Speakers

Professor John Wilding

Professor of medicine, University of Liverpool

Professor John Wilding leads clinical research into obesity, diabetes and endocrinology at the University of Liverpool, where he has worked since 1996, after training in Southampton and London. His clinical interests focus on caring for people with diabetes and obesity, and he leads specialist services for obesity at Aintree University Hospital – designated a centre for obesity management by the European Association for the Study of Obesity. John’s research team focusses on developing and evaluating treatments for obesity and type 2 diabetes. He has published over 350 papers, chapters and review articles, including clinical trials in diabetes and obesity, as well as studies of adipocyte biology and metabolism. John chairs the National Clinical Research Network Metabolic and Endocrine Speciality Group and is an adviser to NICE and NHS England on various aspects of obesity care. He is a past chair of the UK Association for the Study of Obesity, and immediate past president of the World Obesity Federation.

Dr Kath McCullough

Special advisor for obesity, Royal College of Physcians

Dr Mike Sweeney

Advanced PCN dietitian, Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Varun Anand

Diplomate, British Society of Lifestyle Medicine and portfolio GP, Modality Partnership Hull

Dr Shruthi Konda

Consultant respiratory physician, Royal Brompton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Shruthi Konda is a consultant respiratory physician at the Royal Brompton Hospital. She graduated from Imperial College in 2007. Shruthi continued with her postgraduate training in respiratory and general medicine within London, working within the Imperial College, St George’s and the Royal Brompton Hospitals. She also has a Bachelor’s degree with Honours in management and medical sciences from Imperial College Business School, and a Post Graduate Certificate in medical education under her belt. Alongside her role as a consultant physician, Shruthi is an MRCP PACES examiner and has hosted examinations herself, on behalf of the Royal College of Physicians. A dedicated educator, Dr Konda has worked as Foundation Training Programme director and as an RCP tutor, overseeing around 130 post graduate medical trainees at a time. She is an educational lead for the British Sleep Society and organises national and international courses and conferences. Shruthi has also been elected onto numerous committees at the RCP and works with colleagues to drive improvements in health and healthcare through advocacy and education. She is the Linacre fellow at the RCP and enjoys the challenges that the role brings.

Dr Pujan H Patel

Consultant in respiratory medicine, Royal Brompton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Pujan H Patel is a consultant in respiratory medicine at the Royal Brompton Hospital, London and honorary senior clinical lecturer at Imperial College, NHLI. Pujan completed his medical and subspeciality training across the USA at institutions including Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland and University of St Louis Hospitals. He is triple board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine and critical care medicine, and was appointed as a consultant in respiratory medicine with expertise in severe asthma in 2019. Pujan’s interests span across a broad range of airways diseases, and he routinely manages tertiary referrals of complex asthma patients - including those with rare conditions such as eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), eosinophilic lung diseases, refractory cough, patients with unexplained breathlessness and adolescents transitioning to adult severe asthma service. He conducts weekly multidisciplinary team meetings to identify severe asthmatics who would benefit from commencement of monoclonal asthma biologic injection treatments. Pujan enjoys teaching both domestically and internationally and serves on various committees with the British Thoracic Society (BTS) and American Thoracic Society (ATS). His clinical research interests span across severe asthma, particularly those with biologic refractory disease.

Professor Gisli Jenkins

Honorary consultant ILD physician, ​ Royal Brompton Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’ ​ NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Johanna Feary

Honorary respiratory consultant, Royal Brompton Hospital, Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Katherine Myall

Consultant respiratory physician, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Katherine Myall is a consultant respiratory physician and lead for interstitial lung disease for King's Health Partnership, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Professor Nick Simmonds

Consultant respiratory physician, Royal Brompton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Professor Nicholas Simmonds is associate director of the adult cystic fibrosis centre at Royal Brompton Hospital, London, and professor of practice (respiratory medicine) at Imperial College London, UK. His main research interests include difficult cystic fibrosis (CF) diagnosis and the investigation of novel CF therapies. Nick has been a lead investigator on numerous global multicentre trials and is the co-director of the European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS) Clinical Trials Network. He has extensive experience of novel diagnostic techniques and is the vice coordinator of the ECFS Diagnostic Network. Nick is also chair of the Registry Research Committee of the UK CF registry, a role which promotes the use of registries to better understand outcomes in CF.

Dr Julia Grapsa

Consultant cardiologist, Guys and St Thomas Hospital NHS foundation trust

Julia Grapsa has been a consultant cardiologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust since March 2020. She leads the imaging team for tricuspid services.

Professor Tom Solomon

Director, The Pandemic Institute, University of Liverpool

Professor Tom Solomon CBE is director of The Pandemic Institute, vice president (international) of the UK Academy of Medical Sciences, a censor at the Royal College of Physicians, and chair of neurological science at the University of Liverpool and the Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, where he is also a consultant neurologist. As founding director of the UK’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging Infections, since 2014, Tom was at the forefront of the response to Ebola, Zika and COVID-19. He is an adviser to the UK and US governments, and the World Health Organization. Tom appears regularly on BBC television and radio and writes occasionally for the Guardian and other papers. He hosts the Scouse Science Podcast and tweets @RunningMadProf.

Dr Peter Waitt

Consultant in acute medicine, ​ Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Melanie Brooks

Consultant in palliative medicine, Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Melanie Brooks graduated in from Liverpool Medical School in 1999 and stayed close to the region, starting in palliative medicine in 2003 as a junior doctor and a Mersey trainee. Melanie took a substantive post as the medical director of a local hospice and then went on to become a community consultant in 2011. She later became a full-time community consultant and clinical director of the specialist service across Warrington and Halton. After attending a session on immunotherapy in early 2019, her interest developed, and since then she has explored the challenges faced by palliative medicine services, and written guidelines for palliative physicians and nurses as a joint piece of work with Dr Anna Olson-Brown.

Dr Ricky Frazer

Consultant medical oncologist and immunotherapy toxicity lead, Velindre NHS Trust

Ricky Frazer is a medical oncology consultant working at Velindre Cancer Centre (VCC) in Cardiff. He specialises in renal cancer, skin cancer and acute oncology, and is clinical lead for the acute oncology assessment unit at VCC and the immunotherapy toxicity management service. He is one of the founding members of the UK Renal Oncology Collaborative (UK ROC). He has recently completed and was awarded a distinction in the postgraduate certificate in acute medicine at the University of South Wales. He was a Welsh clinical leadership training fellow with the Wales Deanery and is a founding associate fellow of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management. He has a strong educational interest and is currently an RCP college tutor and faculty lead. He is also an honorary lecturer at Cardiff University. He has completed a master’s in medical education and was awarded the John Munro Medal by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh for excellence and leadership in education. He is vice president of the national Immuno-Oncology Clinical Network (IOCN) and co-leads the monthly National Immuno-Oncology Education Forum. He has been heavily involved in the inception and development of the national Practical Management of your Immuno-Oncology Patient (PMI-OP) educational series exploring immunotherapy identification and management with specialist colleagues. In 2023 he was awarded the individual leader of the year for Velindre University NHS Trust, and the South East Wales Immunotherapy Toxicity Team won the award for education, research and innovation and improving patient experience. The immunotherapy team were also awarded the coveted Macmillan UK National Innovation Excellence Award in Glasgow in November 2023. Ricky is co-founder of a podcast called ‘The Immunobuddies’ launched in February 2023, which covers the use and management of immunotherapy in treating cancer. The podcast is freely available on a number of online platforms including Apple, Amazon and Spotify.

Dr Latif Rahman

Trainees Committee representative, Royal College of Physicians

Dr Tamara Phiri

Dr Omar Mustafa

Global vice president, Royal College of Physicians

Dr Omar Mustafa is a consultant physician in diabetes and general internal medicine based at King's College Hospital in London. He is the global vice president of the Royal College of Physicians. He completed his undergraduate medical training in Iraq and his postgraduate training in the UK, and is now an honorary senior clinical lecturer at King’s College London. Omar’s interests include health professions and medical education, inpatient diabetes, and digital health. He obtained a master’s in health professions education from Maastricht University/Suez Canal University and is currently, training programme director for the endocrinology and diabetes higher specialist training programme in south London. Omar is a member of the Endocrinology and Diabetes Speciality Advisory Committee.

