Science and technology are increasingly central to a wide range of policy decisions, but most policy makers do not have a strong background in these areas.
IPEM regularly assists with the formulation of science and healthcare policy by giving expert advice, responding to a variety of consultations and enquiries and providing specialist members for committees and working groups.
We aim to work constructively with the governments of each of the four countries of the UK. We also work with international bodies, through our membership of both the European Federation of Organisations for Medical Physics and the International Organization for Medical Physics. We are a sponsor of the Science in Parliament magazine (available to members only), the journal of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee. We also endorse relevant initiatives and campaigns, when appropriate.
We are a member of the Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE), the leading independent advocate for raising the political profile of science and engineering in the UK.
IPEM's current Vice President External is Dr Richard Axell, Principal Clinical Scientist in the Medical Physics and Bioengineering Department at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Honorary Senior Lecturer, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London. Dr Axell was presented with the IPEM Academic Early Career award in 2016. Follow him on Twitter @RichardGAxell.