Page 17 - BackSpace October 2017

Newsletter of the European Chiropractors’ Union
General news
Dr Barry Lewis
It is with deep regret and sadness that Haymo Thiel informs us of the sudden and unexpected passing of Dr Barry Lewis. He died peacefully in the presence of his family in August.
BARRY GRADUATED from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1975 and came to the AECC with 15 years of practice experience in New Zealand where he had also been president of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association and had played a significant part in the recognition of chiropractic, linked to the Commission of Inquiry into Chiropractic.
Barry, who until last year was still working with us as visiting senior clinical tutor on a part- time basis, originally joined the AECC in July 1991 as lecturer in Chiropractic Sciences. I joined only three months later and
we very quickly became very
good friends and for many years occupied adjoining offices in the old clinic building. Barry was appointed lead clinical tutor in 2001 and deputy director of clinic in 2009, and from 2007 to 2009 he was an elected member of the General Chiropractic Council.
Barry was ‘as straight as they
come’. In other words, he always let you know what he thought about the issue at hand, but he also was big-hearted and caring and compassionate, and it was therefore no surprise that many of our students sought him
out over the years to help them through difficult times they were encountering and which were not necessarily always linked to their academic studies. These qualities must also have partially led to Barry being elected as staff governor to the Board as well as chair of the AECC Staff Association, a position which
he held for five years and until September 2011 when he retired from his full-time employment with the AECC. To have served for such a long period as chair of the Staff Association just shows how much members of staff have appreciated Barry’s engagement, help and personal support in this role over the years.
This all is proof that Barry was
certainly an excellent clinician, educator, mentor and engaged member of AECC staff over the years. However, after about ten years of academia he was also
eager to get back into the realm of the politics of the profession and consequently he became a Council member of the British Chiropractic Association, and in November 2001 was elected vice president and then president of the BCA from 2003-2007. I think that so far, he has been the only individual who had been president of two national chiropractic associations.
Barry also was a member of
the Identity Task Force of the World Federation of Chiropractic and the European representative on the WFC Council, as well
as vice president of the ECU, a founding fellow of the European Academy of Chiropractic, a fellow of the International College of Chiropractors and of course a fellow of the British Chiropractic Association. In recognition of his
services he was awarded the British Chiropractic Association Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
Throughout all of the political part of his career, Barry had always been a staunch supporter of the AECC, and the College has certainly profited greatly from his insight and wisdom when it came to this side of the business.
Our thoughts at this very difficult time are with Barry’s wife Wendy, his children Samantha and Chris, his brother Graham and
of course his grandchildren, all
of whom he greatly adored. The chiropractic profession has lost one of its greats, and the AECC community one of its legends.
May you rest in peace my friend.
New research initiative: AECC University College and University of Southampton
THE CHIROPRACTIC Research Council (CRC) has succeeded in establishing a small team in the Southampton University Department of Primary Care
and Population Studies to conduct chiropractic-related research, using existing research links between AECC University College and the University of Southampton. Particular thanks are due to the late Professor George Lewith, who was instrumental to establishing this initiative and who, sadly, will not see its implementation.
The initiative is particularly important because it seeks
to develop research capacity within the wider context of health research in the UK. The team consists of a part-time senior researcher and two full PhD research students over a five-year period. The longer-term aim is to produce researchers
in chiropractic who have the knowledge and skills to work
in a multidisciplinary context and with researchers from other health care specialisations. The main thrust of the immediate
work will be evaluating chiropractic services and how these can be integrated into mainstream health care services for musculoskeletal conditions in the UK.
Further good news is that following a selection procedure led by Southampton University, Dr Dave Newell from AECC University College was appointed to the part-time role of Senior Researcher in the new unit.
He will start in September and will continue in his current role
as Director of Research at the
University College, splitting his time between the two roles. The arrangement will offer unique collaborative opportunities
for sharing of best practice between Research teams at both institutions.
Readers of BACKspace, and
in particular of the thought- provoking ideas Dr Newell airs in Newell’s Notes (see page 26), will recognise how exciting the new team will be under
his leadership. It is an inspired choice for a splendid initiative.
BACKspace www.chiropractic-ecu.org October 2017 17