Academic Medicine is at Risk

A "perfect storm" of National Health Service (NHS) service demands, funding challenges, career-path rigidities, work/life balance considerations and cost of living pressures are combining to make academic clinicians an endangered species. This article mainly focuses on medical professionals but similar considerations apply to all healthcare professions. Research, teaching and training tend to be de-prioritised when clinical service delivery is under extreme pressure. In the context of the acute phases of the Covid pandemic, this was perhaps justifiable but there is a risk that it has become the new normal. As well as reliable evidence of patient, carer and societal benefits, health research underpins economic prosperity. A recent report from the Academy of Medical Sciences, co-chaired by the author and Dame Julia Goodfellow, analysed the issues and proposed some solutions. The UK's pre-eminent position in health research and innovation is under threat. For the benefit of future generations, it is imperative that actions are taken sooner rather than later.