Healthcare Science Recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours
The Academy for Healthcare Science is proud to celebrate a significant moment for the healthcare science profession, as a number of outstanding healthcare scientists have been recognised in His Majesty the King’s Birthday Honours.
We are especially delighted to congratulate our CEO and Registrar, Professor Janet Monkman OBE, on this well-deserved honour for services to the healthcare science workforce across the UK.
Professor Janet Monkman OBE
This recognition reflects Professor Monkman’s longstanding commitment to patient safety, healthcare science and her leadership within a wider community of colleagues across the profession.
Janet has supported the development and recognition of healthcare scientists, helping to highlight their contribution to patient care, research, innovation and service delivery. This work has been delivered alongside dedicated teams and partners across the UK, contributing to a stronger profile for the profession.
Professor Monkman has also played a significant role in the development of the AHCS, working and collaborating with others to shape the organisation. Together, these efforts have supported both the profession and the systems that underpin it, with lasting benefits for the workforce and, ultimately, for patients.
On receiving her honour, Professor Monkman said:
“I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this recognition. This award reflects not just my work, but the dedication and commitment of the healthcare science community across the UK and, of course, the Academy team. It has been a privilege to work alongside so many talented professionals who make such a vital difference to patient safety and care every day.”
A Landmark Moment for Healthcare Science
We also extend our congratulations to:
- Professor Ian Young CBE
- Jane Blower MBE
- Debra Padgett BEM
- Alice Wintergold BEM
Each of these honours recognises outstanding personal contributions, but collectively, they reflect something even more significant for the profession.
For many years, healthcare science has been described as one of the NHS’s best-kept secrets. Yet healthcare scientists are responsible for over 80% of clinical decisions, as well as driving innovation, delivering diagnostics, supporting treatment pathways, advancing research and improving patient outcomes.
These honours demonstrate that this is changing.
Recognition at the highest national level raises the profile of healthcare science across government, the NHS, academia, industry and the wider public. It helps to highlight the breadth, complexity and critical importance of the scientific workforce underpinning modern healthcare.
Inspiring the Future
Importantly, this recognition sends a powerful message to current and future healthcare scientists: your work matters, your expertise matters and your contribution is valued.
These honours mark a growing recognition of healthcare science as a critical pillar of healthcare delivery and life sciences. They strengthen our professional identity, inspire the next generation and create opportunities for even greater influence in the years ahead.
The future for healthcare science is incredibly bright. As the NHS continues to embrace innovation, including digital transformation, genomics, artificial intelligence and prevention, healthcare scientists will remain at the forefront of delivering solutions that improve outcomes for patients and populations.
A Proud Moment for the Profession
This recognition belongs not only to those receiving honours, but to the entire healthcare science community and the vital contribution it makes every day across the UK.
Congratulations once again to all those recognised. Your achievements are helping to elevate the profile of healthcare science and paving the way for the next generation of scientific leaders.
