Round and about the UK - National Council Reports

The Scotland Council has held its Annual General Meeting with two representatives demitting, to be replaced by Drs Liz MacDonald and Angela Crawford.

Raising the profile
Following the Scottish Members of Parliament elections in June, the BGS Scotland Council has written to all MSPs with a view to raising the Society’s profile as a source of expertise on older people’s health.

Prof Marion MacMurdo and Dr Brendan Martin have met with Ms Christine Grahame, Chairman of the Health Committee of the Scottish Parliament. The meeting was fruitful and has resulted in several written questions to the Health Minister, Malcolm Chisholm, on matters concerning medical care of older people.

Quality control is organised through a body called NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (QIS). This incorporates organisations such as SHAS and CSBS (Clinical Standards Board Scotland). BGS members are active in both these bodies. The CSBS’s report on Acute Care of the Elderly was launched in late February.

Scotland Council online
BGS Scotland continues to add to its own re-vamped website, with Dr Brendan Martin having been designated “gatekeeper” for material posted to the site. In particular, the trainees have complimented the model for academic centres which the site deploys.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot ...
In December, the members of BGS Scotland paid their own tribute to Richard Lynham, the Society’s retired Administrative Director, with a retirement gift timed to arrive for Christmas.

Depicting as it does, both the beauty and mystique of Scotland, the Caithness Glass paperweight defies all attempts to photograph adequately, its complex patterns, the BGS logo and the inscription of “Sincere thanks - BGS Scotland”, but Richard has asked us to convey the message to Scotland members that their “gift has pride of place” on his desk, whilst the generosity of Scottish members warms his heart.

Donald Farquhar
BGS Scotland Council