National Genomics Board

The National Genomics Board brings together senior decision makers across the sector, including key civil servants, delivery partners, patient advocates and representatives from research organisations and industry.

Background

The National Genomics Board was established in March 2018 to oversee the implementation of the Chief Medical Officer annual report 2016: generation genome and the genomics elements of the Life sciences Sector Deal.

In September 2020, the government published its 10-year genomic healthcare strategy, Genome UK: the future of healthcare. The development of the strategy was overseen by the National Genomics Board. The board will continue to provide strategic oversight and support delivery of the vision set out in Genome UK: to extend the UK’s leadership in genomics research and create the most advanced genomic healthcare system in the world.

Terms of reference

The National Genomics Board will:

  • provide strategic oversight and advise the UK government on the development and implementation of genomic healthcare policy in the UK
  • work collaboratively across the UK with the devolved governments and others to help harness the benefits of genomics for health
  • support delivery of the ambitions set out in Genome UK for healthcare, research, and the life sciences industry
  • oversee delivery of the genomics commitments within the Life Sciences Vision, to enable reporting into broader oversight mechanisms
  • consider other developments in genomics, as appropriate, and support cross-government collaboration on these

The board will contribute to the delivery of these ambitions by:

  • fostering cross-cutting discussions that will be critical to ensuring a considered and coordinated approach to the UK’s strategic ambitions in healthcare genomics, making proposals where appropriate
  • supporting the UK’s research assets, including UK Biobank, Genomics England and Our Future Health, to remain a global leader in genomic research and healthcare
  • supporting the UK’s capability and capacity to take full advantage of these research assets and advance clinical research and development of new, genomics-enabled therapies
  • working across the UK to contribute to effective data sharing
  • fostering the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises in the UK genomics sector by maintaining a world-leading genomics ecosystem
  • monitoring developments in genomic healthcare and related areas of genomic research, bringing these to the board for discussion as appropriate

It will make proposals on:

  • patient and public involvement
  • ethics and maintaining public trust
  • research activities, skills and training
  • genomics and life sciences industry
  • regulatory requirements, policy and guidance

The National Genomics Board is an expert subgroup of the Life Sciences Council.

The Life Sciences Council is chaired by the Secretaries of State for Health and Social Care and for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and provides strategic oversight on matters related to UK life sciences.

Where possible the National Genomics Board should align to the objectives and support the implementation of the Life Sciences Vision. The chairs of the Life Sciences Council have discretion to seek the expert advice or set specific actions for the National Genomics Board on matters related to the Life Sciences Vision.

When requested, the National Genomics Board will report to the Life Sciences Council or via the Life Sciences Vision Delivery Board. Periodically, members of the National Genomics Board will be invited to join meetings of the Life Sciences Council to report on progress against objectives.

Membership

Board membership will be reviewed periodically to ensure that the board continues to have the relevant expertise to oversee and advise on issues covered by the board’s remit.

  • Lord Kamall, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health (Lords) – Co-chair
  • Professor Sir John Bell, vice chair, Regius Professor of Medicine, University of Oxford – Co-chair
  • Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser and National Technology Advisor to the UK government
  • Sir Patrick Vallance, Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK government
  • Andy Brittain, Director General, Finance and Group Operations, Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
  • Roz Campion, Director of the Office for Life Sciences, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and DHSC
  • Dr Colin Wilson, Deputy Director in the Office for Life Sciences, BEIS and DHSC
  • Baroness Nicola Blackwood, Chair, Genomics England
  • Chris Wigley, CEO, Genomics England
  • Lord David Prior, Chair, NHS England
  • Professor Dame Sue Hill, NHS Chief Scientific Officer for England, Senior Responsible Officer for Genomics, NHS England
  • Catherine Pollard, Director for Technology Policy, NHS Transformation Directorate
  • Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, Chief Executive, UK Research and Innovation
  • Professor Charles Swanton, Chief Clinician, Cancer Research UK
  • Professor John Iredale, Interim Executive Chair, Medical Research Council
  • Professor David Archard, Chair, Nuffield Council on Bioethics
  • Nick Meade, interim Chief Executive, Genetic Alliance (temporary member until a permanent CEO is recruited)
  • Dr Eliot Forster, independent industry representative
  • Dr Ruth March, Senior Vice-President and Head of Precision Medicine, R&D Oncology
  • Dr Robert Scott, Lead for Applied Genetics, GSK
  • Dr David Atkins, CEO, Congenica
  • Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, Chair, Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
  • Jillian Hastings Ward, Patient Advocate, Chair, Genomics England Participant Panel
  • Catherine Ross, Chief Healthcare Science Officer, Scottish Government
  • Dr Rob Orford, Health Chief Scientific Adviser, Welsh Government
  • Professor Ian Young, Health Chief Scientific Adviser, Northern Ireland Government
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