Minutes
Annual General Meeting
Meeting Room 1A, The Brighton Centre, Brighton
Thursday 2nd October 2014, 1.30 pm
Council Members Present:
Vincent Connolly, Medical Non-Trainee Representative (VC)
Alistair Douglas, President (AD)
Roger Duckitt, Medical Non-Trainee Representative (RD)
Craig Edlin, Incoming AHP Representative (CE)
Mike Jones, Training and Education Lead (MJ)
Liz Lees, Nursing Representative (LL)
Chris Roseveare, Past President (CR)
Nicholas Scriven, Treasurer (NSc)
Hannah Skene, Secretary (Chair) (HS)
Louella Vaughan, Research Lead (LV)
Nick Smallwood, Incoming Trainee Representative (NSm)
Stephanie Hough, Administrator (SH)
35 members attended (including Council Members)
1. Minutes of Annual General Meeting 4th October 2013
AD: 2013 AGM minutes circulated prior to meeting. AD takes the minutes to be correct.
Matters arising from the minutes:
Quality Standards and Guidelines Committee:
AD: not been actioned. Discussion at Council - large number of different quality standards has delayed things. AD states that a Federation Review Group is to be launched and SAM is to be a part of this.
Future Hospital Committee Task & Finish Group:
Chaired by MH. AD is reassured by Jane Dacre’s speech today and welcomes this support. AD looks forward to closely working with RCP London.
Nurses:
AD states that there is low nursing representation in the Society.
GIM Society Representation:
AD states that SAM welcomes all involved in acute medical care. SAM has no plans to change names or rebrand itself.
2. Election of Officers, Society Membership, Executive Members: HS
2.1. Elections
HS: three posts advertised and each post has been filled and formally ratified by Council. Janice Christian to be the new Nurse Rep, Nick Smallwood as the new Trainee Rep and Craig Edlin as the new AHP rep. HS welcomes the new Council members and also thanks the previous Council members for their hard work.
HS: states that Council have also added two lay members, Geoff Charnley and Alan Sutton and welcomes them both.
2.2. Membership
The current membership data was reviewed at the AGM with HS noting just shy of 1000 members, with around hundred members joining and leaving each year.
3. Treasurer Report: NSc
Nicholas Scriven (Treasurer) presents the accounts to the AGM stating that SAM has broken even this year. In terms of SCE, SAM is still £5000 in deficit and for the conferences the money which is made is carried over to the next with the Amsterdam conference making only £8000. It was also announced to the members that SAM has now gained charity status for tax purposes.
4. President’s Report: AD
4.1. Conferences:
Amsterdam had over 300 delegates and was seen to be a great success. For Spring 2015, the venue has been moved to Bristol at the Mariott Hotel. There will then be Manchester Autumn 2015 and Belfast Spring 201, no venues confirmed.
4.2. RCPL Connections:
The benefits of being connected with RCPL allow SAM to be represented on relevant committees and groups. In terms of Shape of Training, debate continues, with SAM observing closely.
4.3. Future Hospital Commission:
Anita Donnelly and Mark Temple are speaking in afternoon FHC session, AD recommends to attend this session.
4.4. NICE:
Individuals on behalf of SAM attended Sepsis and Acute Medical Emergencies workshops. SAM will be a stakeholder in Acute Heart Failure and Atrial Fibrillation guidelines. SAM has been asked to endorse Transient Loss of Consciousness and Acute Kidney Injury guidelines.
4.5. Recruitment:
AD expresses that this is a national issue and a national strategy needs to be drawn up. AIM is the RCPL speciality of the month in November and so SAM aims to use this effectively. Trainees are also being called upon to promote the speciality. SAM has also supported numerous careers fairs and urges members to notify SAM of any in their local area.
4.6. Website:
AD explains the unit directory is a good resource for members, and encourages members to register their unit through the website or at the SAM desk.
4.7. Communications:
AD explains that since Claire Charras left in June, recent recruitment has been unsuccessful, and the position is now vacant. AD emphasises the need to fill this position and believes the SAM budget for this post is too low. SAM needs a professional rather than a recent graduate.
4.8. Annual Fees:
After reviewing the annual budget, AD proposes that the annual fees for the full membership increase from £95 to £120 from April 2015 with no amendments to the reduced fee. AD believes that this is still a good deal for members. No comments were made on this point and so will move forward to be actioned from April 2015.
4.9. EFIM relationship:
SAM awarded two prizes to attend the Winter ESIM School in 2015. One was awarded to Dr Nigel Lane for his contribution to Acute Medicine Awareness Week and the other to Dr Ben Lovell for his application statement and CV. SAM is also offering a trainee a free place to the ESIM Summer School for the best oral presentation at Brighton which is to be judged by Mark Holland over the next two days. AD states that each winner will be asked to give a report back to SAM.
4.10. Research:
AD welcomes all research and although SAM cannot offer financial support, networking opportunities are available. AD encourages all members to consider submitting articles for the journal and states that LV would be able to help anyone who needs guidance on getting a report published.
4.11. Constitution:
It is very out of date and needs amended. There is therefore the plan to hold an EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting) in Bristol to go over the amendments made.
There were mostly minor changes however AD puts to the AGM the idea of regional representation. These people would be required to attend Council Meetings and would speak on behalf of their area which would be Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, London and 3 other representatives in England.
The issue was put to the floor. There was a view that more people on Council would cause more administration issues however another member raised the point of avoiding being a London-centric Society. RD supports having more than one England Representative as it allows the choice to discuss local issues which MJ supports adding that SAM would be dealing with four different health care systems.
AD decides to have 1 regional representative for England for the time being and to see how it develops.
5. Any Other Business:
Consultant Contracts:
SAM has being doing research into consultant recruitment patterns around the UK. AD emphasises the need to have the right people on the interview panels to get the right people for the job. MH raises the issue of specialty, also highlighted by Chris Custard who states that there are a high number of consultants with dual specialty. Chris Custard believes that this is beneficial to units so that consultants understand the pressures. AD supports.
6. Date of Next Meeting:
The next AGM will be 10th September 2015 in Manchester
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