everyone counts -         Improving likes by working together across the communities they serve.

The group model will benefit patients by way of broader collaboration across both organisations, with joint clinical appointments, integration in stroke services and orthopaedics as well as the ongoing joint development of a new community diagnostic centre in Stockton-On-Tees, which will provide patients with quicker access to tests, checks and scans.