British Geriatrics Society

Self-nominations sought for Chair of BGS Trainees’ Council! Calling all BGS trainee members, please consider applying for this key leadership role within the Society representing the interests of trainee doctors. Closing date is 31 July 2019.

As BGS Deputy Honorary Meetings Secretary, I have the privilege of representing BGS members at the BGS Meetings Committee meetings. The meetings are held four times a year, two on Friday of spring and autumn conferences and the other two meetings are in January/ February and June/ July at Marjory Warren House, which can be joined via tele/video-conferencing.

Calling all BGS members! Last chance to have your say on the BGS Mission and Strategy 2020-2023. Please contribute by completing a short survey by 14 June. This will take no more than 5 minutes to complete

Important new #frailty toolkit published via NHS RightCare which supports systems to understand priorities in frailty identification and care, and key actions to take. This toolkit supports the delivery of the #NHSLongTermPlan for frailty

One in three individuals aged 65 years and over are reported to fall at least once a year. Falls in older adults may result in serious physical injuries, such as hip fractures and head injury. In addition, following a fall, the older person may develop a fear of falling which leads to activity avoidance, social isolation, depression and, possibly, a consequent downward spiral of deterioration. The resulting increased dependency leads to reduced quality of life and increasing social and healthcare expenditure. #wcfps2019

Accommodating children at BGS conferences. Why hasn’t it been done, when “X” has done it? There are several important reasons why we haven’t yet done it. Mostly it came down to cost and not knowing how many people will use this facility. To provide a dedicated creche facility for a Spring or Autumn national meeting, when costed was in the tens of thousands of pounds. The cost of setting up responsible, approved childcare professionals so you can attend the sessions while your child is cared for is substantial. Not knowing how many people would need this until shortly before the conference, as that’s when most people register, as well meant it was very challenging...

Every trust must take action to identify and treat Sepsis, which costs 37,000 lives per year. Sepsis occurs when the body responds poorly to a bacterial infection, attacking its own tissues and organs, and while early treatment is effective, the condition is hard to identify. Guidance by NHS England which has been drawn up with the Royal College of Physicians, NICE, the Royal College of GPs, and the UK Sepsis Trust, highlights that it is everyone’s business to look for sepsis, even at the very early stages, in patients in A&E, wards and community settings.

What is the leading cause of death in the UK? Cancer? Heart disease? Nope, it is dementia. Much value has been placed on dying in the place of one’s wishes however those with dementia seem to have been excluded from this focus. Why is it so hard to research wishes around death in those with dementia? Is it because we still forget it is a terminal disease? Does it adhere to the issues with advance care planning in that when one is well they don’t wish to talk about it but when they are unwell they can’t? #DementiaActionWeek #DementiaActionWeek2019

NHS England is seeking to recruit a National Specialty Advisor for Older People and Integrated Person-Centred Care to support the National Clinical Directors and Medical Directors to provide clinical advice and leadership. The appointment is offered on secondment on a part-time basis, to be agreed with between the team and successful candidate for a period of up to three years with an annual review of progress. The closing date is 3 June 2019.

NHS England is seeking to recruit a National Clinical Director for Older People and Integrated Person-Centred Care. The post holder will provide clinical leadership and advice to support the programme SRO in the successful delivery of the Older People and Integrated Person-Centred Care programme/workstream. This includes influencing and leading policy development and implementation, securing key stakeholder buy-in, promoting the NHS and acting as a spokesperson. The closing date is 3 June 2019.

This year’s BGS Rising Star Award for Research has been awarded to Dr Katie Robinson. Katie is a physiotherapist and the AHP Clinical Academic Lead at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. Here she discusses her work and the importance of research skills for non-medical professionals.

This year’s BGS Rising Star Award for Clinical Quality has been awarded to Dr Anna Steel. Anna is an SpR in geriatric medicine at North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust and has made a significant contribution to the care of frail older people in North London. She has developed a multi-layered QI programme with a focus on advance care planning. Here she discusses her work and winning the award.

Read BGS member Lucy Lewis #HealthforCare Blog 'Supporting social care and the funding it urgently needs' via NHS Confederation.

The role of Editorial Fellow is a little bit of a gift for whichever geriatrics trainee gets to take it on. There is no service provision involved, it is pure learning and opportunity, something that is rather rare in my training experience. I have been in the post alongside being a full-time clinical Geriatrics reg and the level of work involved has been adaptable to my own level of free time.

BGS conferences attract hundreds of delegates, covering the latest advances in research and showcasing the best in clinical quality for improving healthcare of older people. In this role you will have the opportunity to gain valuable events planning experience in a leading national charity specialising in the healthcare of older people. You will support the Conferences and Events Team on a variety of different meetings from planning and preparation to delivering the event on the day. You will be able to attend some BGS events and get on-site experience. You will also have the chance to learn about marketing, communication and membership as part of your volunteer role. #volunteer #workexperience #eventsmanagement

An analysis carried out for Age UK indicates about 30% of areas now have no residential care beds. The situation is even worse for nursing homes with more than 60% having no places.

Are you interested in manuscript preparation, peer review, manuscript editing and journal production? Please consider applying for Age and Ageing Journal, Editorial Fellowship! The closing date is 3 June 2019.