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Mary Manning, Executive Director. Getting started. The Academy of Medical Sciences: who we are Getting started on policy work Governance Selecting topics Ensuring success and consolidating achievements Other practicalities. Who we are.
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Getting started • The Academy of Medical Sciences: who we are • Getting started on policy work • Governance • Selecting topics • Ensuring success and consolidating achievements • Other practicalities
Who we are • Founded in 1998 to provide an independent single voice for the UK biomedical and clinical research community: from laboratory to bed-side • AMS is one of the 5 UK Academies: Royal Society, British Academy, Royal Academy of Engineering and Royal Society of Edinburgh • 10th anniversary in 2008 • Fellowship of over 900 distinguished biomedical scientists and scholars • To promote UK medical science and its rapid translation into healthcare benefits for society
Governance • 6 Honorary Officers: President: Professor Sir John Bell Vice-Presidents: Sir Michael Rutter & Professor Ronald Laskey Treasurer: Professor Ian Lauder Foreign Secretary: Professor Robert Souhami Registrar: Professor Patrick Maxwell • Council of 23 Fellows • Council determines the strategic direction of the AMS, working through the Executive Director and staff • Portfolio defined by the expertise and breadth of the Fellowship
The Fellowship • 912 Fellows • Clinical 56%, Non-clinical 44%; of which 14% Women Fellows • Does the size of the membership matter? • Utilise personal networks; engage other stakeholders • Ensure regular communication with Fellows to build loyalty and collegiality • Develop a shared agenda
Strategic Plan Work distributed across 5 key programmes: • Medical Science policy advice • Working with industry • Building research capacity • Public engagement • Global health Academy work is: evidence-based, independent, arms-length from funders, timely, and targeted.
Policy topics Policy priorities for the Academy can be broadly divided into two categories: public policy issues involving medical science; and policy issues affecting medical science. • Stem cells • Pandemic influenza • Brain science and addiction • Strategic directions of ageing research • Use of personal data • Use of animals in medical research • Global mental health research • Diagnostics in low and middle income countries
Policy Products • Flexible range of products or outputs • Ability to respond to changing priorities/circumstances • Evidence-based reports with specific recommendations • Rapid responses to emerging medical science issues • Discussion papers to elucidate topics or concerns • Workshops or symposia • Formal responses to consultations • Joint activities – sharing the workload
Why policy work? • To influence the national agenda in medical science and healthcare • To provide a public service through the provision of evidence-based, independent advice • To ensure medical science is properly resourced with appropriate investment in financial and human capital • To listen to the concerns of the general public and ensure these are addressed in policy outcomes • To act as a catalyst – call for action
Setting the right course: ensuring success • Council members should identify issues that are generic to the community • Avoid special pleading for particular sectors • Evidence-based recommendations must be targeted at specific agencies or departments for implementation • Prepare the ground carefully before publication • Build trust and respect with other stakeholders • Be willing to let go
Policy projects – some practicalities • Every project needs a significant, high level champion • Take advantage of opportunities – conferences, consultations, upcoming meetings • Utilise core strengths within the membership • Do not underestimate the amount of time needed to deliver a project • Funding for the project • Appropriate in-house skills • Take a look at what others are doing!
Quality control and approval • Council and Officers of the Academy • Project approval at commissioning stage • Oversight of appointment of Chairmen • Establish a relationship between the Chair of a study and the Council • Guidelines for the management of Working Groups: peer review, conflicts of interest • Approval processes need to be clear but not cumbersome • Learn from experience and be prepared to revise guidance • Adopt, adapt, review, evaluate, revise, implement