Professor Chris Drinkwater CBE, FRCGP, FFPH was an inner city GP in Newcastle for 23 years and he is now emeritus Professor of Primary Care Development at Northumbria University in Newcastle. He is the President and Public Health Lead for the NHS Alliance, a director and company secretary for HealthWORKS Newcastle (a Healthy Living Network). 

In 2004 he chaired the National Task Group on Primary Care for the ‘Choosing Health’ consultation and he was a member of the North East Sports Board.  He chairs the Newcastle Mental & Emotional Wellbeing Delivery Group which is part of the Local Strategic Partnership and sits on the Newcastle Health Improvement Board, the Regional Physical Activity Steering Group, the Regional Green Exercise Group and the Regional Advisory Group for Mature and Working Age.  He is also Vice-Chair of the Northumberland, Tyne & Wear Community Foundation.