The British In Vitro Diagnostics Association (BIVDA) has appointed Angela Douglas MBE as President of the Association, taking up office on 1 December 2023.

In an NHS career spanning over 42 years, Angela was most recently the Deputy Chief Scientific Officer for NHS England until retiring from the role in October 2023. Angela brings a unique perspective to the Association, with her experience including; providing scientific oversight to the AMR diagnostics team in the Office of the Chief Scientific Officer, and working alongside NHS Test and Trace in COVID-19 laboratory development, product assay development, technical validation and providing scientific leadership to the Technical Validation Group. She is a Fellow of RCPath, and previously worked at Liverpool Women’s Hospital for 22 years as the Scientific Director of the Cheshire and Merseyside Genetics and Genomics Service, and Clinical Programme Director delivering the 100,000 Genome Project across the NW Coast.

Angela has received many awards and distinctions for her extensive service to the NHS. In 2014, she was recognised in Health Service Journal’s list of the UK’s top 50 Inspirational Women Leaders and a trailblazer in The Pathologist 2019 Power List. For her work in research and mentoring students, Angela was honoured in the late Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours list as a Member of the Order of the British Empire.

Angela was President also of the BSGM in 2012, having previously been the Chair of the ACC and the ACGS and was Chair of the RCPath Genetics and Reproductive Medicine SAC and the RCPath Scientific Workforce Lead.

Welcoming Angela to the role, Helen Dent, Chief Executive of BIVDA, said: ‘We are delighted and excited to welcome Angela as President of BIVDA. Her depth of knowledge, experience and expertise will be of great benefit to BIVDA members and the IVD industry as we tackle the various opportunities and challenges of the medtech sector with in vitro diagnostics being at the forefront of better healthcare outcomes for patients.’

Angela added: ‘I am honoured and privileged to have been appointed President of BIVDA. It is an exciting time for the IVD industry with so many initiatives in place to facilitate increased adoption of these essential technologies. However, there remains a great deal of work that needs to be done to harness the full value of diagnostics. As such, it is crucial that BIVDA is recognised as a leading voice for industry, engaging and co-operating with stakeholders including Government, the NHS, patient charities and industry associations.  In my role as President, I seek to promote the role of Diagnostics in patient care and increase the understanding of how IVDs contribute to the health and wealth of our nation and how Industry can better face the challenges of variation in adoption and commissioning practices in the NHS.’