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The Nurse Consultants Special Interest Group was established in December 2005 and recently held its first Annual General Meeting.

You will recall that the group was established in order that the voice of Nurse Consultants who specialise in the care of older people can contribute to the BGS agenda.

We are pleased to note that our intent to share our expertise is already being welcomed and sought. For example, both our Chair and Hugh Chadderton are attending a meeting with the Academic and Research Committee, looking to introduce a nurse focussed poster section at future BGS scientific conferences. We have also secured a parallel session at the BGS Spring meeting 2007 in Brighton and Nicky Hayes is coordinating presentations for the event. Several of us are keen to use these opportunities to share our practice and research expertise.

Advance directives
We have also got our toes in the water of clinical practice development with interest in contributing to guidance on advance directives and advance statements. We intend to explore the options for contributing within the Education and Training Committee.

Topical discussions
As is customary at our meetings, we heard from three speakers and engaged in much topical discussion. Lynne Phair spoke of her involvement in the Continuing Health Care agenda, both as an expert nurse and as a relative embroiled within the complicated, poorly understood process. Henry Minardi shared his early research work about the development of a DVD which will be used to examine the ability of people with dementia to recognise and respond to the six basic emotions.

Our guest speaker engendered much debate. Maureen Morgan, Nursing Lead for PCT Development at the Department of Health, spoke about the current policy agenda. She focused particularly on the current radical system reform programme for England. There is appreciation that the speed and unrelenting nature of the reform is extremely challenging for everyone concerned, not least for older folk themselves, who are confronted with numerous people turning up on their doorsteps. However, the changing nature of health care requirements, alongside increased longevity and decreased workforce, makes the changes essential if the health service is to be sustained. Community models of care, particularly for people with long term conditions and multiple pathologies, are the only way forward. A bumpy ride is anticipated, with a probable 5 - 6 year period within which the inevitable problems that occur in any new system will be ironed out. Maureen expressed a desire that nurse leaders continue to deliver the messages about the necessity of change in as positive a light as possible.

Concern from the floor centred on the change from a National Health Service to a National Health System and the development of practice based commissioning which may be read as GP lead commissioning. It was emphasised that nursing, and indeed multi disciplinary engagement is an essential component and that PCTs and service providers are expected to facilitate such engagement. It is, of course, for nurse leaders to ensure that we are thus engaged and also to build links with our new PCTs and StHA colleagues.

Following our regular update Deborah Sturdy of the Department of Health, and commitment to provide an article of interest for each Newsletter henceforth, the meeting concluded that we are pleased to have found our niche within the Society and look forward to working together in advancing care for older people.

Gwyn Grout
NC Group Secretary