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 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 10 th 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

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