After an eventful 12 months, we asked contributors to the magazine what their professional new year resolutions are for 2023. Here’s what they said...
Stephen Mortlock
(Semi-retired) Locum Biomedical Scientist (Microbiology), Frimley Park Hospital
At the end of 2021, I decided to step down from managerial roles in pathology and return to the bench as a locum biomedical scientist in microbiology. In 2023, I am hoping to continue working as a locum, which will leave me time to write articles for the Biomedical Scientist and be an active member of the IBMS History committee. Both of these activities will allow me to expand my knowledge of our profession and to maintain my HCPC registration.
Barbara Bain
Professor of Diagnostic Haematology at Imperial College London and consultant at St Mary’s Hospital, London
I shall try to keep looking critically at everything I read or hear, but I must be kinder in my responses. I shall try to keep learning, since only if one learns can one keep sharing one’s knowledge.
Tahmina Hussain
Deputy Programme Lead: Biomedical Scientist Apprenticeship Degree & Lecturer in Biomedical Science, University of Salford
My new year resolutions for 2023 are to support biomedical science students with boosting their employability skills and help secure placement and job opportunities, to allocate time in the diary for writing up CPD once a month, to take breaks during work and to eat a healthier diet.
“I shall try to keep looking critically at everything I read or hear, but I must be kinder in my responses”
Professor Adrian Esterman
Chair of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of South Australia
The first priority of any government is to protect their population. Australian governments (federal and state) have decided that every individual now has to assess their own risks of becoming infected with COVID-19, and protect themselves. My resolution is to continue to pressure the governments to fulfil their duty to protect their citizens.
Malcolm Robinson
Founder of Harvey’s Gang, Biomedical Scientist of the Year 2018 (now retired)
I would like to ensure we secure the long-term future of Harvey’s Gang (we still have quite a journey ahead of us), to ensure that more young patients get the opportunity to see inside of the pathology laboratories that provide for their care, and to ensure that all biomedical scientists get the opportunity of participating in Harvey’s Gang tours and actually meeting their young patients.
Nigel Crossland
Retired QA Compliance Consultant
To continue publishing educational articles based on my career in R&D of new medicines. Assisting and guiding, through mentoring, young scientists to develop their careers. As a relative “outsider” to look at issues using less focus in order to see the wider picture: challenging orthodoxy as well as practices and systems in medical science, where an alternative position of understanding may bring significant improvement. And to be vigilant in the identification of inappropriate application of statistics and also the popularity of pseudosciences.
Zoé Andrews
Trainee Biomedical Scientist, Guernsey
My resolutions for 2023 are: continuing to make biomedical science more well known to the wider public and in schools. Supporting learning and development in our department and keeping staff engaged and enjoying the work we do. Also, making Harvey’s Gang an educational tool for children to see what goes on behind the scenes.
Richard Wardle
Pathology Manager, South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Pathology
For 2023 my professional new year resolutions revolve around the pathology staff of South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw. I want to ensure across our newly forming network that staff of all grades and roles feel engaged and communicated with, to let them know they are the most valued part of who and what we are and an integral part of our journey to make a success of our service transition and beyond. I want every member to realise that they are appreciated and feel secure in knowing we have them and their careers at the heart of everything we do over the next year.
Nigel Brown
Consultant Clinical Scientist, Toxicology, Wansbeck General Hospital
New year resolutions: Don’t look at work e-mails at home. Before I retire (approximately three years from now) get a final peer-reviewed paper in press. Do my mandatory training before I get told off by “The System” as they’ve all expired.
Eileen Kelly
Medical Scientist, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne
My new year resolution is to try to impart as much of my knowledge and experience as I can to all the youngsters starting out in our profession. That’s if they will let me, of course.
Dr Guy Orchard
Operations Manager and Tissue Sciences Head of Education at Synnovis
To always remain focused on the things that really matter. To remain kindhearted, always. To continue to improve and to support the people that I represent, teach or train in both a professional and working capacity.
