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The autumn meeting in Birmingham was a great success. The venue was first class, the programme varied and stimulating and the ambience was warm and positive.
As one of his final duties, Peter Crome presented Baroness Julia Neuberger with the Society's medal for Relieve of Suffering |
The presentations were of a particularly high tandard and everyone to whom I spoke said how much they enjoyed the conference. I wish to thank everyone who contributed to the event. A special thanks to those who assessed the posters and gave helpful feedback to the presenters. Perhaps it is invidious to name individuals, but Michael Vassallo does such an outstanding job of orchestrating the national meetings that he deserves a special mention. He keeps the meetings fresh by constantly introducing new ideas.
I am especially pleased to see how well the “At the Frontiers” section is doing. In bygone days, there was distance between the front line geriatric clinicians and theacademics in our specialty, with a concern that researchers were focussing on arcane aspects of ageing that bore little relation to real world clinical care. Those doubts have now evaporated - at each of the “Meet the Professors” slots, all the speakers have given enthusiastic accounts of their areas of interest, setting their ideas in context, and sharing their passion for clinically-based high quality research. I was pleased to see delegates speaking to the presenters after the lectures and wishing to become involved in exploring new ways of assessing and treating old people. Perhaps at future meetings, we will resurrect the research clinics, so that more people can discuss their ideas and collaborate with professors and other academics.
The dinner in the magnificent Victorian Council House was a splendid occasion, which provided the ambience for our outgoing president to honour distinguished guests - and then to burst into song.
Tribute to Peter Crome
Extract from my tribute to Peter Crome For the past two years our august president Prof Crome has more degrees than a thermometer. If you ask our members what they think of Peter He is gifted with statecraft and gentle diplomacy, Peter, we salute your humour, industry and conviction |
Peter has been an excellent president. He has worked diligently to heighten awareness of the BGS and to forge links with charities, Royal Colleges, basic scientists and social gerontologists as well as overseas geriatric societies. He has taken great delight in bestowing medals and awards on those who have done much to improve elderly care. He told me that being president was like being Santa Claus - it has been an enormous pleasure for Peter to acknowledge the major contributions made by our members, some of whom have worked tirelessly for many years without necessarily receiving praise for a good job well done. Peter has represented the BGS at home and abroad. Under his tutelage, we have grown in number and stature. On behalf of all BGS members, I wish to thank him most sincerely.
Geriatrics in Ireland
I recently had the pleasure of addressing the trainees and consultants in Dublin on “Confessions of a Community Geriatrician”. It was a delight to meet such bright and enthusiastic registrars and to share thoughts on the inexorable move away from the hospital model of care to a more community-based approach. On the day I visited, 15,000 “grey panthers” were marching on the streets of Dublin, protesting about the government’s threat to cut medical card entitlements to some of the over 70s. Older people had travelled from all over Ireland to make their voices heard. The Irish Times described the organisations that were “behind the barricades” - these include Older and Bolder and Age and Opportunity. What splendid names for alliances who wish to empower old people! In the UK, Age Concern and Help the Aged are to combine. They are looking for a new name. We wish the new organisation well and look forward to fruitful joint working with them.
At the UK Department of Health, a group is preparing for the more assertive voices of ageing baby boomers. I was invited to give a geriatrician’s angle on the opportunities and challenges ahead. It is good that the next cohort of older people will have high expectations of health and social services and that the DoH is taking them seriously
The way ahead
I have taken soundings from many people on how the BGS should evolve. There is a feeling that we punch below our weight - particularly in making people aware of the things we do as a society and as team members. I will be presenting some ideas to the national committees and will outline these in the next newsletter
If you have any suggestions for the good of the BGS, do get in touch. I look forward to hearing from you.
Graham Mulley
BGS Newsletter, Dec 2008
Issue 19 ISSN 1748-6343 19