Celebrating Excellence: Advancing Healthcare Awards 2025

The IBMS is proud to sponsor the Biomedical Scientist of the Year at the prestigious Advancing Healthcare Awards. Held on Friday, 23 May, at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington in London, the ceremony celebrated outstanding contributions and innovations in healthcare.

This year, we want to celebrate Craig Baker, Cellular pathology and mortuary service manager at Hywel Dda University Health Board, who has been honoured as the Biomedical Scientist of the Year 2025.

Craig commented:

"Winning Biomedical Scientist of the Year at the UK Advancing Healthcare Awards 2025 is a huge honour and an achievement that I am incredibly proud of. This award reflects the unwavering commitment, dedication and outstanding work of Biomedical Scientists across the profession, both within Hywel Dda University Health Board and throughout Wales. 

I hope to use this recognition to help highlight the invaluable contributions of Biomedical Scientists and Health Science Professionals and the critical role we play in delivering patient care."

The team at the Point of Care testing service at Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Services, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, Ashford & St Peter’s NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust and Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust included IBMS members Sudhakar Vimalanathan, David Seeruthun, Angela Sullivan, Eulitty Gumunyu (pictured) and Venera Genco, Anne Porter, Sophie Shepherd, Louie Ann Hernandez, Rebecca Sharkey, Rowan Henry, Zoe Robertson and Poppy Watts (not pictured) won The NHS England Chief Scientific Officer’s award for the Outstanding Healthcare Science Service of the year. 

Katy Heaney, POCT Specialty Lead, Consultant Clinical Scientist at Berkshire & Surrey Pathology Services, commented: 

"I am absolutely delighted that our team received this recognition from the Chief Scientific Officer. We strive every day to provide our patients with the highest quality Point of Care testing service providing reliable results for our clinical service users. 

Our work to expand community diagnostics complements the Department of Health and Social Care's strategic shift to provide more care in the community. The award also recognises our team's efforts to support our workforce development; providing opportunities for staff to pursue qualifications and development, and resulting in 50% of our workforce in an active training programme.

We are now one of the largest, and the only multi-trust, UKAS-accredited POCT service in the UK and have shared our accreditation journey with teams nationwide to support their development too."

David Seeruthun, Point of Care Testing Manager, Berkshire and Surrey Pathology Services said:

"We’re really proud to receive the Chief Scientific Officer’s Award for Outstanding Healthcare Science Service of the Year. This recognition means a great deal and is a true reflection of the hard work, dedication, and collaborative spirit of the whole team.  

It’s an honour to have our contribution to healthcare science and the NHS recognised, and we remain committed to delivering the highest standard of care and driving positive change for patients." 

The IBMS communications team won the Award for campaigning with Power and Impact for our national campaigns for Biomedical Science Day.

"I want to say a huge thank you to all the brilliant people on our team who have worked on this campaign over the years. Your creativity, commitment, and passion have helped make it truly special.  

But we couldn’t have done it without our incredible members. Every year, hundreds of you give your time and energy to organise events across the UK – in hospital labs and beyond – shining a light on the vital role biomedical science plays in healthcare. Your efforts help make the unseen seen, and this award is a tribute to you."

Additionally, we congratulate Angelika Kopec, a Biomedical scientist at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, and Gerta Bicaku, an Associate practitioner in the Immunology Department at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, on receiving the Rising Star Award. 

Gerta commented:

"It’s a privilege to be recognised among so many dedicated professionals who are committed to delivering excellence in patient care. Events like these are a powerful reminder of the difference we can make when we lead with passion, purpose, and compassion. 

Receiving the Rising Star Award has been a meaningful milestone in my journey — a recognition of the care, commitment, and continuous learning I strive to bring to my role every day. It strengthens my motivation to keep growing, supporting colleagues, and contributing to a healthcare system that puts patients first.

I’m truly grateful for this honour and excited for what’s ahead."

Angelika said:

"I am truly honoured and grateful to receive the Rising Star Award at the United Kingdom Advancing Healthcare Awards. Being recognised for my work in the fields of virology and metagenomics - particularly a national pilot service in respiratory metagenomics - means a great deal to me. 

This recognition reflects not only my own efforts but also the incredible dedication and collaboration of the teams and mentors who have supported me along the way.

Working at the intersection of cutting-edge genomic science and infectious disease has been both challenging and inspiring, and I'm proud to contribute to research that has a real-world impact on patient care and public health.

It is a privilege to contribute to innovations that improve patient care and deepen our understanding of infectious diseases. Thank you for this recognition; it motivates me even more to continue exploring, learning, and innovating in this exciting field." 

The Advancing Healthcare Awards continues to foster partnership working and crosses professional boundaries, celebrating those who support and enhance health services alongside Allied health professionals and healthcare scientists.

Congratulations to all the 2025 winners and finalists for their remarkable achievements and contributions to healthcare.