Welcome to 3 new SAPC Exec members

SAPC is delighted to announce that we have three new Exec members who will take up their role with effect from the AGM in July 2016.

With Helen Atherton, Ben Brown and Greg Irving retiring from office this year, we had three spaces to fill. An invitation was sent to all SAPC members to nominate themselves or a colleague for election.

We were delighted to receive three nominations - an exact fit for our vacant seats. Meaning that without the need to hold an election, we are pleased to announce that Jon Dickson (Sheffield), James Prior (Keele) and Suzanne Richards (Exeter) will be the new members of our team. In their nomination statements, each spoke of the work they would like to take forward.

Jon described:

I passionately believe in the importance of academic primary care. The NHS needs expert medical generalists and expert medical generalists need academics to answer the difficult questions and to provide an evidence base for the speciality.  I have been a member of SAPC since I qualified as a GP and now I would like to make a contribution to the society with a special focus on growing capacity. I’d like to explore ways to support junior academics to sustain their careers for a lifetime so that they can the personal security of a clear career pathway and so that the specialty can benefit from their commitment and expertise.

James said:

I am an Epidemiologist with 8 years of experience of primary care research. My research portfolio includes the epidemiological assessment of inflammatory conditions within primary care. I am interested and experienced in the education of primary care clinicians, having completed a PGCert in Medical Education. As a member of my Research Institution's communication working group, I have worked to actively improve engagement with collaborators through work on our website and social media content  As a primary healthcare scientist, I would like to the career progression of other non-clinical members within academic primary care.

Suzanne commented:

I believe that SAPC has a critical role in ensuring that whatever changes in primary care come our way, through promoting best practice research and education, we provide the evidence to inform change and that we remain a critical friend to NHS policy and practice. From a personal perspective, as a primary care scientist who has survived the practical realities of university working and short term contracts, working with PHoCuS I  hope to promote the career development for non-medical scientists who form the methodological and practical backbones for our departments.

All three will take up their roles at this year's AGM on the 7th July in Dublin and serve on Exec for three years.

Welcome Jon, James and Rebecca!