Awards and Recognition
Awards and honours given by the Faculty
The Faculty is delighted to recognise the achievements and contributions of practitioners in Pain Medicine.
Fellowship by Election
The award of our Fellowship by Election is the highest accolade possible. It is considered for practitioners across the world who have made sustained and significant contributions to the practice of Pain Medicine. This may be either to the UK or their own country’s health services. This activity has to be at an internationally active level and normally sustained for at least ten years. Evidence through the presented CV should document this activity and the outcome of such work. Whilst there are no limits to the number of awards at this level it is unusual to award more than two or three a year. Awardees listed below.
| Name | Presentation year |
|---|---|
| Professor Sam Ahmedzai | December 2016 |
| Professor Roger Knaggs | December 2016 |
| Professor Blair Smith | December 2016 |
| Dr Suellen Walker | December 2016 |
| Professor Sir Michael Bond | November 2013 |
| Maria Fitzgerald | November 2013 |
| Dame Carol Black | November 2011 |
| John Etherington | November 2011 |
Commendations
Commendations are awarded to individuals recognised by the Board as having made a notable contribution in one or more areas of Faculty work. Awardees listed below.
| Name | Presentation year |
|---|---|
| Sanjeeva Gupta | November 2023 |
| Jon McGhie | November 2023 |
| Douglas Natusch | November 2023 |
| Anna Weiss | November 2022 |
| James Taylor | November 2022 |
| Robert Searle | November 2022 |
| Helen Makins | November 2022 |
| Mark Rockett | December 2016 |
| Michael O'Connor | December 2016 |
| Karen Simpson | November 2015 |
| Anna Weiss | November 2015 |
| Beverly Collett OBE | November 2015 |
This is our highest award to a Fellow of this Faculty in recognition of sustained work for the Faculty at the highest levels. Examples would include work over decades to support Pain Medicine at a national or international level. This does not include activity delivered as a senior officer of the Faculty or where such activity has been commissioned or rewarded in other ways. This medal is rarely awarded. Medallists listed below.
| Name | Presentation year |
|---|---|
| Douglas Justins | November 2011 |
| Amanda C de C Williams | December 2017 |
| Beverly Collett OBE | December 2017 |
| John Hughes | November 2023 |
This eponymous lecture is the highest lectureship awarded by the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and they are delivered at appropriate national meetings. They are awarded to established senior clinicians, academic experts or pioneers in their fields who have advanced the science or art of Pain Medicine practice. Academic nominees would normally be senior post holders at professorial or readership level. The nominations process is the same as for those directly considered by the Nominations Committee but in this case the Nominations Committee acts in a governance role. Lectureship holders listed below.
| Name | Presentation year |
|---|---|
| Anthony Dickenson | 2005 |
| Irene Tracey | 2008 |
| Henry McQuay | 2010 |
| Maria Fitzgerald | 2011 |
| Steve McMahon | 2012 |
| Martin Koltzenburg | 2013 |
| Sue Fleetwood-Walker | 2014 |
| Andrew Rice | 2015 |
| David Bennett | 2016 |
| Allan Basbaum | 2017 |
| Andrew Moore | 2019 |
| Christopher Eccleston | 2021 |
| Sam Eldabe | 2022 |
Awarded to each retiring Dean at the end of their term. Medallists listed below.
| Name | Term of office |
|---|---|
| John Hughes | 2019-2022 |
| Barry Miller | 2016-2019 |
| Kate Grady | 2013-2016 |
| David Rowbotham | 2010-2013 |
| Douglas Justins | 2007-2010 |
Awarded to retiring Vice-Deans. Medallists listed below.
| Name | Term of office |
|---|---|
| Lorraine de Gray | 2019-2022 |
| John Hughes | 2016-2019 |
| Mark Taylor | 2012-2015 |
| Kate Grady | 2010-2012 |
| David Rowbotham | 2009-2010 |
| Karen Simpson | 2007-2009 |
FFPMRCA Examination Prize
The Faculty of Pain Medicine award a prize to the highest scorer of the FFPMRCA Examination each year.
Congratulations to the following FFPMRCA Examination Prize Winners:
| Name | Academic Year | Presentation Year |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Rajiv Kumar Malhotra & Dr Alan Fayaz | 2014/2015 | May 2016 |
| Dr James Francis Wilson | 2012/2013 | May 2014 |
Process of nomination
The criteria against which the various honours, awards and prizes awarded by the Board of the Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM) have developed over time. Any Fellow can suggest nominations to be formally considered by the Board through the RCoA Nominations Committee. This Committee is the most senior Committee of the Council of RCoA, chaired by the Senior Vice-President, and including the President and other Vice-President, the Dean of the Faculty, Senior Councillors and the Chief Executive. The Committee normally meets twice yearly although electronic communications are used if significant honours are being considered for specific events.
The Secretary to the Nominations Committee co-ordinates this process and is the primary point of contact for proposed nominations. The decision of the Nominations Committee is ratified by Council without appeal. The process meets all the requirements related to discrimination legislation.
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