What is SAM?
The Society for Acute Medicine (SAM) is the national representative body for staff caring for medical patients in the acute hospital setting.
Formed in 2000, SAM was established at a time when the concepts of acute medicine and the Acute Medical Unit (AMU) were in their infancy. Since that time things have moved forward considerably – most hospitals now have an AMU and acute medicine has been approved as a specialty in its own right. Large numbers of specialist acute physicians have been appointed to drive forward changes in the management of patients on the AMU, and several hundred specialist registrars are now training in Acute Internal Medicine. SAM has played a pivotal role in many of these developments and is represented on many national committees enabling a strong voice for acute physicians within the Royal Colleges and other key organisations.
Who are we?
In line with the developments outlined above, the membership of SAM has grown exponentially over the past decade and now has over 1000 members. The majority are doctors specialising or training in Acute Medicine. However, a key principle of the Society from its inception has been the recognition of the importance of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) in the AMU. The SAM council includes nursing and pharmacy representatives along with newer disciplines such as ACPs and PAs. The Society actively encourages participation from all members of the MDT.
What do we do?
A major component of the activity of the Society has been its twice yearly CPD accredited meetings which have steadily grown in size and stature. The Society for Acute Medicine is also dedicated to:
- promoting education of medical, nursing and paramedical staff in acute medicine
- facilitating and co-ordinating the collection of data relevant to acute medical assessment and admissions
- facilitating collaborative research in acute medicine
- promoting the creation of appropriate environments for acute medicine assessments and admissions
- sharing good practice
- promoting the acute care models that exist to improve the management of patients
- providing encourage and support to all members of the multi-disciplinary team
Our conferences
SAM runs two main conferences per year; a Spring meeting and the International Autumn meeting which attracts delegates and speakers from across the world. The poster and oral presentation sessions provide an opportunity for staff to present their research, audits and case reports, while plenary sessions from internationally-renowned speakers enable delegates to keep updated in clinical topics relevant to their acute practice. The Society actively encourages participation from all members of the acute medicine multidisciplinary team in its meetings. Parallel sessions provide a forum for discussion of issues of specific relevance to nurses, pharmacists and therapists working in the AMU. The conferences are run with a hybrid format with both in-person and virtual attendance available to book.
Membership
We want acute medicine to provide the best possible care for all our patients and so we listen to our members, and our patients, and use their experience and knowledge to influence policy, develop training and to set and monitor standards. We give our members, and through them, our patients, a voice. A voice heard by the government when making important policy decisions, a voice heard by the press when telling acute care stories, and a voice heard by the public when being treated by acute care professionals.
Membership of the Society for Acute Medicine (SAM) not only brings you into this strong and growing community, it also allows you to demonstrate your commitment to the specialty (the fastest growing in the UK) and can improve your future career opportunities.
If you want to stay on top of the most cutting-edge acute medical research, discuss challenges and triumphs with colleagues, and influence the future of this exciting young specialty, then SAM membership can provide this, and more.
Membership benefits
- Full subscription to the Journal for Acute Medicine
- Full subscription to the Society newsletter Acute News
- Access to the members’ only area on the SAM website, which includes access to the unit directory and secure voting system of SAM council members
- Representation at the Department of Health
- Representation at the Royal College of Physicians
- Opportunities to work with NICE as SAM is a guidelines stakeholder
- Reduced rate registration for Spring and Autumn Meetings
- Option to stand for positions on the Society Council
- Voting rights
SAM is the nationally-recognised representative body for the specialty of acute medicine.
Membership Tiers
SAM Objectives
- Tier 1 – £175: Consultants – Able to receive a paper copy of journal if requested.
- Tier 2 – £80: Trainee doctor (ST4 and above) – Able to receive a paper copy of journal if requested.
- Tier 3 – £50: Trainee doctors (up to and including IMT3), ACP, AHP, PA, Nurses, Pharmacy & International applications – Only online access to the journal.
Specialist doctor/SAS working on the consultant rota – Tier 1 Membership.
All those in Tier 2 and Tier 3 will be contacted annually to reconfirm their role and eligibility for reduced membership.
The paper copy of the journal will be sent to those in Tier 1 & 2 who request this in addition to online access. All members will have access to the online journal.
Special circumstance
- Medical students have an affiliated membership and will be free but will not have any voting rights. They will have access to the journal. This is dependant on the articles of association being approved at the AGM
- Parental leave – fees will be held for that year but membership continues and so does not lose good standing and that will count as a full membership year (this may be counted if applying for SAM council positions etc.)
- Any other unpaid time out will be reviewed by council on a case by case basis
- Less Than Full Time (LTFT) – any less than full time (<80%) members may move to the lower tier bracket. LTFT Tier 3 will remain at £50 per year
- Retired members drop to the tier blow their expected pay scale, with exception of Tier 3 which will remain at £50 per year
The objectives of SAM are to promote better care of patients who present with acute medical illnesses. In pursuing this the Society shall:
- Promote education of medical, nursing and paramedical staff in acute medicine.
- Facilitate and co-ordinate the collection of data relevant to acute medical assessments and admissions.
- Facilitate collaborative research in the area of acute medicine.
