Neil Bentley, head of Specialist Microbiology Technical Services at Public Health England (PHE), has been awarded an OBE for Services to Public Health in the New Year's Honours, which is well-deserved recognition of his contribution to public health in the UK and overseas.
Neil coordinated the set up of the three PHE laboratories in Sierra Leone to help tackle the Ebola outbreak. He played a central role in organising the recruitment of volunteers to travel to Sierra Leone to help set up and run laboratories.
The IBMS will waive the membership fees of current IBMS members that have volunteered in West Africa as part of its charity volunteer scheme. Institute volunteers can apply to the Membership Department to have their fees waived if they have spent time as a volunteer in West Africa as part of the UK’s response to the Ebola virus.
The February 2015 issue of The Biomedical Scientist featured an interview with IBMS member Chloe Eaton on her experiences as a volunteer in Sierra Leone.
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