Dr Hilal Al Saffar

Consultant cardiologist, Alkafeel University, College of Medicine

Dr Hilal Al Saffar is a consultant cardiologist and was the director of medical education at the University of Baghdad. He completed his education in Baghdad and graduated from College of Medicine, University of Baghdad in 1981. He became a fellow of the RCP in 2012. He is experienced in clinical cardiology and the training and education of both under-postgraduate students and postgraduate trainees and oversaw the Iraqi UK training programme, which includes 400 Iraqi specialists training in the UK for two months across many disciplines (2007–2010). He has great experience in medical education and curriculum reform, leading the modernisation of Baghdad College of Medicine curriculum, from subject-based to system integration, in collaboration with Nottingham and Sheffield Universities. He was appointed as head of the Medical Education Council (MECIQ)/Arab board, member of national council for accreditation medical colleges/Iraq (NCAMC). Currently, he is the head of the Iraqi Red Crescent Society’s Scientific Committee. Hilal has beenis the RCP international adviser for Iraq for the last 10 years; he established the RCP-Iraq Network.

Dr Haroon Hafeez

Consultant physician and director of quality and patient safety, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre

Dr Haroon Hafeez works as a consultant in internal medicine and palliative care, as well as being director of the Quality and Patient Safety Department at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (JCI Accredited). He is currently also associate global director for South Asia at the RCP, and an international representative on the Patient Safety Committee of the RCP. Haroon is a graduate of Baqai Medical University, Karachi, and later moved to the UK for his post graduate training, attaining MRCP as well as Palliative Medicine Diploma in Cardiff in 2010. He is a fellow of the RCP as well as Edinburgh. In his role as director of quality and patient safety, he has extensive insight into institutional and enterprise quality measures. As the survey coordinator with Joint Commission surveys for SKM Enterprise and individual site accreditations, Haroon has extensive experience in developing and monitoring quality and safety measures, especially with reference to accreditation by Joint Commission/ISO and local healthcare regulatory authorities.

Dr Mo Aye

Consultant endocrinologist, Hull University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust

Dr Tómas Thór Ágústsson

Consult physician in diabetes,​ Associate global director for Europe

Aimee Protheroe

Head of Global, Royal College of Physicians

Dr Richard Siow

Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s college London

Svitlana Surodina

Researcher, Department of Informatic, Kings College London

Dr Bilal Mateen

Executive director, Digital Square

Dr Mark Ellul

NIHR clinical lecture in neurology,​ University of Liverpool

Professor Jo Szram

Consultant respiratory physician, Royal Brompton Hospital

Dr Louise Bate

Associate director, Medicines Education and NICE clinical engagement lead, RCP at The Spine

Dr Anita Krishnan

Consultant neurologist,​ The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Anita Krishnan is a consultant neurologist and the divisional clinical director at the Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool. She is also one of the visiting neurologists to Warrington and Halton NHS Trust. Her clinical interests are in the field of headache and CSF pressure disorders, especially Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH). Among Anita’s clinical commitments, she conducts a weekly IIH and CSF pressure disorders MDT. She has drawn up the regional pathways for management of headache, as well as raised and low CSF pressure disorders, and contributed to the development of the international consensus guidelines on IIH.

Professor Greg Whyte

Professor of applied sport and exercise science, Liverpool John Moore’s University NHS Foundation Trust

In 2014, Professor Greg Whyte was awarded an OBE for his services to sport, sport science and charity, and was voted as one of the top 10 science communicators in the UK by the British Science Council. Greg is an Olympian in modern pentathlon, and holds both European and World medals. He is a specialist in the field of sports, exercise and health science. Graduating from Brunel University, he furthered his studies with an MSc in human performance in the USA and completed his PhD at St Georges Hospital Medical School, London. Greg is currently a professor of applied sport and exercise science at Liverpool John Moore’s University. His former roles include director of research for the British Olympic Association; director of science and research for the English Institute of Sport; and director of performance at the Centre for Health and Human Performance at 76 Harley Street, London.

Dr Sarah Clarke

President, Royal College of Physicians

Dr Waheed Arian

Founder, Arian Teleheal

Dr Waheed Arian is a former Afghan refugee and now an NHS emergency doctor, author of best-selling memoir 'In The Wars' and founder of the pioneering charity Arian Teleheal, which works directly with clinicians on the ground in low-resource and war-torn countries. He is also founder of Arian Wellbeing, an innovative digital mental health service that provides trauma-informed and culturally appropriate psychological and exercise therapies. As an adviser, Dr Arian helps global organisations and governments with the development of their healthcare and education systems. Dr Arian is an NHS Innovation Mentor and was appointed in 2019 to the WHO Roster of Digital Health Experts. Recognized as a UNESCO Global Hope Hero and a UN Global Goals Goalkeeper, in 2021 he was named Doctor of the Year and chosen by The Times as Person of the Year. In 2022 he was given The World Citizen Award from Turkish Radio and Television. In 2023, Dr Arian was selected as one of 18 high-powered commissioners by The Times Health Commission to review the UK health and social care.

Daisy Cooper MP

Deputy leader and spokesperson for Health and Social Care, Liberal Democrats

Daisy Cooper is a member of parliament for St Albans, Liberal Democrats deputy leader and spokesperson for Health and Social Care.

The Rt Hon Victoria Atkins MP

Rebecca Thomas

Health correspondent, Independent

Rebecca Thomas is the Independent’s health correspondent. She has been a health journalist for six years, with a particular focus on patient safety. In 2022, Rebecca won the Health and Science Journalism award at the British Media Awards for her “proper revelatory journalism” in her coverage of the worsening A&E crisis in the NHS. She was also shortlisted for journalist of the year at the 2023 Press Awards.

Dr Navina Evans

Chief workforce, training and education officer, NHS England

Dr Navina Evans is the chief workforce, training and education officer at NHS England, leading the workforce, training and education (WT&E) directorate. This means that NHS England has now taken on responsibility for all activities that were previously undertaken by HEE. This includes planning, recruiting, educating, and training the health workforce; ensuring that the healthcare workforce has the right numbers, skills, values and behaviours in place to support the delivery of excellent healthcare and health improvement to patients and the public. Navina was HEE CEO from October 2020 –April 2023. HEE was part of the NHS, and worked with partners to plan, recruit, educate and train the health workforce. Previously chief executive of East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) from 2016–October 2020, Navina has over 20 years of clinical experience in psychiatry, medicine and paediatrics and previously held the positions of deputy chief executive and director of operations. She has worked as the clinical director for child and adolescent mental health services at ELFT, and has also been involved in medical education and provided pastoral care to medical students. Navina acts as a trustee for Think Ahead Organisation which develops training programmes for mental health social work. She was awarded an honorary fellowship by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2020 and is a senior fellow at the Institute of Healthcare Improvement. Navina uses her voice in support of staff wellbeing and coproduction with patients, advocating for the best possible quality of life and creating a culture of enjoying work for staff. She was awarded the Commander of the British Empire in the 2020 New Year's Honours List for services to NHS leadership and the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic community.

Dr Ruth Silverton

Associate dean, NHS England

Dr Ruth Silverton has taken a less traditional path through her medical, academic and leadership career. She studied medicine as a graduate following a BSc in biology and went on to pursue alternative certificates in foundation and core medical training in order to facilitate her own patient journey. She went on to work in education alongside clinical practice from an early stage. She has worked clinically in nephrology for a decade, beginning in Yorkshire, moving to London and most recently in Cambridge where she specialises in dialysis and low clearance. As an educationalist she has delivered undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, assessment and curriculum design for Hull York, UCL and Cambridge medical schools, as well as lecturing on educational theory for the health professions education masters at UCL. She has led qualitative research studies in conjunction with NHSE and the Royal College of Physicians to inform national policy in the F3 phenomenon and most recently in the evaluation of the Generalist Skills Programme. Most recently her portfolio has grown to include the role of associate postgraduate Dean in Kent, Surrey and Sussex working on flexibility, training rotations and fellowships in the region.

