The British
Geriatrics Society
THE PROFESSIONAL BODY OF SPECIALISTS IN THE HEALTH
CARE OF OLDER PEOPLE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
About the BGS
The British Geriatrics Society is the professional body of
specialists in the health care of older people in the United
Kingdom. Membership is drawn from doctors, nurses,
allied health professionals, scientists and others with a
particular interest in the care of older people and the
promotion of better health in old age. It has over 3,000
members worldwide and is the only society in the UK
which draws together experts from all the relevant
disciplines in the field.
Marjory Warren, co-founder of the BGS
Our mission & aims
The British Geriatrics Society aims to be the pre-eminent professional body for practitioners
engaged in the specialty health care of older people, and to improve the health care of older
people throughout the UK, through:
• Inspiring those in training to consider working in the specialist care of older people, and to
support their education, training and career development.
• Promoting high standards of clinical quality through scientific meetings, information, good
practice guidance, and education and training; encouraging the sharing of learning and best
practice (both within and across relevant disciplines); promoting research into the health care
of older people, facilitating access to research and opportunities to generate research; and
publishing a high quality, peer reviewed scientific journal.
• To act as the informed policy voice regarding educational curricula, clinical standards, effective
commissioning practice and health policy regarding the treatment and care of older people
across the UK and its constituent nations.
Who we are
• Over 3,000 members: Doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, scientists & others.
Almost all are based within the UK, but with strong representation in all four nations.
• Special Interest Groups & Sections: These bring together members with a common
interest to drive clinical quality, service delivery and research in a particular topic, e.g.
movement disorders, falls & bone health, dementia / delirium, community geriatrics,
ethics & law
• Regional offices & councils: Focus on specific regions within England and the
devolved nations, bringing local issues to national attention
• Committees: Oversee the central functions of the BGS, including: Education &
Training; Clinical Quality; Research and Academic Development; Policy &
Communications; Finance.
• Trustees: Responsible for the long term direction of the BGS, ensuring that it is
solvent, well-run and delivering its charitable mission; includes Regional Chairs, senior
Honorary Officers and Chairs of some committees.
Who we are – Honorary Officers
• President: Prof. David Oliver
Consultant at the Royal Berkshire
Hospital, King’s Fund visiting Fellow,
former National Clinical Director for
Older People at the Department of
Health
• Honorary Secretary:
Prof. Adam Gordon
Consultant and Honorary Associate
Professor in Medicine of Older People
and works for Nottingham University
Hospitals NHS Trust.
• President-Elect: Dr. Eileen Burns
Dr Burns has been a geriatrician in Leeds
since 1992; she is currently clinical lead
for integration in Leeds and chair of the
BGS Community Geriatrics Special Interest
Group.
• Honorary Treasurer:
Dr. Juanita Pascual
Consultant in General and Geriatric Medicine
based in Lymington in the New Forest; currently
Clinical Director for Integrated Community
Services in Southern Health Foundation Trust.
Full details of all Trustees & Honorary Officers: http://www.bgs.org.uk/index.php/about/trustees-board
Who we are – Honorary Officers
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Trainee Representative: Claire Hughes
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National Council Chair, England: Amit Arora
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National Council Chair, N. Ireland: April Heaney •
National Council Chair, Scotland: Jennifer Burns •
National Council Chair, Wales:
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Adhiyaman Vedamurthy
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• Lay Trustee: Anna Dixon
• Lay Trustee: James Miller
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• Vice President, Academic & Research:
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Gordon Wilcock
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Vice President, Clinical Quality: Gill Turner
Deputy Hon. Secretary: Andrew Williams
Deputy Hon. Treasurer: Owen David
Hon. Meetings Secretary: Nigel Page
Deputy Hon. Meetings Sec. Khai Lee Cheah
Director of Continuing Professional
Development: Tahir Masud
Director of Workforce: Zoe Wyrko
Editor-in-chief, Age & Ageing: David Stott
Digital Media Editor: Shane O’Hanlon
Full details of all Trustees & Honorary Officers: http://www.bgs.org.uk/index.php/about/trustees-board
Who we are – Staff
• Chief Executive Officer: Colin Nee
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Communications & PR Manager: Ed Gillett
Policy Manager: Patricia Conboy
Committees, Membership & Office Manager: Mark Stewart
Conferences & Events Manager: Geraint Collingridge
Scientific Officer: Joanna Gough
Production Editor: Recia Atkins
Age & Ageing Editorial Manager: Katy Ladbrook
Accountant: Susan Cox
Full contact details for the BGS Secretariat: http://www.bgs.org.uk/index.php/contact-50
What we do
• Organise scientific meetings and other events (including Special Interest
groups and regional Councils)
• Provide CPD sessions and revalidation
• Support quality improvement, education, training and research
• National representation and policy voice for the specialty & our members
• Alliances & collaboration with other organisations; involvement in largescale projects, policy documents & consultations
• Media outreach
Our objectives
• Care for older people: Older, frail and more complex patients with multiple long-term conditions
are the main patient group cared for by the NHS, and it is critical that we meet the needs of
these vulnerable individuals.
