| EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES
“Active Ageing” coalition launches in Parliament – June
The Society is a founding member of the National Coalition for Active Ageing, alongside such other organisations as Help the Aged and the British Heart Foundation. June saw many months of preliminary work come to fruition with a formal launch in the Commons. Present were a good cross-section of MP’s and key members from the Coalition. To coincide with the launch an Early Day Motion was tabled (subsequently supported by 63 MP’s), stressing the need for greater government recognition and involvement in promoting an active lifestyle for the older person. Over the coming months we will be establishing a business plan and timetable of activities which will see this broad based group engaging with the Dept of Health (DoH) and Parliament with a view to putting the government’s Opportunity Age (Meeting the Challenges of Ageing in the 21st Century) into positive action.
International Longevity Centre – the Future of Geriatric Medicine Training
Led by Dr Oliver Corrado (Education and Training Committee) and Dr Jackie Morris (Policy Committee), we have had an exploratory meeting with the ILC with a view to preparing a joint submission to Government and the General Medical Council for a new unit on the health of older people for Foundation Year training.
European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS)
The Society has started its work providing a secretariat service for EUGMS. The first meeting under the new arrangement took place at Marjory Warren House recently, when the Executive Board of the EUGMS met. The Board consists of ten members drawn from countries right across the EU, whose broad remit is to enhance the practice and standing of geriatric medicine in member countries and to act as an effective lobbyist in Brussels.
Falls Guidelines and the AGS
The Society has been invited to collaborate with the American Geriatrics Society in updating work on Falls. Dr Finbarr Martin and Professor Roseanne Kenny lead the work on behalf of the Society.
NHS Confederation – Vertical Integration Workshop – Older People’s Services
On 14 September we shall be collaborating with the NHS Confederation when they hold another in their ongoing series of Vertical Integration Workshops, this one focussing on older people. Speakers will include Professor Graham Mulley, Dr Duncan Forsyth and Dr John Gladman.
INTERNAL ACTIVITIES
Succession Planning
2005 is proving to be a year of “goodbye, and thanks for all your help” along with “hello, and welcome on board”, with many members standing down from office and many Councils and Committees being faced with the task of seeking fresh volunteers to serve. The challenge of balancing democracy with continuity is something I shall be paying closer attention to over the coming months, as certain aspects of Society activity may well experience a lull as new members come on board and take up the reins from others. This is a natural result arising from the Society’s re-structuring which took place mainly during 2002, with many members coming to the natural end of their three year term of office. Perhaps a system which sees more phased handovers, whilst retaining the inherent core of democracy is something worthy of serious consideration…..?
Strategic Review/Business Plan/External Affairs
With a review and plan under our belt, we have been paying specific attention to the topic of public relations, or “external affairs” as it is perhaps better titled for the Society. Quite a bit has already happened, not least with our profile raising responses to Parliament during the last session and activities highlighted above. Whilst this demonstrates our commitment to engage with others, we are studying ways which will help the Society expand its sphere of influence further. Not surprisingly, some methods come with a large “£” sign attached, and we will have to find the right balance between the messages we wish to impart, the internal resources available within the membership to create such messages and the right methods of delivering them. Initial discussions with outside sources indicate that we may still have a little work to do in establishing what areas of activity we can realistically involve ourselves with in “stand-alone” mode and which others are best achieved through collaboration with others.
Getting out of the Ivory Tower
Whilst our Spring and Autumn scientific conferences present me with the opportunity to meet many of you in the classic “conference” environment, I am conscious that there are many members I have not had the opportunity to meet. Your President Jerry Playfer has made it a feature of his first year of Presidency to visit a good number of regions and Councils, and I should be doing likewise. The regional meeting structure (certainly within England) would seem to be the ideal format, so if any regional chairs or secretaries would like the CEO to come along and explain exactly what it is that happens at Marjory Warren House as part of a forthcoming regional meeting, I would be very happy to do so. I am really very cheap to run and will travel considerable distances for a cup of tea and a biscuit.
Alex Mair
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