Professor Sheona Macleod

Director of education and training, NHS England

Professor Sheona MacLeod MBChB FRCGP MMEd FRCP FRCP(Edin) FFSEM SFFMLM FAoME DOccMed DCH DRCOG Professor Sheona MacLeod is NHS England’s director of education and training. She worked clinically as a GP, an occupational health adviser to a number of regional industries, as clinical assistant in the local community hospital, and as a medical officer for HM Prison Service. She was appointed as GP dean in 2009 and postgraduate dean in September 2012. She was also the regional director of education and quality from 2013 to 2014 and was appointed as deputy medical director in October 2017. Sheona covered the interim medical director, and director of education and quality roles in Health Education England (HEE) during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and was responsible for the successful development and delivery of the COVID-19 Training Recovery Programme in HEE. Sheona led the Future Doctor review and leads a number of national working groups focusing on how to accelerate improvements in education and training, including the Enhancing Doctors’ Working Lives programme and the Educator Workforce Strategy Implementation.

Dr Hannah May

Flexible portfolio trainee, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Celia Bielawski

Consultant geriatrician, Whittington Hospital NHS Trust, deputy director, North London Foundation School and clinical lead for assessment, Royal College of Physicians

Dr Celia Bielawski is a consultant geriatrician, now part time, having retired and returned from working full time at Whittington Hospital in North London. She has a portfolio career which includes her roles as deputy director of the London Foundation School, NHS England and clinical lead for assessment at the Royal College of Physicians (RCP). Celia has been a medical examiner, foundation training programme director and director of medical education at Whittington Trust. She has also been an RCP censor and is a senior examiner and chair of examinations for the RCP, in the UK and internationally. She was, until recently, on the board of the specialty certifying examination in geriatric medicine, is a diploma of geriatric medicine examiner and chairs the development group at RCP for this examination.

Dr Vicky Price

AMU consultant physician, Liverpool Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Vicky Price is an acute medical consultant at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. She is currently president elect of the Society for Acute Medicine after 5 years as secretary. She enjoys teaching and works for the University of Liverpool teaching SIM and communication in clinical practice, and also hosts the Society for Acute Medicine podcast. She set up the ambulatory care department at the Royal Hospital (too many years ago to recall the exact date!) and is a passionate advocate of the benefits of ambulatory care (SDEC) for patients. This is becoming increasingly important with the multimorbid and frail population who benefit so much from being kept at home where possible. In her spare time she enjoys making cakes, running and has a local reputation for creating murder mystery parties as team-building events. As the mum to three daughters entering their teenage years, she has recently been honing her skills in communication and mediation, although feedback from them has been that she is ‘below expectations’. Despite the pressures of the current NHS, she still absolutely loves working in acute medicine and still finds it hugely rewarding.

Dr Nigel Langford

NHS consultant, University Hospital of Leicester NHS Trust

Dr Nigel Langford is a consultant clinical pharmacologist and physician working in acute internal medicine at University Hospital of Leicester. He is also the head of service, providing healthcare to patients admitted to the acute medical units as well as overseeing same day emergency care services. He has a specialist interest in forensic pharmacology, toxicology, medication errors and polypharmacy. Nigel was awarded an MD in clinical pharmacology from the University of Birmingham in 2004, and is an honorary senior lecturer to the University of Leicester. He is a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, having previously qualified and worked as a pharmacist. He has worked with NICE as a clinical pharmacologist to a health technology appraisal committee, as well as being a member on various NICE guideline committees. Nigel continues to be involved in medical education at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. He has also worked with medical practitioner’s tribunal service and regularly prepares medicolegal reports for civil and criminal cases. He has co-authored over 80 peer reviewed publications and book chapters.

Dr Narendra Reddy

Consultant endocrinologist, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

Dr Narendra Reddy is a consultant endocrinologist, head of service and an honorary senior lecturer in University Hospitals of Leicester. He completed endocrinology specialist training in Oxford and undertook 'endocrine determinants of brown fat' research for an MD from the University of Warwick. Narendra’s areas of interest are adrenal, pituitary and electrolyte disorders of sodium and calcium. He has authored multiple publications in leading journals and is a co-author of the national guideline for pituitary apoplexy management. Narendra has written book chapters, including working as an editor of the endocrinology chapter of Kumar and Clarke’s Clinical Medicine. He is currently east midlands lead for the Clinical Research Network (NIHR) of Metabolism and Endocrinology portfolio and is involved in management and conduction of clinical research studies. He is also part of the Society for Endocrinology Clinical Committee and is on the advisory panel for Parathyroid UK.

Dr Latif Rahman

Chief registrar, University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust

Dr Latif Rahman graduated from Dhaka Medical College Hospital in 2014. He is currently working as the chief registrar (specialist medicine) at University Hospitals of Leicester. He is an acute medicine higher specialty trainee at the same hospital. Latif is also working as the trainee rep for the east midlands at the RCP Trainee Committee and as the trainee rep for acute medicine at the Society for Acute Medicine, UK. He has special interest in medical education and leads a point of care ultrasound and echocardiogram teaching programme at University Hospitals of Leicester, as well as a teaching programme for locally employed doctors at the same hospital. Latif is also working voluntarily as the secretary for international affairs at an organisation called Acute and Critical Care Physicians Foundation, Bangladesh with the purpose of developing acute medicine as a specialty in Bangladesh. Latif holds a PGCert degree in critical care and is completing an MSc in medical education at University of Nottingham.

Dr Jane Macnaughtan

Principal clinical research associate and honorary consultant in hepatology, UCL Institute for Liver and Digestive Health

Dr Raghuram Ananthakrishnan

Dr Hilary Williams

Vice president for Wales, Royal College of Physicians and medical oncology consultant, Velindre Cancer Centre

Dr Elaine Henry

Operational medical director, NHS Highland

Dr Elaine Henry is the operational medical director for NHS Highland. The board also covers 42% of the area of Scotland. Elaine began her career as a gastroenterologist and then moved into medical management by working to deliver a whole system response to increasing demand on unscheduled care. She grew up in Shetland and recognises the complex needs of communities across the country.

Professor Samuel Rice

Consultant physician and endocrinologist, Hywel Dda University Health Board NHS Wales

Professor Samuel Rice is a consultant physician and endocrinologist providing specialised endocrine services for a large area of south-west Wales that covers both rural and urban areas. He is currently the RCP regional adviser for south-west Wales and an honorary professor at Swansea University.

Dr Patricia McCaffrey

Consultant geriatrician and divisional medical director for older people's medicine, Southern Trust in Northern Ireland

Dr Patricia McCaffrey is a consultant geriatrician and divisional medical director for older people's medicine in the Southern Trust in Northern Ireland. She has a specialist interest in hospital at home and Parkinson's disease. She is clinical lead for the acute care at home service for older people in the Southern Trust.

Dr Felix Emwinghama Ihama

Consultant, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust

Dr Felix Emwinghama Ihama is a consultant at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust. He graduated from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and completed his residency at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria and the North West Deanery. Felix then obtained his CCST in general medicine and elderly care in 2002 and was appointed to consultant at the Pilgrim Hospital the same year. Felix is a member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Dr Aicha Bouraoui

Consultant rheumatologist, University College London Hospitals

Dr Aicha Bouraoui is a part time consultant rheumatologist in Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, and Honorary consultant in adolescent and young adult rheumatology at University College London hospitals. She has an interest in leadership, population health, data science and quality improvement. Aicha joined the National Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme as Core 20 Plus 5 ambassador. While her project is looking mainly at addressing health inequality in clinic non-attendance, her aspiration is to work collaboratively with other ambassadors to mobilise and organise resources more effectively to address the wider determinants of health. Aicha completed a 1-year fellowship in clinical leadership (Darzi fellowship) and took part in a coaching fellowship programme at the Institute of Health Improvement, supporting learners enrolled in the Leadership and Organising for Change Programme. She is an EMCC accredited health coach and ambassador in the Personalised Care Institute.

