Two awards for FT’s Nick Timmins

Nick Timmins of the Financial Times accepted his award from the MJA. (Photo by Patrick Stubbs)

Nick Timmins has been voted “Health Journalist of the Year” by the Medical Journalists’ Association, and has been made an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Physicians – the first time this honour has been conferred upon a professional health journalist.

Timmins started his media career as a science reporter, first with Nature and then the Press Association, before moving to health and social services with The Times, followed by The Independent when it was set up in 1986, and eventually becoming public policy editor at the Financial Times in 1996. Although health policy is at the heart of Timmins’ reporting, his role as public policy editor is considerably wider. He heads a team covering education, home and legal affairs; his core task being to cover the boundary between public and private sectors on both the demand and supply side.

In recommending Timmins for his RCP fellowship, Dame Carol Black wrote: “The sight of Nick Timmins at a press briefing will put any politician or professional on their toes. Polite but fearless is how I would describe him.” At Westminster, according to a member of the opposition health team, he is regarded by all parties as: “A class act”.

Other MJA awards have gone to:

Branwen Jeffreys, BBC News: Broadcast Journalist of the Year

Stephen Robinson, GP newspaper: Medical Journalist of the Year

Nigel Hawkes: Freelance Journalist of the Year

Adam Legge, Pulse: Health Editor of the Year

Liza Williams, Liverpool Echo: Regional Print Journalist of the Year

Matthew Hill, BBC West of England: Regional Broadcast Journalist of the Year

Health Service Journal: Health Publication of the Year

BBC website – www.bbc.co.uk/health Health Website of the Year.

The Medical Journalists’ Association was launched in 1967 and is open to journalists who work full or part time on health or medical science subjects, as well as to academics or clinicians who write or broadcast in their spare time, and health charity communications staff.