First of all, may I wish all my colleagues from the SAS group a happy new year. In the last newsletter I brought you news from Harrogate regarding the Autumn BGS meeting.

I would emphasise that the new Autumn Meeting venue was a great success and well worth the extra effort involved in the travelling. We held our main subgroup meeting for the year during lunch on the Thursday of the meeting and an excellent lunch was provided. Disappointingly only 11 SAS doctors attended the meeting but encouragingly there were some new as well as some familiar faces. At the meeting a constitution for the sub-group was approved. The aims of the constitution focused on providing a specialist focus for staff grade, associate specialist and Trust doctors who are involved in the care of older people and to promote an active Society which identifies and pursues the professional and academic needs of its members. These areas were concentrated on since there are other active SAS groups at the British Medical Association and Royal College of Physicians, who are working on pay, conditions, revalidation and PMETB. Thus our subgroup will concentrate on providing support and assistance to members to fulfil their Continuing Professional Development.

Representation at the BGS England Council
The SASC is a relatively new group. In the past SAS doctors have not been well represented within the BGS structure. This has now been acknowledged and at the latest meeting of the BGS England Council, it was decided to make a new seat available for a SAS representative. This is a very positive step and will enable our group to be heard at national level, to bring forward the aims and objectives of our Society. In order for a member to be democratically chosen an announcement will be made in each English region so that interested individuals can be nominated or self-nominated. Each region will then put forward a candidate, who will then write a supporting statement. At the next meeting of the Council a ballot will be held to select the new member. If you wish to be considered or express a view, please see the formal announcement in this newsletter. Your chance to influence the choice of the future member is at the stage of the selection process for the regional candidate. If you wish your views to be heard this is the opportunity. Please note, however, that much is expected of the SASC representative on the England Council (see David Black, Chairman of the Council's statement).

Appraisal
I wish to draw your attention to the BMA's questionnaire, which was sent out in November 2004. This aims to collect data on how SAS doctors are being or not being appraised. It is vital that proper appraisal is performed since your revalidation will depend on this. The BMA is interested in SAS doctors who are not members of the BMA and if you have not received a copy of this questionnaire you can request one from:

Health Policy and Economic Research Unit
British Medical Association
BMA House
Tavistock Square
LONDON
WC1H 9BR

SASC Membership
Membership is open to all members of the British Geriatrics Society but also, it shall be open to non-members of the BGS by invitation of the Committee. The latter is very important if we wish to be an inclusive group trying to attract all SAS doctors working within elderly care medicine. Hopefully if we can gain their involvement this will in turn lead to a wider and more representative BGS membership.

In order for the sub-committee to represent your views you need to communicate with us. In particular, if you are aware that either the BGS has you incorrectly listed, for example as a consultant, or that you have not yet received our questionnaire sent in earlier this year, please inform us. To facilitate this, four channels of communication are open to you below. So do not leave it, pick up your mouse/mobile/pen and communicate now. The only way the sub-committee can become an effective voice for your views is by the backing of each individual.

Please let us have your comments. You can contact us by:

Text: 07763 363992 Phone: 07763 363992
Snail mail: The Editor, BGS Newsletter, P O Box 9, Alston CA9 3YA

Sue Morgan
Chair
Staff and Associate Specialists Committee