Dr Matt Griffiths
Principal Lecturer in Cellular Pathology
My professional resolution for 2023 is to develop more professional support and qualifications for colleagues in molecular pathology. As a member of the Molecular Pathology Scientific Advisory Panel, and the Deputy Chief Examiner for Cellular Pathology, I am looking forward to working with colleagues in developing this. I hope to continue with Specialist Portfolio Examinations – meeting candidates and performing their examinations is an extremely rewarding part of supporting the profession.
I want to build more professional networks, across specialisms – with COVID and the workload associated with it, many of us have been heads down and working very hard. That close focus has led to isolation in some areas and we need to actively work to re-establish and grow these networks. Not forgetting my day job – continuing to work with students at Nottingham Trent University to produce the next generation of biomedical scientists.
Dr David Ricketts
Head of Laboratory Process Improvement at Health Services Laboratories
For me, 2023 will be all about the new ISO 15189. My resolution is to try to make the transition as painless as possible, helping labs to adapt their existing processes to the new requirements.
Tracey de Haro
Specialist Scientific Lead for Electron Microscopy
My personal professional thoughts for the new year? To look after my team and plan and prepare as best I can to put my section and the wider Cellular Pathology Department in the best position possible to cope with whatever the future throws at us. I will continue to promote and champion electron microscopy (EM) and ultrastructural pathology loudly and proudly to anyone who will listen. This includes promoting the IBMS Diploma in Ultrastructural Pathology (see p.27) to all those working in or managing a diagnostic EM unit in the UK.
Aimee Pinnington
Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science
My resolution is to protect time in my diary to do all of the important admin jobs that often get pushed to one side – I’m hoping this will help me stay on track with lots of busy projects in the new year. I’d also like to expand my collaborations with others, as I find this a really rewarding and interesting way of working.
“To always remain focused on the things that really matter. To remain kindhearted, always”
Anne Lockhart
Biomedical Scientist Training Manager, Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service
In what looks set to be a tough year in the NHS, I would like to continue to grow and develop in my role whilst encouraging others to do the same. I hope to continue to build strong relationships and networks with colleagues so that I can learn from others and embed best practice into everything I do, especially within transfusion and training. I would like to also wish everyone a positive 2023!
Nicki Lawrence
Principal Biomedical Scientist Advanced Practitioner in Morphology
My first resolution for the new year is to continue to invest in training and development utilising Teams to deliver training across our haematology pathology network. Currently, I provide monthly lunchtime seminars centred on interesting cases we’ve experienced and I also deliver weekly Bitesize Morphology sessions where we focus on three cases themed around a chosen topic. I feel it’s really important that we continue providing these training and CPD opportunities to all staff within our network so that they feel invested in and are connected to their colleagues in the other labs across our area, making them feel part of the team. My second resolution is to share some of the Bitesize Morphology cases with a wider audience via Twitter as it allows other biomedical scientists to see a wide range of interesting cases from classical haematological malignancy to the more obscure once-in-a-decade cases.
Naveed Sadia
Specialist Biomedical Scientist, Blood Transfusion, Leeds Teaching Hospital
My new year resolution will be to step out of my comfort zone more often. This resolution builds upon stepping out of my “comfy zone” in order to complete my Higher Specialist Diploma’s portfolio and the associated article I wrote for this magazine. Stepping out of the comfort zone can be daunting. However, the benefits can induce inner development, whether this “step out” be within the professional or private arena.
Alix Costello
Clinical Scientist and Senior Biomedical Scientist
My professional new year resolution is to get biomedical scientist cut-up fully established in the department and to build on my dissection skills learnt whilst on the Science Training Programme.
Al Bryant
Healthcare Accreditation Specialist
My professional new year resolutions are: 1) Find more balance. I’m naturally a bit of a control freak, so find it hard to delegate work. Taking on my new role in UKAS has shown me that I can’t, and don’t need to, do everything myself. I have a great team of colleagues, so 2023 is the time to share things out! 2) Keep calm and manage the ISO 15189:2022 transition.