Dr Rama Vancheeswaran

Director of Research at West Herts NHS

Dr. Rama Vancheeswaran, Director of Research at West Herts NHS, Respiratory Consultant and General Physician is a highly experienced Physician practicing at both NHS and private hospitals in London and the wider Hertfordshire area and is an Honorary Consultant, Royal Brompton Hospital. 

Dr. Vancheeswaran specializes in Respiratory Medicine with sub-specialties in Interstitial Lung Disease, Complex Airways Disease, and Ventilation​. She led the COVID programme at West Herts with numerous publications on COVID triage, severity, ventilation, COVID monoclonal delivery and COVID treatment pathways. She had previously been a member of the BTS COPD SAG and remains a contributor to the National COPD and Asthma audits. She currently teaches medical students at Brunel University.

Dr. Vancheeswaran earned her initial medical qualifications in 1989 in Nigeria and then again in 1995 from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and further enhanced her expertise with a Master’s and PhD focused on the Immunopathogenesis of Scleroderma, she has received numerous awards for her innovative work in lung cancer and community health services, such as the NHS Innovations Award, HSJ award, and the BMJ Award twice in Cancer and Comprehensive COVID services​ (Barnets and West Herts Hospitals NHS)​.

Her notable contributions include leading the Integrated COPD service in Barnet, North London, which had been recognized for its low admission and mortality rates. She has also been instrumental in developing the North London Interstitial Lung Disease Pathway and setting up sleep services across Barnet and Chase Farm hospitals​ (Nursing In Practice 365)​. She has set up the ILD services in Barnet and now West Herts NHS teaching Trust. She has published widely across respiratory medicine and medical pathways. She remain a patron of the St Francis Hospice where she previously was a Trustee.

Dr. Vancheeswaran’s passions include continued service improvement, education, research, patient centred holistic care and is highly recommended by her peers for her thoroughness and excellent patient care. She is praised for being knowledgeable, pragmatic, and approachable, qualities that make her a preferred specialist in her field​.

Dr Bhavik Modi

Consultant Interventional Cardiologist and Honorary Associate Professor Glenfield Hospital, East Midlands

Dr Ameet Bakhai

Consultant cardiologist and research director, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Ameet Bakhai is a consultant cardiologist and cardiovascular research and development director at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust UK, a Harvard Scholar, and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and the Faculty of Clinical Informatics. He has enabled innovation of drugs, devices, and diagnostics in multiple cardiac areas of heart failure, atrial fibrillation, acute coronary syndromes, and risk factor reduction for cardiovascular events. He is a founder, author and has published over 100 papers and received a national award for a decade of work in clinical cardiovascular research from the Royal College of Physicians and is recognised for clinical trials and research, technology innovation and medical education.

Dr Tina Khan

Consultant cardiologist, Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Tina Khan is a consultant cardiologist in preventive cardiology and cardiovascular MR imaging. Dr Khan graduated from Auckland School of Medicine, New Zealand with MB ChB and a Bachelor of Human Biology before moving to the UK for her post-graduate career. She completed her junior medical and specialist training in cardiology with the London Deanery in numerous large tertiary teaching hospitals including Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, University College London Hospital and Hammersmith Hospital. She was awarded her PhD from Imperial College London during which she conducted a randomised controlled clinical trial entitled “Clinical outcomes, Perfusion and Vascular Function in Patients with Refractory Angina and raised Lipoprotein (a), treated with Lipoprotein Apheresis” which she presented as a Late Breaking Trials Hot Line Oral Presentation and Press Release at European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Conference in 2016. During her PhD she won numerous academic prizes. She completed her sub-specialty advanced training in cardiac imaging and preventive cardiology and was awarded an academic clinical lectureship at Royal and Harefield Hospitals prior to securing her consultant cardiologist post. Dr Tina Khan has clinical expertise in general cardiology and primary and secondary cardiovascular risk prevention including adult and paediatric management of inherited lipid disorders such as familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), novel lipid lowering therapies and management of hypertension. Dr Tina Khan’s academic areas of interest include the mechanistic role of treating raised lipoprotein(a) in prevention of cardiovascular disease, investigating novel lipid lowering therapies in the management of cardiovascular disease and FH. Dr Khan is a principal investigator for several clinical trials.

Dr James Mawby

GMC registered doctor, Member of the Royal College of Surgeons and Pharmaceutical Physician and is the Country Medical Director for Daiichi-Sankyo UK

Wes Streeting

Labour member of parliament for Ilford North and shadow secretary of state for Health and Social Care

Wes Streeting is the Labour member of parliament for Ilford North and shadow secretary of state for health and social care. He has previously held the positions of shadow child poverty secretary, shadow minister for schools and shadow exchequer secretary to the treasury. He has also sat on the House of Commons Treasury Committee.     Wes bucked the trend to win his parliamentary seat at the 2015 election with the largest swing from the Conservatives to Labour in the country. Prior to that, he served as deputy leader and cabinet member for health and wellbeing in the London borough of Redbridge.     In his career outside of politics, Wes served in the voluntary sector as a chief executive and in other senior leadership roles for a number of national charities focused on tackling inequality and educational disadvantage. He is a vice-president of the Local Government Association, a fellow of the RSA and a former president of the National Union of Students.   Wes grew up on a council estate in the East End of London and was the first person in his family to graduate from university. His childhood memoir, One Boy, Two Bills, And A Fry Up is published by Hodder and is a Sunday Times bestseller. Wes studied history at Selwyn College, Cambridge.

Dr Laura Waters

Consultant physician in sexual health and HIV, Central and north-west London NHS Trust

Dr Laura Waters is a HIV and sexual consultant, and HIV lead at Mortimer Market Centre, London. She is also the RCP patient involvement officer. Laura is the national specialty adviser for HIV, chairing the group that advises NHS England on HIV treatment, and the immediate past chair of the British HIV Association (BHIVA). Laura chairs the patient and public panel for the British Association of Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), and founded the People First Charter. She has led or co-authored several national guidelines, and has published and presented widely. Laura is a trustee for The Food Chain and previously for the Terrence Higgins Trust and teaches regularly at local, regional, national and international level, including on HIV courses for University College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Dr Meaghan Kall

Epidemiologist, United Kingdom Health Security Agency

Meaghan Kall is lead epidemiologist in COVID-19 vaccines and epidemiology division at the UK Health Security Agency. Prior to her current position, she worked in the national HIV surveillance team for 10 years, developing and leading the National HIV Patient Survey ‘Positive voices’. In her spare time, she explains epidemiological data on Twitter. This found a following during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021 the journal Nature named her in their global top 10 list of people who helped shape science that year. Follow Meaghan on Twitter: @kallmemeg

Ann Raymond

Economist, The Health Foundation

Ann is an economist in the REAL Centre at the Health Foundation, which provides independent analysis and research to support better long-term decision making in health and social care. Ann mainly focuses on healthcare demand and health inequalities. Previous work at the Health Foundation includes projecting patterns of long-term illness up to 2040 and inequalities in diagnosed illness. Before joining the Health Foundation, Ann was a research analyst at the London Assembly, providing the necessary research and analysis to undertake evidence-based scrutiny of the Mayor of London. Ann has also held research roles with City Hall’s Strategy, Insight and Intelligence Unit, UCL and the Behavioural Development Lab in India.

