Karen Dunnell

Dame Karen Hope Dunnell, DCB, FAcSS (née Williamson), born on 16 June 1946, is a British medical sociologist and civil servant who was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. Her father was a United States serviceman during World War II, and her mother, of English descent, was a teacher. Dunnell relocated from the United States to the United Kingdom during her childhood. She was educated at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls and later attended Bedford College, London, where she graduated in 1967 with a degree in sociology.

Early in her career, Dunnell worked as a healthcare researcher at the Institute of Community Studies. In 1972, she co-authored the book "Medicine Takers, Prescribers and Hoarders" with Ann Cartwright, which examined morbidity and the relationship between medicines obtained through the NHS and over-the-counter purchases. She subsequently joined the Department of Community Medicine at St Thomas's Hospital Medical School in London, engaging in multidisciplinary projects alongside medical professionals, social scientists, statisticians, and economists. Notably, she contributed to a significant project assessing the costs of caring for individuals with severe disabilities in community versus institutional settings.

In 1974, Dunnell joined the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) as a social survey officer within the Survey Division, a role she held for 15 years. During this period, she worked on major surveys, including the UK's contribution to the World Fertility Survey, published as "Family Formation" in 1976. This survey was pioneering in measuring cohabitation and introduced the question, "At what age did you first have sexual intercourse?" She also researched the work of community nurses through intensive surveys and diary-keeping methodologies. As assistant director, she oversaw health surveys on topics such as alcohol consumption, smoking, and disability prevalence across age groups, liaising closely with the Department of Health.

In 1990, Dunnell transitioned to medical statistics, overseeing health surveys and contributing to the establishment of the Health Statistics Quarterly journal. When OPCS merged with the Central Statistical Office in 1996 to form the Office for National Statistics (ONS), she became Director of Demography and Health Statistics, focusing on general practice and health inequalities. She led initiatives including the launch of the National Statistics designation in 1999 and was promoted to Group Director of Social Statistics in 2000, overseeing health, demography, population, labor markets, and social reporting.

Following a structural reorganization of the ONS, Dunnell was tasked with establishing the "Sources" Directorate, consolidating household and business surveys, infrastructure, modernisation programs, and planning for the 2011 Census. In 2002, she joined the ONS Executive leadership.

Dunnell was appointed National Statistician and Director of the ONS effective 1 September 2005. Her tenure commenced amid scrutiny over the credibility and use of government statistics. Under her leadership, the UK Statistics Authority was established, granting ONS greater independence and accountability to Parliament, replacing previous Treasury oversight. The transfer of the Registrar-General for England and Wales to the Home Office also occurred during her tenure, following the implementation of the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007.

During her tenure, Dunnell managed a policy of relocating ONS operations from London to offices in Titchfield, near Southampton, and Newport, South Wales. This involved the closure of London offices by 2010, a move that faced criticism from staff unions and concern over data quality and expertise retention. Dunnell defended the policy as aligned with government cost-cutting measures and regional development goals, emphasizing the benefits of centralized operations in Newport and the associated access to regional resources.

Beyond her civil service career, Dunnell has been active in professional organizations, including the British Sociology Association and the Society for Social Medicine, which she has chaired. She is a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society and has held visiting positions at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Nuffield College, Oxford. She has received several honors, including an Honorary Doctorate from Middlesex University in 2008, an Honorary Fellowship from Cardiff University in 2009, and was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the Bath (DCB) in June 2009. As of her retirement, she maintains non-executive roles, including membership of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Public Interest Body, trusteeship of the National Heart Forum, and a position on the Court of Governors at the University of Westminster. She resides in London and maintains a home in the Var department of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur in southeastern France.