SHOT is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Megan Rowley as the new Chair of the SHOT Steering Group, effective immediately.
Dr Rowley succeeds Prof Mark Bellamy who has served as Chair for the last 7 years, having made significant contributions to the success of SHOT in striving to improve transfusion safety for patients. In her role as Chair of the SHOT Steering Group Dr Rowley will oversee key safety initiatives and haemovigilance activities from SHOT, work with regulators, key stakeholders, and policymakers to drive forward improvements in transfusion safety in the UK. As a haematologist with a background in transfusion medicine, including governance and leadership roles, she brings a wealth of experience in both hospital transfusion practice and in blood services in England and in Scotland. She retired from full-time employment with SNBTS at the end of May 2023 but has continued to contribute her expertise to transfusion-related workstreams, including SHOT and JPAC. Dr Rowley has supported SHOT since it was formed in mid 1990s and joined the Steering Group and Working Expert Group in 2012 as the lead author for the IT errors chapter. Working with other colleagues, she has been supporting the activities from the SCRIPT group (SHOT UK Collaborative Reviewing and reforming IT processes in Transfusion) which started in 2019.
Dr Rowley, the whole of the SHOT Team and the UK Forum would like to take a moment to express their deepest gratitude to Professor Mark Bellamy, the outgoing SHOT Steering Group chair for his exceptional leadership and invaluable contributions to SHOT and national haemovigilance activities over several years. We thank Mark for his guidance and support and wish him the very best for future endeavours.
I have always enjoyed working with the SHOT team and I am inspired by their dedication to improving transfusion safety for patients, and for providing support for the transfusion teams and all healthcare staff who deliver transfusion services across the UK. At this time in my career when I have a little more ‘spare’ time on my hands, it is an honour to be able to provide leadership to the SHOT Steering Group and all those who generously give their time and expertise to participate in haemovigilance. Following the publication of the Infected Blood Inquiry report in May 2024, there is much to be done to ensure that the recommendations made by Sir Brian Langstaff and the IBI team translate into truly meaningful actions, and I am proud to be part of the team that always has, and always will, have the best interests of patients and healthcare staff at its heart.
Dr Megan Rowley