Azuma Kalu
Laboratory Manager, Specialised Clinical Chemistry & Toxicology, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
My new year resolution is to grow the services at Specialised Clinical Chemistry & Toxicology thereby creating more opportunities for training, development, and advancement of colleagues. I hope to champion sustainability and social values in the work we do in the department, the trust, and wider South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Pathology network.
Stuart Long
Andrology Service Lead, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
To continue to promote andrology from a clinical perspective, showing that scientists can do much more than look down a microscope – they can be part of the management pathway and support men and couples going through the fertility pathway.
“Showing that scientists can do much more than look down a microscope”
Cherie Beckett
Acting Senior Biomedical Scientist, Microbiology, The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
My new year resolutions intend to focus on a better work–life balance: to run more and be more mindful. However, I do also want to cement my next career move in 2023. Can I do both? With effort, I think (hope) so.
Bamidele Farinre
Consultant Biomedical Scientist
My new year resolution is to continue to be a positive role model and mentor, by the sharing of my knowledge, skills and expertise and inspiring the future generation of scientists. Additionally, to keep learning, taking advantage of opportunities and conquering new turfs through strategic professional networking.
Ashley Ballard
Biomedical Scientist Advanced Practitioner, Cellular Pathology – University Hospitals Dorset NHSFT
I recently started the ASD in histopathology reporting (gastrointestinal pathology). I am hoping that in 2023, I will be able to complete part A of this programme. I am also continuing with a PhD at Portsmouth University examining solutions to the workload problem in histology through digitisation and automation. In 2023 I hope to publish some of the results of this ongoing study. Finally, I am hoping to get our much-delayed “One Dorset” digital pathology solution live so we can start digitising and sharing our histology workload across the county.
Liam Morrissey
Biomedical Scientist Team Leader
My professional resolution for 2023 is to focus more on laboratory sustainability and improving it wherever possible. This might come down to efforts such as defrosting freezers more regularly to improve efficiency and to use less disposable packaging, but I will also aim to implement more sustainable working practices such as progressing toward paperless requesting and motivating my team to work leaner where possible.
Sheri Scott
Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science, Nottingham Trent University
As we move into 2023, my new year resolution is to take a good look at my work–life balance. I wish to try hard not to overload myself and work harder towards good time management.
Martyn Hicks
Regional Pathology Apprenticeship and Educational Lead (South West England), NHS England South West
My 2023 professional resolution will be to drive improvements in graduate employability by working with HEIs and professional bodies. Widening access to and promotion of apprenticeships and working with schools to highlight biomedical science as a fantastic career pathway. There’s lots to do in 2023 and beyond. I’m really excited about the future of our profession.
Emma Victory
Team Lead, UKHSA Malaria Reference Lab
After a hectic year of ill health, too much work and not enough staff I am excited for a reset in January. I have plans and ideas for development, both for me and the team, hopefully with stretch goals for all of us. I want us to take what we have learned from delivering our service through the pandemic and work together to build a stronger team. Inclusivity and connectivity are my keywords for 2023.
“There’s lots to do in 2023 and beyond. I’m really excited about the future of our profession”
Madihah Abbas
Deputy Service Manager, Special Chemistry, University Hospitals of Leicester
My 2023 new year resolution is to be able to show continuous improvement by implementing lean processes. I am really excited to be taking on this role, and to be able to bring some new ideas that will allow us to continue to meet the demands of the service and ensure we all stay connected.
Lee Peters
Blood Sciences Service Manager, Hywel Dda University Health Board
I’m excited about the new year and the opportunities that both we, as a profession, and I, as an individual, have. My resolution for the coming year is to seize these new opportunities for both myself and my team. We have to embrace and influence the changes in our lives.
We also need to remember that we need to look after ourselves as individuals, and focus on the positives in our lives.
Joanna Andrews
Lead for Blood Sciences at Scarborough, Hull, York Pathology Services
Times are tough and I want to try to raise the morale of all our laboratory staff. I want everyone to look forward to coming to work and to feel proud of their role as a biomedical scientist. Not that this will be easy… ideas of how we can do this would be very welcome!
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