Meet your new Council members
Members recently voted in our Council elections and the results were announced at our Annual General Meeting last month. To find out more about who you voted for, we got in touch with our new and re-elected Council members to ask them a few questions about what they hope to bring to their role.
Zonya Jeffrey - National
1: What does being an IBMS Councillor mean to you?
I am delighted to be able to play a part in representing my colleagues, peers and friends in our valuable profession. I am looking forward to helping further develop and shape the Institute's support to our members in a way they can really benefit from.
2: If you could only address one issue on behalf of the profession what would it be?
Access to Training & Education - Opening up these areas that the IBMS does really well. I would like to support in making it obvious what courses, workshops and other CPD training opportunities are available to our members and where the plethora of educational resources can be found.
3: Why do you think it is important to engage with the IBMS?
The Institute represents us - Individuals working in Biomedical Science. The Institute can be our voice to the public and our support system within our careers.
Charlie Houston - National
1: What does being an IBMS Councillor mean to you?
Being an IBMS Council member is an honour, privilege and responsibility. I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to re-join council as a National Member. I hope to be able to contribute to the ongoing and continuous improvements that are being made, by our Institute, on behalf of its membership and our profession, to enable better patient care.
2: If you could only address one issue on behalf of the profession what would it be?
Raising the profile of the profession with our colleagues, the public and Government so that we are not seen as “backroom boys”.
3: Why do you think it is important to engage with the IBMS?
Engaging with the IBMS makes means I am recognised as a professional, it gives me the ability to mix with others in Biomedical Science professionally. It allows me to able to contribute my expertise and knowledge in policy setting.
For any IBMS member, engagement with the Institute is important as it makes it YOUR institute and not THE Institute.
Victoria Bradley - Wales
1: What does being an IBMS Councillor mean to you?
I have been an IBMS member throughout my career and it is an honour and a privilege to represent Wales on the council. This will give me the opportunity to put back into the profession the knowledge, skills and experiences I've gained during my career from both my mentors and my peers.
2: If you could only address one issue on behalf of the profession what would it be?
I would like to build on the fantastic work the IBMS has been doing during the pandemic to raise the profile of our profession. Biomedical scientists have always been a key element in the lives of all individuals from their birth until their death, however most are unaware of our role in their healthcare. The pandemic has placed us in the spotlight and now we need to stay there.
The IBMS is built by its members for its members. In order for our professional body to remain up-to-date and relevant members need to express their opinions and needs, and share their knowledge and skills with the wider biomedical science community.
Jane Needham - South East
1: What does being an IBMS Councillor mean to you?
I am very thankful to members and proud to have been re-elected to Council. I am a passionate advocate of biomedical science and being on Council provides me with the opportunity to represent and promote our profession role in healthcare, academia and research in the wide field of biomedical science and contribute to the developing roles for biomedical scientists in innovative clinical and scientific practice.
2: If you could only address one issue on behalf of the profession what would it be?
Continued development of routes for advanced and consultant practice across the disciplines.
3: Why do you think it is important to engage with the IBMS?
The IBMS is our professional body and the key word is “our”. The IBMS exists only for its members but “we” the membership need to engage with “it”, by supporting, informing and contributing to help and enable the professional officers and committee members to work and achieve on our behalf.