He was commissioned by the Scottish Executive to look at the medical workforce in Scotland and his report Future Practice was published in July 2002 and made 37 recommendations.
[3][4] He authored a report published in 2004, titled Securing Future Practice in which he proposed moving towards a "trained doctor-based service" with less reliance upon work from doctors who undertaking training.
[5] He was appointed as the independent chair of the UK-wide review of the impact of the European Working Time Directive on junior doctors, known as the Time for Training review, which reported in 2010.
[6] He was elected as an ordinary fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 1998.
[8] He was awarded a Knight Bachelor for services to medicine and medical education in the 2003 Queen’s Birthday honours in 2003.