Sarah Walter

Director of the Integrated Care Systems Network, NHS Confederation

Sarah Walter is director of the ICS Network at the NHS Confederation, having previously operated in a number of roles at the organisation, including director of corporate services. Sarah is passionate about women’s leadership and was previously chair of the Confederation’s Health and Care Women’s Leaders Network. She recently completed her executive MBA at the University of Bath and focused her dissertation on the aims and priorities of the Women Leaders Network’s, leadership and self-identity and the ways in which the network can respond to participants’ intersectional experiences.

Suzanna Hopwood

Demetra Georgiou

Genomic transformation manager, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Demetra Georgiou is the chair of the British Society of Genomic Medicine. She has worked as a genetic counsellor and specialised in cancer genetics, as well as being involved in the development of a number of clinical guidelines and NICE recommendations. Demetra later focused on service design/development and transformation within genomic medicine. She is currently based at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and is focusing on improving digital infrastructure for genomics as well as the development of novel clinics and translational research collaborations.

Professor Richard Sandford

Professor of medical genetics, University of Cambridge

Richard Sandford is professor of renal genetics at the University of Cambridge and honorary consultant in medical genetics at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. His main research interests are the genetics of inherited kidney diseases and the genomic architecture of autoimmune liver disease. He is also the clinical director of the East Genomic Medicine Service Alliance.

Dr Julian Barwell

Consultant clinical geneticist and honorary professor in genomic medicine, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

Dr Julian Barwell is a consultant in clinical genetics at the University Hospitals of Leicester, with a particular interest in public engagement and stakeholder group co-creation, and implementation of genomic medicine projects. He helped coin the phrase 'the Angelina Jolie effect' and launched the cancer genomics branch of the 100,000 genome project on the BBC Breakfast sofa. Julian has co-authored the children's book, What is DNA?, wrote a diary about returning to the wards during COVID, explaining genomic principles, and has over 140 academic publications and chapters in other books. He answers clinical queries for the National Hereditary Breast Cancer Helpline and is developing a digital genomic strategy, including patient self-navigation guides for those at risk of familial cancer and pharmacogenetic profiling to be used at the point of prescribing. He is developing an interventional research strategy and holistic care clinic for Fragile X syndrome. Julian lectures on inherited cancer susceptibility, cancer genomics, bioethics, 21st century healthcare and working with different types of media.

Dr Fleur van Dijk

Consultant clinical geneticist, London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust

Dr Fleur van Dijk is a consultant clinical geneticist. She has worked in the Northwest Thames Regional Genetics Service (NWTRGS) since 2016 and also leads the national Ehlers-Danlos service covering the South of England. She has experience in clinical and genetic aspects of hereditary connective tissue disorders, including monogenic Ehlers Danlos types, osteogenesis imperfecta and acropathy and she has a strong interest in clinical and translational research in this field. However, she is foremost a doctor wanting to contribute to the healthcare of individuals and families she sees in clinic.

Dr Stephen John Sammut

Consultant medical oncologist, The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Stephen John Sammut is a clinician scientist at the Institute of Cancer Research and a consultant medical oncologist at the Royal Marsden Hospital. He leads the cancer dynamics team which uses multiplatform tumour profiling to understand the biology underlying response to anticancer treatments. Stephen completed a PhD at the Cancer Research (UK) Cambridge Institute, where he charted the molecular evolution of early breast cancer during treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and showed that response to therapy was associated with distinct tumour ecosystem evolutionary trajectories. Following completion of his PhD, Stephen was awarded a postdoctoral clinical lectureship in breast cancer by the University of Cambridge. Here, he characterised the biological processes associated with response to chemo and targeted therapies in early breast cancer, and developed the first machine learning framework that combines data from diagnostic cancer biopsies to predict response to therapy.

Dr Mohsin Zaman

Consultant in critical care, acute and internal medicine, Northampton General Hospital

Dr Hilary Tedd

Consultant in respiratory medicine, Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust

Hilary Tedd is a respiratory consultant at the Royal Victoria Infirmary and specialises in long-term ventilation, working as part of the North East Assisted Ventilation Service. She has a specialist interest in patients with a learning disability and neurodisability with associated respiratory problems. She co-authored the British Thoracic Society clinical statements on community-acquired pneumonia in patients with a learning disability and on aspiration pneumonia. She is also training programme director for respiratory medicine for the north-east.

Dr Catherine Rowan

Respiratory registrar, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Dr Catherine Rowan is ST6 specialty registrar in respiratory and general internal medicine. Catherine graduated from Bristol Medical School in 2012 with honours and a first-class BSc in physiology. Since graduating, she has worked in West Yorkshire and spent a year working as a medical registrar in Christchurch, New Zealand. She currently works at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Catherine has been involved in the Royal College of Physicians since she became associate college tutor in Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust in 2017. In 2022, she joined the RCP Trainees Committee as a Yorkshire representative. In July 2023, she was elected as deputy chair.

Dr Peter Hughes

Anaesthetic registrar, University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust

Dr Peter Hughes is an anaesthetic registrar currently working at Leicester Royal Infirmary. He is also a pre-hospital volunteer doctor working with the East Midlands Immediate Care Scheme (EMICS) and East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS). His pre-hospital role involves bringing hospital level care to the patient, starting lifesaving treatments on scene, and facilitating their transfer to definitive care. It is a role where no call is the same and it requires rapid decision making in challenging environments.

Professor Ramesh Arasaradnam

Academic vice president, Royal College of Physicians

Professor Ramesh Arasaradnam was elected as academic vice president and assumed the role in August 2021. Ramesh is a consultant gastroenterologist at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire. As well as his clinical work and research interests, he provides teaching, learning and educational leadership at the University of Warwick, University of Coventry and the University of Leicester. Ramesh’s innovative work has had a huge impact on gastroenterology as a specialty, and on efforts to fight COVID-19. In 2020, he received the OBE for services to the NHS during the pandemic as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours, having designed a clinical trial for a new COVID-19 treatment, known as the IONIC trial. Ramesh led strategic priorities during COVID-19 across the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG), where he is Chair of the Research Committee. He is Specialty Lead for Gastroenterology for the West Midlands Local Research Network and a member of the Research Advisory Board for the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. At the RCP Ramesh is senior college officer for the Communications, Policy and Research directorate. Along with leading and advising on research and academic medicine, his responsibilities include the award-winning RCP Medicine conferences and the RCP’s medical publishing programme.

Dr Khadija Owusu

Junior doctor, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Khadija Owusu is an award-winning leader, international speaker and junior doctor. She is the founder of AKAYA, director of programmes at Melanin Medics, Equality and Diversity Board member at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, and ambassador and trustee at GUBA-Enterprise. Khadija is a change agent – a voice for thousands of Black and ethnic minority aspiring medics, medical students and doctors as she works to tackle issues on equality, diversity, and inclusion. She also has special interests in female empowerment and global health, impacting the lives of thousands of young girls across Ghana, Africa. Khadija has been a guest of Michelle Obama at the White House and won the Women in STEM Award by HRH Princess Ann. In addition to this, she is a TEDx speaker, has spoken at various national and international conferences, is selected as a 2021 Diana Award recipient, Top 5 UK Black Student, 2020 Rising Star in Healthcare, and has been featured on BBC, ITV, Channel 5 News and more.

Dr Anne Kinderlerer

Digital health clinical lead, Royal College Physicians

Dr Anne Kinderlerer is a consultant rheumatologist, associate medical director (patient safety) and clinical director for discharge and integrated care at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. She is the RCP’s digital health lead, and leads on the digital health strategy which guides and supports members and fellows to use the opportunities created by digital health to create efficiencies and improve patient care and outcomes.

