It is appropriate that around the time that the electoral parties postured over greater European integration, the BGS, every pragmatic, seized the opportunity that Europe presents.

The award of the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS) secretariat to the BGS in open competition should be welcomed, and regardless of whether one is Eurosceptic or Europhile in the European debate, it is only apt that the EUGMS should find its administrative home in the country where geriatric medicine was born.

Now that the administrative home of the EUGMS is hosted in the BGS office, British geriatrics can become central to developing geriatrics policy in Europe.

Small beginnings
The February 2004 issue of the Newsletter carries an article , testifying to the diversity in elderly care policy and the proliferation of “umbrella” bodies seeking to form links among European countries in their geriatrics practice. Between 1999 and 2001, there were discussions between the national geriatric medicine societies of the European member states, and the EUGMS was launched in 2001, with an excellent conference in Paris. Since then, the EUGMS has gone on to host conferences in Warwick, Florence, Vienna and in September 2005, Madrid.

Great aspirations
The EUGMS stands for much more than well organised conferences in historic and attractive locations. Despite the sensitivities, and the economic and social diversity within the member countries, all of which impact hugely on their policy and even their recognition of geriatrics as a medical specialty, the EUGMS is taking on the daunting remit of developing continuing professional education and evidence-based medicine on a Europe-wide scale. In a relatively short period of time, the Society has already managed to produce, under the academic leadership of Prof Alan Sinclair, an excellent set of evidence-based guidelines on the management of diabetes in older people. These guidelines complement other guidelines on diabetes, such as those produced by the International Diabetes Federation, but focus very much on the geriatric patient, often neglected in conventional guidelines.

The EUGMS has a close working relationship with the European Academy of Medicine for Ageing, Switzerland, the European post-graduate academy for geriatricians. The EAMA provides international tuition in the cutting edge of geriatrics, with internationally renowned lecturers coming from Europe (including the UK!) and North America. Many of the ‘students’ attending the EAMA go on to develop successful careers in academic geriatric medicine, although any geriatrician would benefit from attending.

Aims of EAMA

• To improve knowledge and skills in geriatric medicine for junior faculty members, or promising candidates for future teachers in geriatrics
• To harmonise the attitudes and goals of future opinion leaders in geriatric medicine throughout Europe
• To establish a network among medical doctors responsible for the care of older people and those responsible for student instruction, as well as general physicians caring for the aged
• To stimulate scientific interest in geriatric medicine
• To develop future leaders in the field of geriatric medicine

It is something of an embarrassment that despite some of the original drivers of the EAMA coming from the UK (Prof Sir John Grimley-Evans, Prof Alan Sinclair), thus far there have only been three UK students out of a total 165 graduates.

Young geriatricians
The EUGMS also hosts the Young Geriatricians of Europe, a fledgling organisation of young geriatricians, with aims which include:

• developing a better understanding of different training schemes in geriatrics throughout Europe
• establishing a network among medical doctors or other health care professionals responsible for the care of elderly persons and those responsible for student education in geriatrics
• stimulating scientific interest in geriatric medicine
• facilitating research projects with a European dimension

British geriatricians in European geriatrics
With the members of the British Geriatrics Society holding high office in the EUGMS (Dr Paul Knight is General Secretary; the Academic Section operates under the leadership of Prof Alan Sinclair, and Dr Brian Williams is the immediate Past President), and with the BGS now administering the EUGMS secretariat, British geriatricians have an ideal opportunity to integrate more fully into the rapidly growing cadre of European geriatricians. The politicians may debate, but as geriatricians, we should do what we do best and act in the interests of the older people of Europe.

Simon Conroy
SpR and Lecturer
Nottingham