In his new post Professor Hughes will work alongside Professor Roy Jones, Consultant Geriatrician and Director of RICE since it began in 1985, and help to develop research at RICE, looking at both cure and care in various conditions affecting older people.

The collaboration will bring together the independent research conducted at RICE with the Medical School community at the University of Bristol and the care of older people taking place within the RUH in Bath.

Dr Chris Dyer, RICE Chair of Trustees & Clinical Lead Older People's Unit Royal United Hospitals Bath, said: "Improving Dementia care and expanding research is a key aim for RICE, the RUH and the University of Bristol. This new Professorial post is a great opportunity to build on the research that has already been conducted at RICE, extend it into new and exciting areas and apply learning in clinical and care settings."

Professor Tim Peters, Head of the School of Clinical Sciences at the University of Bristol, added: "We are delighted at the prospect of Professor Julian Hughes joining the University in this new post, developing what we are very confident will be a successful and sustained collaboration with RICE and the RUH in Bath. This is an excellent example of partnership working to deliver first class research and health care for older people, especially those with dementia."

Professor Hughes was previously Honorary Professor of Philosophy of Ageing at the University of Newcastle and Consultant in the Psychiatry of Old Age Service of Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust. He has a wide range of interests to do with ageing and dementia, from studies of ethical issues for carers, to studies of pain and the effects of the arts on quality of life. He is currently involved in academic research examining palliative care in dementia.

Professor Hughes will take up his appointment on 1 August 2016 and will be based mainly at the RICE Centre on the RUH site in Bath.