Dr Hatim Abdulhussein

Chief executive officer, Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex

Dr Hatim Abdulhussein is chief executive officer for Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex, part of the NHS Health Innovation Network. Alongside this role, he continues to practice as a GP. In 2018, Hatim was appointed national medical directors clinical fellow to Professor Wendy Reid by the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management. His key achievements were co-author and member of the Sir Keith Pearson commission into NHS staff and Learners’ mental health, and co-founding the Topol Programme for Digital Health Fellowships launched by secretary of state for health and social care in 2019. He later became the national clinical lead for AI and digital workforce at NHS England, providing clinical leadership to the NHS Digital Academy and leading on AI in the NHS’s historic Long Term Workforce Plan. Hatim studied medicine at the prestigious Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, going on to complete a masters in sports and exercise from the University of South Wales, and a postgraduate diploma in digital health leadership from Imperial College London. Hatim holds membership of the Faculty of Clinical Informatics and the Royal College of General Practitioners, as well as fellowship of advance higher education. He has been a senior lecturer at Brunel University London, supporting the physician associate MSc and development of Brunel Medical School. Hatim is an honorary senior lecturer at Keele University, working with European partners to develop a masters in Explainable AI in healthcare management. Hatim is also a member of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Technology Appraisals Committee, and the Coalition for Health AI Steering Committee. He is an advocate for safe, ethical and responsible digital and AI transformation and ensuring workforce preparedness for new innovations and technologies in health and care. He regularly speaks internationally and has contributed to the publication of academic papers and white papers spanning workforce, education reform, primary care, digital health and AI.

Dr Lia Ali

Consultant psychiatrist clinical adviser, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust NHS England

Dr Lia Ali is a doctor and digital health strategist with extensive experience across the spectrum of digital healthcare. She believes that delivery of exemplary healthcare requires a holistic, biopsychosocial, design-led approach. Lia has done this via transformation roles in the NHS (frontline and at the centre for NHS England) and for the profit sector, including start-up advisory and commercial roles as head of Mental Health and Long Term Conditions Strategy, chief safety officer and chief clinical innovation officer. Lia is enrolled on an MSc in healthcare and design, which is run by Imperial College and the Royal College of Arts. She is a fellow of the Faculty of Clinical Informatics and a member of the RCPsych Informatics Committee and the Shuri Network. She currently serves on the Digital Health Network’s CCIO advisory panel. Lia is a dual qualified general adult and old age psychiatrist with liaison psychiatry accreditation, currently working in liaison neuropsychiatry for South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. At NHS England, she led clinically on the NHSx Digital Playbook for Mental Health and is involved in several other national digital transformation pieces of work including digital therapeutics in the National Digital Channels and the ConCR (or shared care record) Programme. Lia is passionate about ethics and safety by design, patient centred care and long-term conditions, including mental health, and has particular interests in integrated care, medical education and addressing health inequalities.

Professor Chris Imray

Consultant vascular and renal transplant surgeon, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust

Professor Chris Imray is a consultant vascular and renal transplant surgeon at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust and is an honorary professor at Warwick Medical School, Exeter University and Coventry University. He started climbing at school and has continued to travel the world to fulfil this passion. He has climbed as far afield as the sea cliffs of Cornwall to the volcanoes of Chile. Chris’ altitude research began with the Birmingham Medical Research Expeditionary Society and it has continued with the Caudwell Xtreme Everest Research Group. He summited both Cho Oyu (8201m) and Everest (8550m) with the Xtreme Everest group and has the dubious distinction of having the second lowest arterial gases ever recorded in an adult (at 8,400m). Chris is a member of the Alpine and Climbers Club, is the chair of the Royal Geographical Society’s Medical Cell and sits on the Mount Everest Screening Committee. Chris is an acknowledged world expert in frostbite and non-freezing cold injuries and runs the UK internet telemedicine frostbite service for the British Mountaineering Council. He is one of the authors of the BMJ Book of the Year Award for 2016, The Oxford Handbook of Expedition and Wilderness Medicine Edition 2 and the 3rd Edition 2023. In addition, Chris has climbed the seven summits and more recently was the scientific lead on the largest medical research expedition to the South Pole looking at the metabolic tariff of extended polar travel.

Dr Sundeep Dhillon

Professor Anne McArdle

Professor of musculoskeletal ageing, University of Liverpool

Professor Anne McArdle is a physiologist/biochemist working on skeletal muscle ageing. Anne’s work focuses on responses of muscle to exercise and how this fails during ageing. Recent work shows that denervation regulates degenerative pathways in skeletal muscle through changes in mitochondrial signalling, leading to the poor responses to stresses such as exercise and increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Anne was co-principal investigator of the MicroAge mission, a successful UK national mission designed to study the effect of microgravity on muscle on the International Space Station. Data supports the theory that microgravity provides an accelerated ageing muscle phenotype and provides a platform to test interventions to preserve muscle mass in space and during ageing on earth. Anne’s presentation will provide an overview of the current mechanisms by which muscle loss is thought to occur during ageing on earth, and data from the MicroAge mission providing evidence of an accelerated model of skeletal muscle ageing.

Dr Conor Tweed

Respiratory and general internal medicine specialty registrar, Whittington Health NHS Trust

Dr Conor Tweed is a trainee in respiratory and internal medicine based in north-east London. Alongside his clinical post, he is an honorary clinical assistant professor based at the MRC Clinical Trials Unit at University College London. Having studied and completed core medical training in Glasgow, Conor moved to Madagascar to practise community medicine before moving to London, where he has been based since 2015. His clinical and academic interests focus on respiratory infections, in particular tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections. He has been a member of the RCP Trainees Committee and Patient Safety Committee since 2022.

Dr Chris Van Tulleken

Associate professor, UCLH

Chris van Tulleken is an infectious diseases doctor at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London. He trained in medicine at Oxford and has a PhD from University College London, where he is an associate professor. Chris’ research focuses on how corporations affect human health, especially in the context of child nutrition, and he works with UNICEF and the World Health Organization on this area. As one of the BBC’s leading broadcasters for children and adults, his work has won two BAFTAs and is the author of the Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller Ultra-Processed People.

Dr Chris Van Tulleken

Associate professor, UCLH

Chris van Tulleken is an infectious diseases doctor at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London. He trained in medicine at Oxford and has a PhD from University College London, where he is an associate professor. Chris’ research focuses on how corporations affect human health, especially in the context of child nutrition, and he works with UNICEF and the World Health Organization on this area. As one of the BBC’s leading broadcasters for children and adults, his work has won two BAFTAs and is the author of the Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller Ultra-Processed People.

Professor Sanjay Agrawal

Consultant in respiratory and intensive care medicine, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust

Sanjay is a consultant in respiratory and intensive care medicine, and special adviser to RCP and NHS England on tobacco dependency. He is also the clinical director of prevention at NHS Midlands. As chair of the RCP Tobacco Advisory group, Sanjay has led evidence reviews of tobacco control (Smoking and Health 2021) and treatment of tobacco dependency in the NHS (Hiding in Plain Sight), with a new review of the role of e-cigarettes due for publication in mid-April 2024. Since 2021, Sanjay has been supporting the delivery of new NHS services to treat tobacco dependency in every acute, mental health and maternity provider in England. In addition, he has led a national Quality Improvement Programme for tobacco dependency and published new treatment guidelines for the medical management of tobacco dependency with the British Thoracic Society.

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore

Consultant physician, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Trust

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore was a registrar of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) from 1999–2004. He then went on to become president of the RCP 2006–2010, and president of the British Society of Gastroenterology 2012–2014. Ian was chair of Liverpool Health Partners 2010–2017, and is currently chair of Alcohol Health Alliance (2007–present). He has also been president of the Medical Council on Alcohol since 2020.

