IBMS Council Meeting Summary – April 2025
A round-up of the topics discussed and decisions made at the IBMS Council meeting in April
The April Council meeting was held online on Friday 25th April and brought together national and regional Council members alongside IBMS Executives and guests. Chaired by Joanna Andrew, IBMS President, the meeting focused on member engagement, policy impact, education delivery, and financial stewardship.
Shaping national policy
Public affairs consultants from PLMR joined the meeting to present the updated IBMS policy strategy for 2025. The strategy includes MP engagement, event-based influence, and formal consultation responses, with a focus on diagnostic capacity, prevention, and digital transformation.
Council members welcomed the update and highlighted the importance of sharing progress with members and aligning key messages with the profession’s needs. Future plans include targeted outreach to new MPs and continued support for regional engagement.
Public engagement investment
Council approved funding for a new IBMS-branded outreach van, designed to raise awareness of biomedical science at schools, careers events and public venues. The van will be wheelchair accessible and managed by the new IBMS Events Manager from May.
Booking processes, branding opportunities and sponsorship options were discussed. Council supported the proposal as a practical and visible investment in public engagement and professional recognition.
Financial stability and governance
Council received the Finance Audit and Risk Committee’s annual reports. Council approved the 2024 group accounts, the associated letter of representation, and continued oversight of investment strategy.
Education performance and CRM delivery
IBMS Chief Executive David Wells confirmed that education and registration services have stabilised following earlier delays, with turnaround times now within target. The new CRM system is on track to go live in June and will provide a more secure, efficient member experience.
Council noted strong performance across membership and education KPIs, with a drop in e-student numbers attributed to changes in university funding. Specialist portfolio assessments are now consistently meeting service targets.
EDI and equality legislation
The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group is progressing with benchmarking and new recruitment. Council discussed a recent Supreme Court ruling related to workplace equality duties and agreed this will be reviewed at the next EDI meeting.
Professional representation and external relations
Council received updates on:
· UK and international quality standards through ISO TC212 working groups
· IBMS correspondence with government ministers on diagnostics and training
· National representation via the Academy for Healthcare Science and other bodies
Looking ahead
The next IBMS Council meeting will take place in person in York on Friday 13th June, followed by the AGM on Saturday 14th June. Council will also hold a strategy day and dinner on Thursday 4th December, ahead of its final meeting of the year.