Foreword
The medical specialty of pharmaceutical medicine comprises a highly skilled workforce devoted to the medical aspects of innovation and regulation of, and equitable and safe access to, medicines and devices. These specialists work in the private sector, in the civil service and in academia and often hold important national and international gatekeeping or influencing positions, to allow advances in healthcare to be brought to and maintained safely available for the benefit of the public.
The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (FPM) of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK (London, Edinburgh and Glasgow) has established a globally highly respected and financially stable organisation. In the UK alone, there are over 500 pharmaceutical medicine senior specialist equivalents (Members and Fellows of FPM), over 400 Affiliate members (specialists and non-specialists in related disciplines, most of whom are revalidating with the UK General Medical Council) and over 80 members currently in Pharmaceutical Medicine Speciality Training. In addition, we have an increasing number of members outside the UK. Our commitment to the setting of standards for the specialty of pharmaceutical medicine is at the heart of what we do.
The COVID-19 pandemic put global healthcare under severe strain, many FPM pharmaceutical physicians were on the front line, developing life-saving vaccines and therapeutics, which have contributed to dramatic reductions in COVID morbidity and mortality. FPM staff and members changed the way in which they operated, playing critical roles during the pandemic and in the ongoing recovery from the pandemic. FPM met the challenges of COVID by recruiting more staff and volunteers to support external policy work and interactions with other specialties, strengthening our digitised processes, and developing new and improved internal policies and procedures. FPM Values have been developed and rolled out to support equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and to underpin the delivery of pharmaceutical medicine and its impact on public wellbeing.
FPM’s strategy for 2023-2025 aims to build on these existing achievements, supporting faster advancement and deployment of technologies and medicines, developing stronger partnerships, committing to global standard setting, execution of EDI and sustainability goals and influencing of policy to align with the greatest medical healthcare needs, especially in aspects of inequality in healthcare.
The next decade is promising to be one of the most demanding periods of change in healthcare. There will be welcomed continued increase in public and patient engagement and empowerment, personalised care initiatives, social prescribing and expanding management of health in the community, rather than in hospitals. There is a completely new generation of devices, diagnostics, prophylactic medicines and treatments driven by genomics and advanced therapeutics. This change demands flexibility in training of healthcare professionals and it is where pharmaceutical medicine will be much in demand! These activities require FPM to continually reappraise our Strategy, to keep it fit for purpose and always designed to ensure equitable delivery of healthcare to public and patients, whoever and wherever they are.
The 2023-2025 strategy is underpinned by three pillars of approach: Trust, Sustainability, and Relevance. These pillars are aligned with FPM’s three charitable objectives for public benefit; to promote the science of pharmaceutical medicine; to develop and maintain competence, ethical integrity and high professional standards in the practice of pharmaceutical medicine; and to advance knowledge in pharmaceutical medicine.
Thus, building on our solid foundations, we can continue to grow and diversify our membership both in the UK and globally, strengthen our governance, expand our educational offerings and standard setting, and bolster our reputation and influence. This bold strategy sets out our plans for the next three years to support us in our mission of delivering for patients and the public.
Chief Executive, FPM
About FPM
The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (FPM) is a UK registered charity.
Our mission
Our mission is to advance the science and practice of pharmaceutical medicine by working to develop and maintain competence, ethics and integrity and the highest professional standards in the specialty for the benefit of the public.
Our vision
Our vision is a world where effective medicines meet the needs of patients.
Our values
| We are: | This means: |
|---|---|
| Professional | Being accountable for our work and actions |
| Innovative | Seeking solutions proactively |
| Caring | Treating everyone with dignity |
| Collaborative | Working positively with others |
| Credible | Being honest and ethical in our work |
| Learned | Investing in developing knowledge and skills |
Charitable Objects
To promote the science of pharmaceutical medicine
To develop and maintain competence, ethical integrity and high professional standards in the practice of pharmaceutical medicine
To advance knowledge in pharmaceutical medicine
Our priorities
Trust
FPM will be trustworthy by facilitating an increased understanding of the discovery, development and delivery of new medicines, vaccines and medical devices and the interface with public health. FPM will achieve this by:
Objective 1: Setting standards in the discipline through
- Developing and maintaining the highest professional standards for pharmaceutical medicine in the UK and globally
- Promoting Pharmaceutical Medicine Specialty Training to increase the number of trainees and the recognition as well as reputation of the programme
- Developing education and training programmes, courses and qualifications that build skills and knowledge across the spectrum of pharmaceutical medicine, including medical devices and diagnostics, digital innovations, cell-based therapies and genomics
Objective 2: Pioneering thinking through
- Developing FPM’s processes and structures to deliver impactful thought leadership
- Building followers and broadening our stakeholders through the creation of coherent, unique and impactful content
- Working strategically and collaboratively with stakeholders across the charity, healthcare and life sciences sectors to become more externally facing
Objective 3: Extending our influence through
- Developing and maintaining FPM as a trusted expert and authority on a wide variety of aspects of medicines development and delivery
- Developing our advocacy and public relations strategy to support our impact and influence
- Engaging the public to build trust, for example, through strategic alliances with patient groups and specialty medical societies
Sustainability
FPM will be sustainable by building an effective foundation to support our work. FPM will achieve this by:
Objective 1: Efficient oversight of finances through
- Continuing to ensure that FPM’s expenditure remains in line with the income it generates and the reserves it holds
- Actively seeking alternative and additional sources of income, provided they are in line with FPM’s values and charitable objects
- Being fully transparent and accountable in line with best practice in the Charity Governance Code
Objective 2: Ensuring good governance through
- Operating as an effective decision-making organisation guided by the complementary skills and strengths of our community of staff, volunteers, members and stakeholders, and encouraging staff engagement and wellbeing
- Ensuring that our work is environmentally responsible and efficient
- Modernising our processes and policies to reflect the new way of working that embraces in person and online working and collaboration
Objective 3: Exploiting digital technologies through
- Optimising FPM’s digital infrastructure to maximise efficiency and effectiveness in our operations
- Streamlining the digital experience of members and others to ensure that they have a positive (for example, modern and streamlined) experience
- Training and supporting FPM staff and volunteers to ensure they have the necessary skills to adapt to evolving digital developments
Relevance
FPM will be relevant to its membership and embrace the wider professional community in pharmaceutical medicine. FPM will achieve this by:
Objective 1: Fostering improving standards by encouraging diversity in those practising pharmaceutical medicine as well as ensuring delivery of pharmaceutical medicine which encompasses fair and diverse access to medicines
- Critiquing our activities to ensure they are suitable for and inclusive of all those who may wish to engage in pharmaceutical medicine
- Developing an equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) plan that will support all pharmaceutical professionals to thrive in their careers
- Leading inclusivity and diversity in the pharmaceutical medicine community by exploring and consulting on the admission of the broader group of pharmaceutical physicians in our specialty and non-medical professionals to FPM and creating new grades of membership
Objective 2: Supporting delivery of medicines and devices for public benefit
- Supporting members to address gaps in the discovery, development, and delivery of new medicines and medical devices for the public, governance in the innovation of new medicines and medical devices and equitable access to medicines and medical devices
- Refining and adapting our educational programmes and events so that they are engaging to a wide audience of both pharmaceutical medicine and other health care professionals
- Helping members and their employers understand what the impact of climate change will mean for global health needs and pharmaceutical medicine
Objective 3: Developing the speciality of pharmaceutical medicine worldwide through
- Identifying and sharing emerging trends in pharmaceutical medicine
- Facilitating the development of national and global networks of pharmaceutical professionals
- Promoting pharmaceutical medicine as a global specialty through strategic alliances and partnerships