Alan Potter, chief executive of the Institute of Biomedical Science, and Graham Beastall, president of the ACB, have been granted honours by the British monarch Elizabeth II
Alan Potter, chief executive of the Institute of Biomedical Science was awarded an MBE for 'services to science' in the New Year Honours' list.
Last year, Graham Beastall, president of the ACB received a CBE for 'services to medicine' in the Queen's birthday honours.
Labs Are Vital is a global initiative sponsored by Abbott Diagnostics and managed in the UK by an executive committee comprising representatives of the Royal College of Pathologists, the Association of Clinical Pathologists, the Association for Clinical Biochemistry, the Institute of Biomedical Science and the British In Vitro Diagnostics Association.
The aims of Labs Are Vital are to highlight the value of the laboratory to healthcare delivery, to address issues faced by laboratories today and to serve as a resource for the profession, working as a catalyst for positive change.
Alan Potter said, "I am delighted to accept this honour on behalf of the Institute and its members.
"I believe it is a reflection of the huge progress made by our profession in the last ten years, developing biomedical science and working with our colleagues in government and other professional groups to improve standards of practice for patient care".
Graham Beastall is consultant clinical biochemist at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and president of the Association for Clinical Biochemistry.
He also sits as an ACB representative on the Labs are Vital executive committee.
"The award of the CBE came as a great surprise.
"Over recent years I have tried to promote the contribution of clinical biochemistry and laboratory medicine to healthcare and I have worked with many others to develop the role of healthcare scientists in the NHS.
"I hope that this award will help to boost the profile of laboratory medicine and to emphasize that modern day medicine is truly a team effort."
