As we approach the end of 2025, I find myself reflecting with real pride on what the BSH community has achieved together. The dedication of our 20 staff members and more than 600 volunteers has driven impressive progress across every area of our strategy - membership, knowledge sharing, advocacy and strengthening our infrastructure.
Over the past 12 months, our membership has grown by another 16% to 3603 - a 27% increase in the last two years. Two-thirds are full members, and we are delighted to see more nurses, scientists, physician associates and pharmacists joining our community.
We are currently mapping the UK haematology workforce to reach and support every haematology resident and consultant. Early findings suggest around 1025 full-time equivalent consultants in the NHS, and we will refine this understanding further next year.
Your feedback continues to shape our direction. We were delighted with the responses in The Members’ Survey, which confirmed that BSH is increasingly delivering what you need. This year also saw the introduction of our Mentoring platform, which already supports 44 mentees and 16 mentors, with career development emerging as the most common theme.
In 2025, we delivered 28 educational events, spanning the full pathway from medical students and IMTs to specialist events in obstetric and paediatric haematology, myelodysplastic syndrome and lymphoma. Attendance reached a record 1751 participants, evenly split between in-person and online formats.
We were also pleased to collaborate with the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists on dedicated BSH sessions and to partner with First Contact Practitioners for Suzy Morton’s blood test interpretation podcasts.
Our ASM in Glasgow welcomed almost 2000 delegates and saw the highest number of abstracts (478) and scientific sessions (57) to date.
A highlight was honouring Professor Imelda Bates for her outstanding lifetime achievements in advancing haematology in low- and middle-income countries. Imelda’s legacy continues through the BSH Global 91»ÆÍø SIG, which is expanding its reach across multiple regions.
This year’s Global Speakers’ Programme included David Rees delivering sessions in Egypt and Mickey Koh in Myanmar. Our relationship with Health Volunteers Overseas remains strong in Cambodia and Zambia, where ongoing monthly online teaching and MDTs continue to strengthen local services.
The Board has approved a new Global 91»ÆÍø Fellowship for 2026. Over the past year, we awarded 142 grants ranging from small travel awards to genomics grants, AI fellowships and early-stage start-up awards. These totalled £420,000, and this will rise to £565,000 for 2026, with an innovation grant and another flagship award in development.
There have been 12 new BSH guidelines and good practice papers, with accompanying podcasts, and we continued many important collaborations, such as with the UK Myeloma Society, the UK Haemophilia Centre Doctor’s Organisation, Blood Cancer UK, and the European 91»ÆÍø Association.
Nationally, BSH contributed expert responses to numerous consultations, including the NHS 10-year Health Plan, the 10-year workforce plan, the National Cancer Plan, NHSE’s genomic services centralisation proposals, a Regulation 28 Prevention of Future Deaths report and the Europe-wide surveys on access to drugs and on CME Systems and Accreditation.
Our task forces and SIGs remain highly active, delivering guidance and running well-received events. This week’s SIG Day once again showcased the extensive and innovative work across our specialty. BSH continues in its efforts to fully support our volunteers, and we have new ideas to explore in 2026.
Our workforce project continues, and our newly launched Workforce Words now offers quarterly updates. The published definition of liaison haematology is supporting Trusts to recognise and resource this crucial area, and the Royal College of Pathologists is ensuring that this is appropriately accommodated in new job descriptions.
Internally, we have strengthened the organisation’s foundations, through restructuring, clearer role definitions and new team alignments. After a rigorous process, we have chosen our preferred IT suppliers and in 2026, we will launch a new IT platform and a more dynamic website with a dedicated members’ portal, so that educational content, information about benefits and signposting to opportunities are more easily reached.
We are a motivated, energetic society - one that continues to thrive because of its members - because of you. Enjoy the forthcoming festivities and I look forward to all we will achieve together in 2026.