James Spence Medal

This is the highest honour awarded by the RCPCH. It is awarded for outstanding contributions to the advancement of knowledge and understanding in paediatrics and child health.

Nominations for the 2027 James Spence Medal are now open.

About

The James Spence Medal is presented to persons working in the UK or in any country of the British Commonwealth within the field of clinical or social paediatrics, public health, clinical science, epidemiology or family practice.

Nominations

Nominations for our 2027 James Spence Medal are now open.   

Nominations can only be proposed and seconded by RCPCH members (any membership category and geographic location) and without the knowledge of the nominee. They are accepted by the completion of our online form, with a maximum of 500 words for the citation. 

Further information for nominators can be found in the guidance below. 

The award is made on the recommendation of RCPCH Council on the advice of the Nominations Committee, and presented at the RCPCH Conference along with a volume of the collected writings of Sir James Spence. We inform only those nominees who have been successfully awarded.

If you have made a nomination for 2026, you will be contact by the College by the end of the year. 

Submit a Nomination by 15 May 2026, 17:00

Recent James Spence winners

For a full list of our winners, please see former James Spence Medallists

2025 - Professor Deirdre Kelly and Professor Martin Savage

2024 - Professor Andrew Bush

2023 - Professor David Edwards

2022 - Professor Imtiaz Choonara and Professor Sir Andrew Pollard

2021 - Professor Henry Halliday

2020 - Professor Catherine Law

For further information on Sir James Spence, please see the Wikipedia entry