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Representatives from the BGS Special Interest Groups met at Newcastle/Gateshead to report on their activities.
Gastroenterology
Membership of this group is dwindling. Nevertheless, affiliation with the BSG and BAPEN continue, including the planning of joint meetings. The SIG has contributed to several NICE consultations. It has a stand alone annual meeting, which is sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry. Hitherto the sponsors have identified one or more key speakers, but in the light of BGS guidance this arrangement will now change.
| BGS Special Interest Groups
BGS Special Interest Groups, the membership of which includes physicians, scientists, nurses, therapists, and pharmacists from outside the Society has enabled the BGS to offer advice to government agencies, drawing on a wide range of expertise. The SIGs serve as the Society’s source of clinical innovation, deriving and maintaining high standards of clinical care, and disseminating specialist knowledge. In addition, SIGs and Sections hold joint meetings with national associations and societies pertaining to the specialty. These prove useful for interacting with colleagues specialising in the SIGs’ areas of interest. A list of special interest groups and their contacts is available on the BGS website (select “Special Interest”) and also appears in the BGS Handbook.
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Drugs and prescribing
Stand alone meetings have not been helpful, but joint meetings in which pharmacological issues are applied to specific topics have proved viable and constructive. Work by the SIG has exposed ageism in clinical trials, and this is being taken up outside the Society (e.g. influencing the thinking of NICE). Links with the BPS continue.
Cardiovascular
A meeting with the British Society for Heart Failure is planned. An SpR training day in heart failure was well attended and received. Further days on similar topics are planned with the British Cardiology Society. A one off fee is charged to enrol in the Section, and nominal charges for meetings are made to cover costs.
Law and Medical Ethics
The SIG has been active in review of BGS policy documents including “Capacity and Testamentary Capacity”, and “Nutritional Advice in Common Clinical Situations”.
Primary and Continuing Care
A successful day was organised by the SIG at the last Harrogate meeting, with external speakers. Several BGS policy documents have been revised and developed in the light of the re-emergence of community geriatrics. A meeting with the RCGP is planned in June 2006, aiming to create a joint policy document to guide the process of community geriatrics.
Health Services Research
Standing officers have all exceeded their terms of office and have now resigned with no new people offering to take it on. It has been proposed to “park” the SIG. It is not formally dissolved but is currently dormant and can be resurrected should suitable officers be found.
Parkinson’s Disease
The PD Section now has a better handle on its membership and successful twice yearly stand alone meetings are being organised. The group will continue to be run according to BGS guidance on the relationship between educational meetings and the pharmacological industry. The Masterclass continues to be run, to be well subscribed and to be highly rated. Reports on these activities are included in the Masterclass Newsletter, MasterStrokes. The section has also instituted an essay prize - one for medical students and one for professions allied to health. There was significant interest in the first competition.
Falls and bone health
This is a growing SIG and it charges a small subscription fee for membership. It has a healthy multidisciplinary membership and has two annual meetings, one of which is now international. SpR training has been arranged with the British Orthopaedic Association and the SIG has played a major role in the RCP national falls audit.
John Gladman
Vice Chair
BGS Academic and Research Committee
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