End of year message from the RSM President and RSM CEO

Professor Gillian Leng, RSM President, and CEO Rachel Lambert-Forsyth, have reflected on an important year in a message of thanks to the organisation's global community of members.

End of year message from the RSM President and RSM CEO

As 2025 draws to a close, we want to reflect on what has been an important year for the Royal Society of Medicine and to thank our global community of members. Wherever you are, your involvement, support and trust in the RSM, as a place to learn, connect, and inspire future generations of healthcare leaders is what makes us truly unique.

This year saw continued pressures across healthcare both in the UK and globally. The NHS experienced ongoing industrial action, general workforce dissatisfaction and long waits for treatment. The launch of the 10-Year Health Plan provided an ambitious vision for future care, but with some uncertainty about how the proposals will be sustainably resourced. Health systems worldwide are also grappling with the adoption of AI-enabled technologies and the introduction of personalised medicines amid concerns about regulation and data governance. Other challenges are also causing pressures around the globe, particularly the escalating health impacts of climate and environmental change. Collectively, these forces are redefining what healthcare services must deliver and how professionals will need to adapt.

To stay ahead in this evolving landscape, the RSM must evolve too, providing the skills, networks and knowledge healthcare professionals need to thrive. That’s why this year we placed great emphasis on listening to you. Over 2,000 members, partners and collaborators contributed to our membership review. You told us that you value accessible education, genuine opportunities to connect (both digitally and in person), and the welcoming space of 1 Wimpole Street. Your feedback has directly shaped our decisions and will continue to guide our priorities as we move into the new year.

At auction on 10 December, Christie’s completed the sale of a small portion of heritage assets. The sale was considered an incredible success, generating the funds to deliver much needed investment into the areas you told us matter most. It was not an easy decision for Council to make, but the results will have a truly transformative effect.

In April we introduced FRSM postnominals for Fellows, marking a significant recognition of belonging to the RSM, and from January 2026 your membership will include all RSM educational events at no additional cost. This represents a major shift in how we support lifelong learning and demonstrates our ongoing effort to enable broad and inclusive participation.

Education remains at the core of the RSM and this year our community delivered an extraordinary programme. Our 50+ Sections and networks, each led by dedicated member volunteers, organised over 200 events, drawing audiences from across disciplines and countries. Highlights included sessions on women’s health and emerging technologies exploring the latest innovations in both Fem Tech and AI, maintaining clinical excellence, and the wellbeing and training of future clinicians, including the Tomorrow’s Doctors conference, to name only a few. As part of our wider programme, we were proud to welcome Professor Tim Spector OBE for the 2025 Dangoor Lecture, alongside events exploring key issues in healthcare, including our Spotlight Series on the NHS 10-Year Plan and the Great Debate on medical training. The breadth and quality of these programmes continue to set the RSM apart.

Our flagship publication, JRSM, upheld its strong editorial standing, and JRSM Open, our open-access companion journal, was provisionally accepted for inclusion in the Web of Science. It will receive an Immediacy Index in 2026 and its first Impact Factor in 2027, marking a significant milestone for its future influence. We are grateful to the many contributors to both journals, including the editorial board, and all those who have worked so diligently on their development and quality. Our partnerships and cross-sector collaborations have also expanded, reinforcing the RSM’s role as a global hub for leadership, learning and exchange.

Looking ahead to 2026, we will develop a new strategy to define a future RSM that is modern, outward-looking, agile and centred on your needs. In parallel, we are planning UK regional networking events to strengthen national connections, considering our international offering and an Early Career Panel to embed the voices of future generations into our work.

As we close this year, we extend our heartfelt thanks to you, our members, for your engagement and support, to our Section leaders and volunteers, whose dedication delivers best in class education, and to our partners, speakers and contributors, who enrich our programmes and expand our horizons. Together, you make the RSM a unique, powerful community.

We look forward to continuing this journey with you in 2026 and wish you and your families a peaceful holiday season and a bright, rewarding year ahead.

With warm regards,

Professor Gillian Leng CBE, President of the RSM, and Rachel Lambert-Forsyth, Chief Executive of the RSM