Professor Susan Michie

Professor of health psychology, University College London

Professor of health psychology and director of the Centre for Behaviour Change at University College London, UK. Professor Michie’s research focuses on human behaviour change in relation to health and the environment: how to understand it theoretically, and how to apply theory and evidence to intervention and policy development, evaluation and implementation. She has held many policy-oriented positions, and currently chairs WHO’s Advisory Group for Behavioural Sciences. She was part of the UK government’s Scientific Advisory Group in Emergencies, both in the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and in the first years of the Covid-19 pandemic. She has worked as a consultant with the UK’s Department of Health over many years. These experiences stimulated the co-authored article: Lessons from the UK’s handling of Covid-19 for the future of scientific advice to government: a contribution to the UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry. Her research, collaborating with disciplines such as information science, environmental science, computer science and medicine, covers population, organisational and individual level interventions. She has published more than 500 research articles and is one of the world’s most highly cited behavioural scientists.

Samantha Mauger

Chair patient carer network, Royal College of Physicians

Chief executive of the Third Age Trust, Samantha Mauger has worked in the areas of health, wellbeing and providing a voice with and for older people for over 23 years. Sam was the CEO for Age UK London before joining the Third Age Trust, which supports the more than 1,000 u3a charities across the UK. Sam is the chair of the London Age Friendly Forum, supporting London towards become an age friendly city and is a member of the London Communities Emergency Services Advisory Group. She has also been the co-chair of the Age England Association, chair of City of London Healthwatch, chair of the London Voluntary Sector Forum, and a trustee of LASA and Westminster Arts. She is a trained mediator.

Dr Will Thomas

Consultant Haematologist, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Will Thomas is a consultant haematologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge. He was appointed in 2017 having been a junior doctor in Devon, London and the East of England. He is the clinical lead for the East of England specialist TTP centre but also looks after patients with obstetric haematological disorders, bleeding disorders and thrombotic disorders. He undertakes research and actively publishes. He is the current chair of the Trust drugs and therapeutics committee.

Dr Mark Harber

Consultant nephrologist, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Mark Harber is a consultant nephrologist at the Royal Free Hospital in London, and associate professor at University College London (UCL) Department of Nephrology, with specialist interests in transplantation and immunity. He is also a special adviser on healthcare sustainability and climate change for the Royal College of Physicians. Mark has a long-standing interest in sustainability, and how individuals and healthcare institutions can become more sustainable, while also improving patient care and public health. He has been a clinical lead for NHS London sustainability and is an adviser to UCL Partners Climate Collaborative.

Chris Gormley

Dr Marina Romanello

Executive director, Lancet Countdown

Dr Marina Romanello is the executive director of the Lancet Countdown: tracking progress on health and climate change, an independent and multidisciplinary research collaboration of almost 300 researchers around the world and headquartered at University College London’s Institute for Global Health. The Lancet Countdown tracks and drives progress towards a world which is responding to climate change in a way that protects and promotes public health. Marina led a team of researchers in developing England's NHS net zero commitments and is a member of numerous advisory boards for projects focusing on health and climate change. Trained as a clinical biochemist in the Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina, she holds a PhD in biomedical sciences from the University of Cambridge. Her research background spans from toxicology through to environmental health and climate change, and she has previously carried out her research in the Instituto Tecnologico de Buenos Aires, the University of Cambridge, and the Francis Crick Institute.

Professor Isabel Oliver

Professor Anton Emmanuel

Medical director of publishing, Royal College of Physicians

Dr Tanya Monaghan

Clinical associate professor, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust

Dr Tanya Monaghan is a clinical associate professor and honorary consultant gastroenterologist in the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, School of Medicine, and the Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre (NDDC) at the University of Nottingham. She is the previous recipient of a Welcome Trust Clinical Training Fellowship and a University of Nottingham Anne McLaren Fellowship. Tanya is the theme lead for C. difficile research within the NDDC. Her research interests focus on understanding the pathophysiology of infection and inflammation of the gut-brain-axis, and in deciphering mechanisms of action of faecal microbiota transplantation. Tanya also has research expertise in the preclinical development of novel antimicrobials and microRNA-based drugs for the treatment of disorders of the gut-brain axis. Working as a consultant in Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Tanya manages patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders, enteric infections and inflammatory bowel disease.

Dr Peter Paine

Consultant gastroenterologist, Salford Royal Hospital Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Peter Paine is a consultant gastroenterologist providing a tertiary neurogastroenterology and motility clinic in the north-west of England, with a special interest in chronic abdominal pain and the interface with clinical nutrition. He has previously served as the chair of the BSG NGM Committee and has co-first authored international guidelines on irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia.

Professor John McLaughlin

Professor of gastroenterology, University of Manchester and consultant, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust

John McLaughlin is professor of gastroenterology and nutrition at the University of Manchester. His BSc (Hons) physiology, MB ChB (Hons) and PhD degrees were all awarded by Manchester. He trained in gastroenterology and general medicine in the north-west region, with a period as an MRC travelling fellow at Harvard University. Research interests concern gastrointestinal physiology in health and disease, particularly nutrient sensing, gut-to-brain signalling and nutritional aspects of disease. Working as a consultant gastroenterologist at Salford Royal Hospital, John is clinical lead for the GI physiology service and specialty lead for the Comprehensive Research Network for Gastroenterology in Greater Manchester. He is a member of the UKRI-BBSRC Biosciences for an Integrated Understanding of Health Strategic Advisory Panel. John was awarded the British Society of Gastroenterology’s Sir Francis Avery Jones Research Award in 2007, and the European Rising Star in Gastroenterology Award in 2008.

Dr Alexa Duff

Clinical psychologist, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Alexa Duff is a clinical psychologist currently working with the inflammatory bowel disease team at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, London. She has more than 10 years’ experience working within the NHS, supporting the wellbeing of those with long term health conditions. Alexa’s particular interests are around the interaction between the gut and the brain, and the use of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to support with these. She is involved in a number of research projects looking at psychological management of difficulties in IBD.

Dr John Dean

Clinical vice president, Royal College of Physicians, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

John Dean is clinical vice president (CVP) at the RCP and consultant physician/deputy medical director (transformation) at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust. As CVP, he is a member of the RCP senior team with responsibility for the college’s strategic aim of improving health and care, overseeing the Care Quality Improvement Directorate. As improvement clinical director, John represented the RCP and Academy of Medical Royal Colleges on several NHS improvement boards and provided leadership to several RCP patient safety and quality improvement programmes. In east Lancashire, he works across the health and care system to lead service improvement and works clinically as a consultant physician in acute and general medicine and diabetes. John has previously been involved with improvement initiatives across the Department of Health, royal colleges, NHS NW, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, the Health Foundation, and Advancing Quality Alliance. John is a health foundation/IHI fellow and Q fellow.

Dr John Dean

Clinical vice president, Royal College of Physicians

John Dean is clinical vice president (CVP) at the RCP and consultant physician/deputy medical director (transformation) at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust. As CVP, he is a member of the RCP senior team with responsibility for the college’s strategic aim of improving health and care, overseeing the Care Quality Improvement Directorate. As improvement clinical director, John represented the RCP and Academy of Medical Royal Colleges on several NHS improvement boards and provided leadership to several RCP patient safety and quality improvement programmes. In east Lancashire, he works across the health and care system to lead service improvement and works clinically as a consultant physician in acute and general medicine and diabetes. John has previously been involved with improvement initiatives across the Department of Health, royal colleges, NHS NW, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, the Health Foundation, and Advancing Quality Alliance. John is a health foundation/IHI fellow and Q fellow.

Dr Andrew Rochford

Improvement clinical director, Royal College of Physicians

Dr Andrew Rochford is the improvement clinical director at the Royal College of Physicians and consultant gastroenterologist at the Royal Free London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. He has a strong background in clinical leadership, patient safety, quality improvement and education and training. Andrew is currently chair of the Patient Safety Committee and Medicines Safety Joint Working Group and provides clinical leadership to the Patient and Carer Network, Accreditation Services and national audit programmes hosted by the RCP. He also provides clinical leadership to the Chief Registrar Programme and improvement website Medical Care - driving change. Andrew has led several national improvement collaboratives with NHS England and been a member of several RCP working groups. His previous clinical roles have included portfolios for patient safety, clinical improvement, and multi-professional education. At a local level, he has successfully implemented initiatives on Clinical Decision Units, Hospital at Night, medicines management and end of life care.

