Aneez Esmail is Professor of General Practice at the University of Manchester. He continues to practice clinically as a GP. His research interests are in patient safety and reducing health inequalities

"I joined EQuiP because I am passionate about General Practice and Patient Safety and want to work at the European level to influence policy makers about the value of general practice and its role in improving the health of the population"

Between 2005-2014 he was the Associate Vice President for Social Responsibility and Equality & Diversity and oversaw the development of the equality and social responsibility strategy for the Universtiy of Manchester. As a health services researcher he has published work in several areas of public health (prevention of cot deaths, epidemiology of solvent abuse, preventing paediatric admissions, the evaluation of telemedicine and patient safety).

He has raised over £11 million in research grants, £1.4 million in educational grants and over £300,000 in consultancy fees over the last 20 years. He is currently responsible for a large area of work looking at patient safety in primary care and works collaboratively with researchers from North America, Australasia and Europe.

He worked as the only Medical Advisor to Dame Janet Smith, the Appeal Court judge who chaired the Shipman Inquiry between 2001-2005. He played a key role in developing the recommendations that resulted in significant changes on reform of the General Medical Council, death certification and investigation, controlled drugs regulation and the regulation and revalidation of doctors.

He is recognised nationally for his research on discrimination in the medical profession. Much of the work that he has carried out in this area has resulted in significant changes in recruitment, selection, monitoring and assessment of the medical profession. This work was recognised internationally with the award of a Harkness Fellowship and Visiting Professorship at Harvard University in 1997. He was offered but declined an OBE for his contribution to primary care and race relations in 2002. He is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

He continues to practise as a clinician, at the Robert Darbishire Practice, a social enterprise based in one of the most deprived areas of Manchester. It is the largest practice in Manchester with over 22,000 registered patients. The practice has a turnover of over £2.5 million annually and provides an innovative service in relation to same day access, care of deprived populations and looking after patients with complex health needs. He was commended by the Heath Service Journal, as one of the top 100 Clinical Leaders in the NHS in 2014.