Flic Gabbay, FPM President-elect

I am delighted to be asked to be the next President of FPM. I was particularly thrilled to hear about the number of people who voted which was a respectable percentage for any Royal College vote. I must, of course, thank everybody who did vote and for the support that I have received. FPM has had an extraordinary year and as we start to consider life post-pandemic we can look forward to marking a pair of FPM milestones – a decade of revalidation, and 20 years of recognised specialty training. It is a tribute to past presidents who have supported us through this journey and it will be an honour to follow on and I hope I will be able to not only live up to expectations of our members but hopefully preside over even greater growth and recognition as a specialty.

In the last year, many of our members have been extremely stretched as they have been involved in both R&D for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments and also in supporting ongoing research. There have been all the challenges of patient recruitment, maintaining treatment and remote monitoring. It is a tribute to our profession that in spite of these challenges so many have found time to engage in FPM activities. It has been an impressive feat to get the exam system online. A special mention must also go to the Policy and Communications Group, Ben Cottam and his team and Sheuli Porkess, Gillies O’Bryan-Tear and, of course, Penny Ward for their consistent and impactful press and media activity. Policy on the effects of Brexit on our industry and specialty has been ably guided by both Sheuli and David Jefferies. Marcia Philbin, our Chief Executive, has also initiated equity and diversity activities, including the Keeping Women in Health initiative, jointly sponsored by ourselves, and the Medical Women’s Federation.

I have been elected to lead an exciting and determined group of both pharmaceutical physicians and the Chief Executive and her team. It promises to be an exciting time with growth in our membership, new membership management software and increasing professional staff support, consolidation of our financial status and, above all, continuing to increase our contributions to medicine such that all those receiving healthcare, whether they be patients or are healthy, benefit from the work that FPM does. I do not underestimate my responsibility and look forward to supporting pharmaceutical medicine in my new role.