Gillian's Pages

Gillian's academic publications (PDF, 91K)

Work

It has been very nice this year to be Programme Manager on just one full-time programme (of 14 projects) rather than several contracts making up full-time appointment, so Gillian has mostly reclaimed her weekends. INBANK, funded by Arthritis Research UK, aims to set up an information resource with links to a biobank, providing patient data and biological samples to support future musculoskeletal research studies (subject to appropriate consent) and to improve patients' experience and outcomes. It is a very interesting, important and challenging project, with potentially nation-wide roll-out in hospital rheumatology departments. In January Gillian achieved the PRINCE2 Practitioner qualification in project management.

Working on a national project has meant 'coming ashore' with no more overseas work trips. Gillian was in Glasgow in May running focus groups at the British Society of Rheumatology annual conference, and there have been meetings in London and Birmingham, but nothing more exotic.

The European Commission has published the major deliverable of Gillian's dentistry project, Sedentexct, as European Guidelines on the safe use of cone beam CT in dentistry. Gillian is 'tickled pink' to be listed in the document (PDF) as project manager and member of the Guideline Development Panel.

At home

Martin's father's illness and death meant some trips to Kent this year. Gillian became treasurer of the village twinning association this year, and is enjoying French conversation evenings in the local pub and in people's houses. She attends the village book club and an aerobics class.

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Gillian and dad Mick Armitt on his birthday, May 2012

We had always heard that 'Armitt' came from 'helmet'. Here is a picture of a French 'armet' helmet from the 1400s in the museum at Agincourt. There was a French monastery close to Heaton, Staffordshire, where the Armitts came from, and the abbot had his own private army - so it is possible that the Armitts had an involvement with this.