- Update

The BGS Northern Ireland Council has had regular bi-monthly meetings in the last 2 years, with good attendance from consultants and SpRs across the province.

The format of the meetings usually includes a mid afternoon business session followed by an educational meeting and dinner. One of the most important business themes this year has centred around writing a new constitution for the BGS Northern Ireland Council, which was agreed in early 2003.

National Framework for Northern Ireland
Concern about lack of a local National Framework for Older people was expressed on a number of occasions by the NI Council, and we have lately been encouraged by the setting up of a Standards Group which has asked for representation from the BGS NI Council. More recently the Council has been planning the Spring BGS meeting to be hosted in Derry/Londonderry in April 2004 (see page 27). We have arranged what we hope will be an exciting scientific programme, as well as giving the opportunity for delegates to enjoy the delights of the history and beauty of this part of Ireland.

Londonderry Spring Meeting
Our scientific meeting aims to have an interesting and informative range of content, which can be used for CME. We are including sessions on new therapies and strategies in Parkinson’s disease and recent advances in type II diabetes management, to name but two. We envisage a multidisciplinary approach with talks by the Alzheimers research nurse co-ordinator from Fermanagh - the perspective from a Parkinson’s disease nurse as well as specialist registrars’ research topics, to add to our knowledge on the molecular biology of dementia.

Recently, a speaker from the Department of Health gave his view of the 20 year strategy for health in Northern Ireland, and invited written and verbal contributions from the BGS NI Council, affording us the opportunity to influence future strategy in health of older people.

Our BGS president Prof Bob Stout is a member of the NI Council and, despite his busy schedule, regularly attends and brings us a first hand account of the major issues at Marjory Warren House. It is portentous that at the end of his presidential year the BGS Spring Meeting is coming to Ireland. We invite you all to attend this ‘not to be missed’ venue, with its exciting scientific and social programme. See you in (London)Derry!

Maeve Rae