Trauma chief quits

YVONNE McEwen, controversial director of the first higher education trauma management and victim assistance project, has resigned from her post at Fife College a year after being appointed.

Ms McEwen aroused controversy not only because of her outspoken criticisms of the "lucrative industry" of post-traumatic counselling, but also because of her qualifications. A former nurse, Ms McEwen claimed five international visiting professorships, but they were courtesy titles from lecturing overseas.

The college always stressed that Ms McEwen's was not an academic appointment. She had extensive practical experience, including work in Lockerbie and Belfast.

Ms McEwen issued a brief statement saying she had letters backing her from "life's victims" who had taken the time to offer help and support. "I plan to develop contacts national and internationally. I feel this is the only way forward for the rights of victims to be advanced," she said.

"In the immediate future, my work will be taking me to Africa and Canada."

A statement from Fife College said it had accepted her resignation with regret.