Alumnus Geoff Skerritt receives European Neurology award
Geoff Skerritt (BVSc 1971) received the Malleus Alumni award of the European College of Veterinary Neurology on 22nd September 2023 at the Annual Conference held in Venice.
The award is made once yearly to an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to the field of veterinary neurology. Geoff was recognised for his contributions to advancing veterinary neurology and for contributing significantly to the maintenance and enhancement of quality of European Veterinary Specialisation in Neurology across all the European countries. This helps to ensure that improved veterinary medical services will be available to the owners of pet animals.
Geoff told us about his student years at Liverpool and his career since graduating. “During my years as an undergraduate veterinary student at Liverpool University I was active in student politics and sports. I was elected as Vice-President of Guild Affairs in my third year. I was also involved in student sports, especially athletics; I won the 100 yards in the inter-University event of Liverpool / Manchester /Lancaster. I was very keen on mountaineering and was appointed a National Park Warden for the Lake District. I became very keen on rock climbing and mountaineering after I graduated, climbing to extreme and climbing extensively in the UK, the Alps, Yosemite, and Chile.
When I graduated in 1971, I entered mixed veterinary practice for a short time. However, I was particularly interested in Anatomy and the Head of Veterinary Anatomy at Liverpool, Professor Tony King, encouraged me to apply for a Lectureship in his department. I had great admiration for Tony and his teaching methods. As a result, I became interested particularly in neuroanatomy and began to see the application to clinical neurology. At the time there was no official teaching of neurology and the Head of Small Animal Studies, Joan Joshua, following discussion with Tony King, suggested that I spend some time in her department. Of course, I agreed and happily began to see patients in the Small Animal Hospital. This development was soon followed by a similar arrangement in the Large Animal Department. At this stage my research had become linked to sheep because of the common incidence of a parasite (Coenurus) that invaded the brains of sheep and was transmitted from the faeces of dogs containing a tapeworm. Our work on this parasite has virtually eliminated it.
In 1993 I resigned my full-time position at the University to establish a neurology referral practice supported by a general practice. In 1995 I purchased Cranmore Veterinary Practice, resigned my connection with the University, and expanded both the general practice and the neurology referral service. Realising the importance of MRI in the advancement of the field of neurology and the lack of any MRI facilities for animals in the UK, something needed to be done. In 1997 along with my wife and two other colleagues, we established VetMRI which was the first mobile MRI service for animals anywhere. Needing to expand the referral services in 2003 we purchased a new build referral practice on the outskirts of Chester including a purpose-built MRI unit. This allowed the expansion of our neurology referral service. ChesterGates Referral Hospital by now multidiscipline, expanded with the purchase of a second building including a hydrotherapy unit. In 2013 our staff numbers had reached 55 and we had become a major veterinary neurology referral centre. In 2013 ChesterGates was sold to CVS but I have continued to work as a peripatetic neurology specialist.
My personal interest and knowledge in veterinary neurology has led to invitations to give lectures worldwide. I have been the invited speaker at several Conferences and the British Council visitor in Chile. I have been the external examiner in veterinary anatomy at the veterinary schools of Bristol, Edinburgh, Cambridge, and Dublin.
In 1997 to 2000 I was elected by national ballot of veterinary surgeons to membership of the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. I was appointed Chairman of the Fellowship Board (2001- 2009), Chairman of the Specialisation and Further Education Committee (2003-2006), Vice-Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee (2005-2006), Chairman of the Specialist Recognition Sub-Committee (2006-2009) and membership of several other Committees of the Royal College. I was a Founder Member of the European Society of Veterinary Neurology (1987) and elected President of the European College of Veterinary Neurology (1997-1999). I was the President of the British Veterinary Hospital Association (2012-2014).
The following is a summary, in addition to 100+ published papers in various veterinary journals, of my main publications:”
Books and Thesis
- Skerritt GC (1985) A study of neurological signs and surgical treatment in cases of intracranial coenuriasis in sheep. FRCVS thesis. University of Liverpool.
- Pavaux C (1983) A Colour Atlas of Bovine Visceral Anatomy. Scientific adaptation of the entire text, pp.167, from French to English by Skerritt GC, Wolfe Medical Publications Ltd, London.
- Skerritt GC and McLelland J (1984) A Guide to the Functional Anatomy of the Limbs of the Domestic Animals, pp.251, John Wright & Sons Ltd, Bristol.
- Elliott I and Skerritt GC (2010) Handbook of Small Animal MRI, Wiley- Blackwell, Oxford.
- Skerritt Geoff (2018), King’s Applied Anatomy of the Central Nervous System of Domestic Mammals, 2nd edition, pp.326, Wiley Blackwell, Oxford.
- Skerritt Geoff (2022), King’s Applied Anatomy of the Abdomen and Pelvis, pp.154, Wiley Blackwell, Oxford. 8 2.2. Invited Chapters
Awards
- The Simon Award of the BSAVA. Presented in 2013 for outstanding contributions in the field of veterinary surgery.
- The Malleus Aureus of the European College of Veterinary Neurology. Awarded in 2023 to recognise and celebrate key individuals who have made exceptional contributions in the field of veterinary neurology.
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