- Promote the creation of appropriate environments for acute medical assessments and admissions.
- Share good practice.
- Promote the acute care models that exist as examples of improving the management of patients with acute medical problems.
- Provide encouragement to all members of the multi-disciplinary team that work in acute medicine.
If you share these objectives, then join SAM, and make acute medical care the best medical care.
Those resident outside the UK should contact the administrator to arrange alternative payment (PayPal).
Did you know SAM now has their very own ties? Click the link below for more information.
Available Posts
SAM Directors
| Name | Position | Post start date | Post end date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Cooksley | Immediate Past President | Oct 2023 | Oct 2025 |
| Nick Murch | President | Oct 2023 | Oct 2025 |
| Vicky Price | President Elect | Oct 2023 | Oct 2025 |
| Vicky Price/Neil Patel | Secretary | Oct 2023 (6 month transition period) | Oct 2026 |
| Mike Wheble | Treasurer | Sep 2022 | Oct 2025 |
SAM Council
| Name | Position | Post Start Date | Post End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Smallwood | England Regional Representative | Sep 2023 | Sep 2026 |
| Michael Trimble | Northern Ireland Regional Representative | Sep 2023 | Sep 2026 |
| Claire Gordon | Scotland Regional Representative | Sep 2023 | Sep 2026 |
| John Hounsell | Wales Regional Representative | Sep 2023 | Sep 2026 |
| Beth Griffith | New Consultant Representative | Sep 2023 | Sep 2025 |
| Rajit Varia | IT & Comms Lead | Sep 2022 | Sep 2025 |
| Ekta Punj | Pharmacy Representative | Sep 2022 | Sep 2025 |
| Elaine Clark | Nursing/ANP Representative | Sep 2023 | Sep 2026 |
| Tash Kelly | Nursing Representative | Sep 2022 | Sep 2025 |
| Kirsten Evans | Allied Health Professional Representative | May 2021 | May 2024* |
| Kai Jones-White | Physician Associate Representative | Oct 2023 | Oct 2026 |
| Latif Rahman | Trainee Representative | Oct 2023 | Oct 2025 |
| Gordon McKinnon | Trainee Representative | Oct 2022 | Oct 2024* |
SAM Roles not on Council
| Name | Position | Post start date | Post end date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinay Reddy-Kolanu | Training and Education Lead | Duration as SAC Chair | |
| Kelham Slinger | Training and Education Committee Lead | Sep 2022 | Sep 2025 |
| Liz Sapey | Research Committee UK Member and Research Lead | May 2023 | May 2026 |
| Chris Subbe | Quality & Innovation Committee Lead | Sep 2023 | Sep 2026 |
| Catherine Atkin | SAMBA Lead seat on Research Council | as SAMBA Lead | |
| Tim Cooksley | Journal Editor: seat on Research Council | as Journal Editor | |
| Nick Smallwood | FAMUS Lead | Duration as FAMUS Lead |
Co-opted Members
| Name | Position | Post Start Date | Post End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrian Boyle | RCEM Co-Opted President | duration as RCEM President | |
| Craig Thompson | ICS Society, Governance & Policy Manager | Oct 2021 | Oct 2024 |
Other SAM
| Name | Position | Post Start Date | Post End Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eventage | SAM Administrator | ||
| Matthew Watts | Communications Lead | ||
| Susan Astbury | Lay Rep | May 2023 | May 2026 |
| Sarach Nunnery Jones | Lay Rep | Oct 2021 | Oct 2024* |
Links
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Laura Jones | SAS Representative |
| Kamy Thavenesan | Stroke |
Council Members
Get in Touch
Honorary Fellows
Since 2010, the Society for Acute Medicine has awarded Honorary Life Fellowships to individuals in recognition of their significant contributions to the development of Acute Medicine; these awards have been made at our autumn conferences and recipients are listed below.
2021
Dr Chris Roseveare, past President of SAM, Consultant Acute Medicine, Wessex
Dr Mike Jones, past President of SAM, Consultant Physician, Durham
2019
Dr Philip Dyer, past President of SAM, Acute Physician, Birmingham
2018
Dr Tanseem Raza, Founding Member and Acute Physician, Bournemouth
Dr Alasdair MacDonald, Acute Physician, Royal Australian College of Physicians
2017
Prof Anthony Nicholls, Consultant Physician, Exeter
2016
Dr Alistair Dorward, Physician Acute and Respiratory Medicine
Ms Liz Lees-Deutsch, Nurse Consultant and previous SAM Council Nursing Representative
2015
Professor Paul Jenkins, Past President of SAM
2014
Dr Bernard Silke, Past Dean of Higher Medical Training at the RCPI
2013
Professor Derek Bell, President, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and Past President of SAM
Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, past President of the Royal College of Physicians and President of the British Society of Gastroenterology
2012
Rhid Dowdle, OBE, Founding Member and past President of SAM
Dr Elizabeth Myers, Acute Nurse Consultant and past Nursing Representative of SAM
2011
Major General George Cowan
2010
Dame Carol Black, past President of the Royal College of Physicians, London
Professor Sir George Alberti, Professor and Dean of Medicine at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and past-President of the Royal College of Physicians.
