The New Year Honours List recognises the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the UK. Congratulations to all those who have been recognised in this year’s list for your outstanding work and contributions.
The academy would like to send personal congratulations to the following healthcare scientist being recognised in His Majesty’s New Years Honour’s Lists 2025.
Ruth Thomsen MBE
Audiologist Ruth has been awarded an MBE for her services to healthcare science. As NHS England’s Scientific Director (London), Ruth has played a significant role in raising the profile of Healthcare Science and the Healthcare science workforce in London and is driving the leadership in HCS agenda nationally. Ruth is also AHCS honorary fellow and faculty ambassador and has received several awards for been an inspirational leader, including the AHCS Chairman’s award for the successful development of the Leadership Faculty. Ruth also supported the vision to have a Healthcare Science peer reviewed leadership journal and is responsible for developing leadership development programmes for HCS (PSEL, OPSEL and PEP).
Dr Kerrie Ann Davies MBE
Microbiologist Dr Davies has been awarded an MBE for services to Healthcare Science and recognises Kerrie’s pivotal contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kerrie is a Principal Clinical Scientist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and the Lead Scientific Advisor for the Technologies Validation Group at the Health Security Agency. During the pandemic she was seconded first to DHSC, and then to UKHSA to lead the national validation of COVID-19 diagnostic assays for the Technologies Validation Group at UKHSA. Kerrie has been researching in vitro diagnostics for 20 years, both nationally and internationally. She has a passion for the impact of research on patients and healthcare, and in particular supporting Healthcare Scientists in research careers and was awarded CSO Healthcare Scientist of the year in 2021 for her work on COVID-19 diagnostics.
Stephen Merridew BEM
Biomedical scientist Stephen Merridew has been awarded a BEM for services to healthcare science, specially working in biomedical sciences. Stephen is an IBMS fellow, senior biomedical scientist and Specialist Training Manager for Medical Biochemistry, Swansea Bay University Health Board. This award highlights his significant contributions to the NHS and the biomedical science profession over the course of his career.
