Academic Committee

Academic Committee Meeting Dates

Monday 24 April 2023 (London)
Monday 11 September 2023 (virtual)

Academic Committee Members

The current Chair of the Academic Committee is Mr Brian Westbury

Should you like to contact the chair please send an email to forensic.medicine@fflm.ac.uk.

Mr Brian Westbury
Academic Dean

Prof Paul Marks
President

Dr Helena Thornton
Registrar

Dr Anton van Dellen
Assistant Registrar and Conference Subcommittee Chair

Dr Sandy Fielding
Chief Examiner

Dr Marie-Elle Vooijs
Assistant Academic Dean and Chief Examiner

Dr Amy Hamm
Treasurer

Dr Bernadette Butler
President-Elect

Dr Shiraz Qamaruddin
VP – Forensic Medicine

Dr Elaine Cook
VP – Medico-legal Medicine

Prof Andrew Harris
VP – Medically Qualifed Coroners

Prof Margaret Stark
Forensic Science Subcommittee Chair

Dr David Carson
Scottish Representative

Jessica Davidson
Nursing in Justice and Forensic Steering Committee Chair, Royal College of Nursing

Dr Alex Gorton
Less Lethal Weapons Lead

Dr Michael Freeman
Research Subcommittee Chair

Dr Joanne Gifford
RCPCH

Samantha Thompson
College of Paramedics

Prof Keith Rix
Mental Health and Intellectual Disability Lead / Expert Witness Lead

Prof Carol Seymour
Specialty Advisory Committee Chair

Stacey Shelley 
Associate Mental Health and Intellectual Disability Lead 

Jennie Smith
UKAFN President

Dr Cath White OBE
Sexual Offence Lead

Dr Iain Brew
Clinicians working in Secure and Detained Settings

Prof Johnathan Harris
David Jenkins Chair

Terms of Reference

The terms of reference of the Committee are set out in the Standing Orders of the Faculty, as follows:

  • To consider all matters relevant to the examinations of the Faculty.
  • To report the results of the Faculty’s awards following examinations.
  • To consider all matters relating to the award of Diplomas, Licentiateship & Membership of the Faculty.
  • To refer to the Membership and Fellowship Committee applications for Membership falling outside the current Regulations.
  • To consider all matters relating to the formulation and interpretation of the Regulations for Membership.
  • To recommend to the Board the appointment of representative(s) to examination Boards established by other bodies, for examinations which have been approved by the Board as being of value, or interest, to the specialty where those bodies have sought such appointment, or where it is thought to be in the interest of the Faculty.
  • To determine the syllabus for each Faculty examination, appoint examiners and appoint a committee, or committees, to arrange and supervise the Faculty’s examinations.
  • To consider all matters relating to research with which the Faculty may be associated.
  • To prepare an annual budget of projected income and expenditure for consideration by the Treasurer and Senior Officers.
  • To recommend fees for examinations and to recommend payments to examiners for consideration by the Senior Officers.
  • An officer will be appointed by the Committee to be responsible for the budgeting for the costs of the examinations.
  • To develop a U.K. research agenda for forensic and legal medicine. The agenda will reflect any nationally agreed research priorities and the need to develop evidence-based forensic and legal medical practice.
  • To identify suitable research topics to implement the research agenda.
  • To advise the Faculty on strategic direction of forensic and legal medical research.

Search Committee Vacancies below

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