Dr Dan Smith

Dr Jemina Onimowo

Dr Shelagh O'Riordan

Consultant community geriatrician, Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

Shelagh O’Riordan is a consultant geriatrician. She was a consultant in an acute trust (East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust) for 14 years before leaving in 2016 to join Kent Community NHS Trust as a community geriatrician. Shelagh has developed a Community Frailty Team in East Kent which has 3 strands: 1. They support 7 community hospitals providing medical cover. 2. They undertake frailty proactive care as part of the MDT based with integrated neighbourhood teams. 3. In March 2020, as the pandemic struck, the team urgently set up a Frailty Hospital at Home to provide an alternative offer for people living with frailty to hospital admission. This service has grown and is now permanently commissioned. Shelagh is the professional adviser (geriatrician) to NHS England’s community and discharge cell. She is the clinical lead for the national Virtual Ward Team and lead clinician for the GIRFT VW Programme.

Dr Hilary Williams

Vice president of Wales, Royal College of Physicians

Dr Hilary Williams is vice president for Wales at the RCP and works as a consultant medical oncologist in south Wales, covering both urban Newport and rural Powys. Hilary completed a PhD in Edinburgh in immunology and oncogenic viruses, and then worked as a registrar in south-west England. She became RCP regional adviser for south-east Wales in 2018, before becoming an elected councillor in 2022. Hilary is a mentor for the RCP Emerging Women Leaders Programme and an active founder member of the UK Acute Oncology Society. She is also the national Wales Cancer Network lead for acute oncology, and believes that late presentation is far too common, particularly in older and more deprived populations. Hilary was elected as the RCP’s vice president for Wales and took over from Dr Olwen Williams in July 2023. She is working on behalf of RCP fellows and members to campaign for more NHS staff, higher standards of care and a better patient experience for people in Wales.

Dr Theresa Barnes

Consultant rheumatologist, Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Theresa Barnes is a consultant rheumatologist and associate medical director for diagnostics and clinical support services at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. As the RCP clinical lead for outpatients, Theresa is providing overarching clinical leadership for the RCP’s work to develop and implement guidance and good practice principles for modern outpatient care, including work to partner with NHS England to develop a strategy for outpatient care in 2024. With previous experience as a chief clinical information officer at the Countess of Chester Hospital, she brings with her an interest in how digital solutions will benefit outpatient transformation. Theresa has extensive experience in delivering outpatient transformation locally and is passionate about integrating patient care pathways across primary, secondary and tertiary care. Her focus is on improving patient and staff experience of outpatient care.

Dr Tanya Bleiker

Consultant dermatologist , University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Tanya Bleiker has been a consultant dermatologist at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton since 2001. She is immediate past president of the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD), former editor-in-chief of the British Journal of Dermatology (BJD) and is one of five editors of the internationally renowned Rook’s textbook of dermatology. Since 2022 she has been the joint clinical director for the Outpatient Recovery and Transformation (OPRT) programme within NHS England.

Lynn Woolsey

Deputy chief nurse, Royal College of Nursing

Lynn Woolsey is the UK deputy chief nurse at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). She provides strategic leadership, management and coordination for nursing with a focus on workforce, leadership, quality and practice across all fields of nursing and across all four countries of the UK. Lynn represents the RCN’s 450,000+ members’ voices, working closely with regulators, professional bodies, UK senior stakeholder groups and governments. Lynn held a variety of clinical nursing posts since registration across acute medicine and specialist surgery, before moving into managerial and leadership roles. Most recent posts have been: - deputy chief nursing officer within the Department of Health, Northern Ireland - assistant director of nursing and midwifery for workforce and education within an integrated health and social care trust - assistant director and transformational Lead for an acute mental health and learning disabilities hospital. In addition to her professional qualifications, Lynn has achieved a postgraduate certificate in education and MSc with distinction through Queen’s University Belfast, a postgraduate certificate in strategic workforce planning with distinction through the University of West London and a level 5 certificate in coaching though the Institute of Leadership and Management.

Dr Andrew Rochford

Improvement clinical director, Royal College of Physicians

Dr Andrew Rochford is the improvement clinical director at the Royal College of Physicians and consultant gastroenterologist at the Royal Free London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. He has a strong background in clinical leadership, patient safety, quality improvement and education and training. Andrew is currently chair of the Patient Safety Committee and Medicines Safety Joint Working Group and provides clinical leadership to the Patient and Carer Network, Accreditation Services and national audit programmes hosted by the RCP. He also provides clinical leadership to the Chief Registrar Programme and improvement website Medical Care - driving change. Andrew has led several national improvement collaboratives with NHS England and been a member of several RCP working groups. His previous clinical roles have included portfolios for patient safety, clinical improvement, and multi-professional education. At a local level, he has successfully implemented initiatives on Clinical Decision Units, Hospital at Night, medicines management and end of life care.

Dr Julie Whitney

Consultant AHP, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Julie Whitney is a clinical academic physiotherapist specialising in ageing, with a particular interest in falls, frailty, cognitive impairment and rehabilitation, and exercise interventions. She is a lecturer at King’s College London, teaching on undergraduate and postgraduate physiotherapy courses. Julie has led on two fall prevention clinical trials and contributed to a number of systematic reviews. She is currently the clinical lead for the National Inpatient Falls Audit which covers England and Wales, and a member of the committee contributing to the development of NICE guidelines for fall prevention. Julie works clinically at King’s College Hospital leading a falls clinic and providing geriatric liaison services for care home residents.

Norman Taylor

Clinical educator, home care ventilation, Philips Health Systems Ltd

Having worked in the NHS for 26 years as an ODP with vast knowledge of critical care and anaesthesia ventilation, Norman Taylor joined Datex-Ohmeda in 2001 as a clinical specialist focusing on the teachings of all aspects and modes of ventilation associated with the range of products offered in the portfolio. GE Healthcare acquired Datex-Ohmeda in 2005 and Norman transferred into high acuity sales selling anaesthetic machines, ventilators and patient monitoring into both the NHS and private sectors establishments in the UK. Having completed a teaching degree in further education from Stirling University, he returned into a clinical specialist role focusing on electronic anaesthesia patient record keeping and theatre management process. Norman joined Philips at the start of the COVID pandemic in early 2020, within the hospital respiratory care team, providing training on the various ventilators in the Philips portfolio to the new and existing customer install base. Norman has now transitioned into a dual role, covering the clinical teaching and patient support requirements for both home care ventilation (SRC) and the Hospital Respiratory Care (HRC) areas in the UK.

Alun Jenkins

Lead facilitator, clinical educator, hospital ventilation, Philips Health Systems Ltd

Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam

Dr Flic Gabbay

President, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine

Flic Gabbay, BSc, MB ChB, PFPM, FRCP, FFPH (Hon), FMedSci, BPS (Hon) Flic is the President of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine and an active fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and is passionate about bringing pharmaceutical medicine into mainstream medical science and its application to public health. Flic is also a Senior Vice President at tranScrip a research and development consultancy group of scientists, physicians and regulatory specialists in pharmaceutical medicine. She is a pharmaceutical physician and has spent 4 decades in drug development in big and small pharma including university spin outs and in the service sectors and has specialised in a number of R&D therapeutic areas but recently mainly infectious disease and respiratory and in translational medicine and drug safety.

Dr Margaret McCartney

Senior lecturer, University of St Andrews

Dr Margaret McCartney is a practising GP, senior lecturer at the University of St Andrews, and senior associate at the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine, University of Oxford. She is an experienced, prize-winning writer, author and broadcaster, and has been PPA columnist of the year. Margaret’s research interests include policy making, risk communication, screening, conflicts of interest, bias, and evidence communication. She is also a director of Beira’s Place.