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Policy and Communications Group

Chair: Dr Birge Berns

The role of the Policy and Communications Group (PCG) is to develop the FPM’s policy work, and to co-ordinate and facilitate liaisons with both the membership and with external bodies, including media and PR activities and consultation responses. As a central committee at the FPM, we amalgamate input from the Expert Groups, manage requests from media and deliver communication to and from other sources. The group aims to ensure we consistently and effectively deliver outputs in a tone that abides to furthering pharmaceutical medicine.

What does FPM’s PCG do?

Our main areas of focus are to:

To raise awareness of the science and practice of pharmaceutical medicine, advocate the benefits that the specialty brings to the health of the public and advocate policy developments to support pharmaceutical medicine
To consider the prevailing and future topics of importance to pharmaceutical medicine and to develop and maintain a policy platform (areas of focus, policy position papers, key messages) in line with the FPM mission and objectives and current strategy
To consider appropriate PR activities to underpin the policy platform and to advise communications staff on press and media activities
To support internal (member) and external communications
To support organisation of symposia, conferences, conversation events and other events that do not fall under the remit of another FPM group or committee but are essential to the external presentation of the FPM
To oversee and advise on the use of digital communications, including the FPM website and social media channels
To oversee the work of the Expert Groups and to coordinate their input into FPM policy development and related activities

Meet our Members

Dr Allyah Abbas-Hanif

Birge Berns

Harjeet Dhillon

Sandy Douglas

Marianna Lalla

Dr Jane Robertson

Dr Anouchka Seesaghur

What we plan to achieve in 2022

The PCG will continue to play a role in all FPM activities, including policy and media outputs in relation to covid-19 and drug development. The PCG will continue to oversee the work of the Expert Groups and to coordinate their input into FPM policy development and related activities. We will support the President’s vision of building out FPM strategy in covid-19, antimicrobial resistance and equitable drug development for underrepresented groups, such as pregnant women and ethnic groups.

The PCG has undergone lots of change in 2022. With a new PCG chair and several new members, we will be focusing on ensuring members feel confident and motivated to take ownership of projects that align with their skillset and interests.

The PCG will continue to support FPM activities and events such as Conversations, Fireside Chats and the Annual Symposium 2022.

Get involved

Contact fpm@fpm.org.uk