Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has formally congratulated Professor Ian Young on his appointment as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2026 Birthday Honours, recognising a decade of service as the Department of Health’s Chief Scientific Advisor during which he shaped Northern Ireland’s research landscape and pandemic response. The award, announced on 12 June 2026, comes months after Professor Young left his post at Stormont to join the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in a part-time capacity while maintaining his clinical duties at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
A Decade of Scientific Leadership
Professor Young served as the Department of Health’s Chief Scientific Advisor for ten years before departing earlier this year to take up his new role as Chief Scientific Adviser at the FSA. During his tenure at Stormont, he was instrumental in developing Northern Ireland’s first Cancer Research Strategic Framework and driving the Research Strategy 2016-2025, which aimed to enhance health, wellbeing and the economy through high-quality research.
The CBE recognises his services to Health Services Research and Development and to Health Education. In addition to his advisory roles, Professor Young continues to work as a Consultant Chemical Pathologist with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and holds a professorship at Queen’s University Belfast, where he previously directed the Centre for Public Health.
Pandemic Response and Strategic Legacy
Professor Young played a pivotal role in Northern Ireland’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, providing scientific advice during what he described as “very challenging times.” However, his evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry in May 2024 revealed that his part-time role had not been replaced during February and March 2020 while he was on leave, creating a gap in the early local response. The first lockdown began on 23 March 2020, the same day he returned to his position.
Despite these early challenges, Professor Young led the establishment of Northern Ireland’s first dedicated Cancer Research Strategic Framework, launched in November 2025. The framework aims to strengthen cancer research, innovation and collaboration across the region, with Professor Young co-chairing the oversight advisory group alongside Professor Mark Lawler of Queen’s University Belfast.
Ministerial Tributes
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt praised Professor Young’s contribution to policy, research and clinical innovation across Northern Ireland, the UK and internationally. In a statement, Nesbitt said:
“I am delighted that Professor Ian Young has received a well-deserved honour to recognise the exemplary service he provided to the Department over the decade he worked here.
“As Chief Scientific Advisor, Professor Young made an outstanding contribution to policy, research, life sciences, and clinical innovation, not only in Northern Ireland but across the UK and internationally throughout his distinguished career. He displayed exceptional leadership throughout his time in Health, and his commitment to Research and Development will stand the Department in great stead to meet its future challenges.
“I thank him for his service to the Department and to the people of Northern Ireland and wish him well in his new role with the Food Standards Agency.”
Professor Young expressed gratitude to colleagues across the Health and Social Care system, stating:
“I am delighted to have been recognised in this way, and grateful to many colleagues in the Department and the wider Health and Social Care system with whom I have worked over the last few years through some very challenging times. This award is a result, in no small part, of the support and achievements of many people who have worked with me to support research and innovation and to provide the best scientific advice possible to help keep our population safe and healthy.”
Broader Recognition
The Minister also extended congratulations to other Health and Social Care staff recognised in the 2026 New Year Honours List, acknowledging their “commitment and dedication to improving the lives of all in Northern Ireland.”
Professor Young’s move to the FSA sees him step down from his roles as Chief Scientific Advisor to the Department of Health and Director of Research for Health and Social Care, Northern Ireland, as well as Chair of the UK Government’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. He becomes the fourth Chief Scientific Adviser at the FSA, succeeding Professor Robin May who left in September 2025.
Questions for the Future
While the honour recognises past achievements, several questions remain about the future of scientific leadership in Northern Ireland’s health sector:
- Who will succeed Professor Young as Chief Scientific Advisor to the Department of Health, and how will continuity be maintained for the Cancer Research Strategic Framework launched only months before his departure?
- Given the documented gap in scientific advisory capacity during the early Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, what structural changes has the Department implemented to ensure critical advisory roles are never left vacant during future public health emergencies?
- With Professor Young now dividing his time between the FSA, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and Queen’s University, how will this affect local research capacity building, particularly as the 2016-2025 Research Strategy period concludes?
- How will the Department ensure that the momentum generated by the new Cancer Research Strategic Framework is sustained without its original architect at the helm?
The award highlights the critical intersection of scientific expertise and government policy, yet underscores the challenges of maintaining institutional knowledge when key advisors transition between roles across different jurisdictions and sectors.