What a year this has been.  

Since taking on the role of BNMS President, the journey has been dynamic and at times a roller coaster, marked by both achievements and challenges. A year marked by weddings and, sadly, funerals; by highs and lows, meaningful milestones and networking, that have kept me moving forward. So much has happened in just the past seven months.

At BNMS, we have achieved a great deal. Education and research remain the key pillars of our Society. Yet the time has come and perhaps is overdue to add advocacy alongside our educational and scientific priorities.

I therefore propose that advocacy becomes a formal aim of BNMS: ensuring that our voice is heard, our specialty is represented, and our patients benefit from the collective strength of our community. This proposal will be brought to the Officers and BNMS Council next year for consultation and approval. Many of you also highlighted this in our recent membership survey./span>

Membership Survey

Thank you to all who responded! I am delighted that you are, overall, happy with BNMS direction and achievements. Of course, there is always room for improvement, but I was encouraged to hear that you feel BNMS remains closely connected to the real‑life needs of nuclear medicine staff at all levels.

However, our multi-professional workforce continues to be our greatest challenge, while patient‑centred care remains our greatest source of pride.

During Jilly’s presidency, we made a strong case for statutory technologist registration. IPEM, SoR, and BNMS have worked together on this, but without success so far. We must not give up, and we will continue to pursue this goal.

There are also significant concerns regarding training for resident doctors. We urgently need more doctors, yet there are simply no sufficient training posts available. With resident doctors again on strike, this is a difficult situation for both current and future generations of young professionals.

You told us where we are doing well, and we will continue to build on that while striving to improve further. We have also been reminded of the need to develop a strategic plan, and the membership will be consulted on this in due course.

Education, Education, Education

December began with our CME event, the second in our series of Multidisciplinary Reporting webinars, co chaired by Mr Tristan Barnden, Advanced Clinical Practitioner from Maidstone Hospital/Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury and me.

Dr Emma Owens (Eastbourne District General Hospital) and Dr David Little (Royal United Hospital, Bath, NHS FT), delivered exceptional talks, offering deep insight into the implementation of REALM in Nuclear Medicine and its value in strengthening multidisciplinary learning.

Together, we reflected on the benefits of reviewing learning events in a truly multiprofessional environment. Several interesting cases were presented, and the underlying causes of discrepancies were explored to help prevent similar issues in the future.

Molecular Radiotherapy (MRT) – A Game Changer in Cancer Treatment

One of the highlights of December was the parliamentary panel event “From Research to Reality: Scaling Innovation in Cancer Treatment,” organised and funded by Novartis in partnership with Medicines Discovery Catapult and hosted by Dr Peter Prinsley MP in the historic surroundings of the House of Commons.

Expert speakers highlighted three major breakthroughs in cancer treatment: cancer vaccines, molecular radiotherapy (MRT) and immuno oncology. They shared their perspectives on how the adoption and scale up of new cancer innovations can be accelerated.

Prof Jonathan Wadsley, our BNMS MRT Lead, Clinical Oncologist, and NIHR Specialty Lead for Cancer Radiotherapy and Imaging Research, emphasised the vital role of MRT in targeted precision cancer treatment and theranostics, engaging both attendees and parliamentarians in this important discussion.

Preparations for the BNMS Annual Celebratory 60th Anniversary Meeting

The Scientific Education Committee, led by Co chairs Dr Ian Armstrong and Dr Simon Hughes, together with our newly appointed RTN SEC Deputy Chair, Miss Hannah Chandler, is working extremely hard to prepare what promises to be our most exceptional meeting yet.

They have curated a fantastic programme of speakers, leaders in the field, both nationally and internationally, ensuring there will be something for everyone across our diverse nuclear medicine community. The full programme is expected to be published in January 2026. Please watch this space.

Regional Recognition

The importance of regional recognition was highlighted at our recent meeting with regional leads as we prepare the timeline for the BNMS 60th Anniversary celebrations. We want to hear from all regions about their milestones. Please contact the BNMS office with your regional achievements so we can complete our journey of 60 years together, including all devolved nations and showcase national progress through regional milestones.

For example, I felt extremely proud of our department this month: we delivered the first ¹⁷⁷Lu PSMA treatment in Sussex as part of the national STAMPEDE 2 trial, a true milestone for our patients and our research community.

This month has also been full of departmental celebrations: our Christmas dinner, Santa sharing presents, and plans for a lunch together on Christmas Eve. It is always wonderful to celebrate as a team. We even reviewed nearly 400 photos from previous parties, collected by our lead nurse, Ms Angela Clarke. Work with heart, party with spirit. Not a bad motto to live by.

This reminds me to invite you to upload your departmental photos at https://bubbleit.workplace.datto.com/filelink/79aef-29e01281-8eb4ad4bcc-2, so we can feature them at the BNMS Annual Meeting during our 60th Anniversary celebrations.

Congratulations

Our amazing CEO, Charlotte Weston, has celebrated her 20th anniversary of service and leadership to BNMS this year. I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for her outstanding work, her unwavering dedication, and everything she does for our community!

Looking Ahead 

Dates for Your Diary

• BNMS 60th Anniversary Celebratory Event Calendar  
  

A series of four live webinars– Celebrating our Past and Present, Shaping the Future featuring interviews with past presidents, inspiring lectures, and Q&A sessions.

• First Webinar with Past BNMS Presidents, Tuesday, 13th January 2026, 6pm  

Featuring Prof Buscombe, Prof Vinjamuri, and Dr David Keeling (one of the four BNMS founders in 1966)

• Abstract Submission Deadline: 16th January 2026  

Please submit your work and join us in Manchester to network, learn from one another, and celebrate the achievements of BNMS members across our wonderful nuclear medicine community.

Season’s Greetings

Wishing all BNMS members joy, peace, and rest during this festive season. Thank you for everything you do for our patients, colleagues, and the wider nuclear medicine community. Your dedication and commitment continue to inspire.

Merry Christmas to those celebrating, and my very best wishes for the New Year. Here’s to a happy and successful 2026!

Prof Sabina Dizdarevic
BNMS President