• Integration, community & primary care: Geriatricians play a leading role in the development of
integrated and patient-centred health care, linking different disciplines, services and
practitioners, and influencing clinical policy and practice.
• Workforce, skills & training: Doctors, nurses and allied health professionals need more training in
geriatric medicine. We help the broader health care workforce acquire the right specialised skills
and age-attuned working culture to provide appropriate care for older patients.
• Showcasing, spreading and implementing best practice: We promote access to academic
research, and services like comprehensive geriatric assessment and specialised geriatric care. The
evidence shows that when older people with frailty are admitted to hospital, they are 25% more
likely to be alive and living independently at home when they are looked after in a specialist unit
for older people.
BGS Events
The main scientific meetings of the BGS take place twice yearly,
focusing on CPD, research and policy. Additional smaller
meetings are run for throughout the year, for SIGs or other
groups such as trainees. Upcoming meetings include:
• Geriatrics For Juniors: 8 Nov, Birmingham
• Bladder & Bowel Health: 5 Dec, Bristol
• Movement Disorders: 23 Jan 2015, Birmingham
• Spring Scientific Meeting: 29 April – 1 May 2015, Manchester
• Autumn Scientific Meeting: 14 - 16 Oct 2015, Brighton
More details can be found at http://www.bgsevents.org
Training, CPD and Revalidation
The BGS plays an active role in Education and Training from the level of medical undergraduates
through to appraisal and revalidation for consultants. Recent and ongoing initiatives include:
• The development of a UK and EU curriculum in ageing
and geriatric medicine for undergraduates
• The 1st and 2nd national surveys of undergraduate
teaching in ageing and geriatric medicine.
• Work with the foundation programme to ensure an
attachment under supervision of a geriatrician.
• Work with the CMT committee of the RCP to ensure
an attachment under supervision of a geriatrician.
• Work with the GMC to ensure appraisal and
revalidation deliver care fit for older people.
Alliances and co-productions
The BGS initiates, develops and implements collaborative approaches with external
organisations which share the BGS’s policy objectives. Some recent examples include:
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Working closely with the HSJ’s Commission on Hospital Care for Frail Older People
Playing a major role in the National Audit of Intermediate Care
Providing expert evidence to the RCP’s Future Hospital Project
A joint Older People’s Forum event with Royal College of Nursing
Working with Age UK to improve public understanding of frailty and the role of the speciality
Supporting National Voices’ Principles of Care and Support Planning project
Co-badging The King’s Fund Transforming Care for Older People event
Liaising with the General Medical Council on educational and training resources for the care
of older people
Responses to Consultations
The BGS is a key policy voice, responding to consultations on behalf of our membership. Recent
consultations have included:
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HSJ Commission on Hospital Care for Frail Older People
The RCP Future Hospital Commission
The Future Shape of Training Report
“Equity and Excellence” White Paper
LACDP system-wide response to the Liverpool Care Pathway
The DH Long-term year of care project
The Commission for Workforce Intelligence
National Voices’ Care and Support Planning Initiative
Frailsafe
Publications and campaigns
The BGS regularly produces best practice guidelines, reports and campaigns on key issues
affecting geriatric medicine and care for older people. These are available on the BGS website,
including:
• Fit for Frailty: best practice guidance on treating older people with
frailty, and commissioning appropriate services for them.
• Care Homes Commissioning Guidance
• Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty: good practice guidelines
• Continence Care: focusing on preservation of dignity for patients
Press & media activity
The BGS plays a major role in framing the media debate around caring for older people. Our
recent press and communications work includes:
• Regular coverage in the mainstream and trade press: This includes
a full-page interview with BGS President David Oliver in the
Guardian, quotes in news stories in Daily Telegraph, opinion
pieces in Commissioning Monthly and BGS members’ inclusion in
the HSJ’s Clinical Leaders and Top Innovators lists for 2014
• TV and radio appearances: Radio 5 Live interviewed Prof. Paul
Knight on assigning GPs as named clinicians for frail older people;
BGS members provided expert behind-the-scenes involvement
with BBC 2’s “Protecting Our Parents” documentary
• Media events: Dr. Adam Gordon appeared in a Guardian panel
discussion on meeting the needs of an ageing population
Online presence
The British Geriatrics Society has a substantial and active digital audience across social media,
our website and the BGS Blog:
• BGS website: This contains information about the BGS, including our events, plus a library of
our previous policy papers, resources and publications, as well as recent news stories of
interest to our members and sections for different regional groups and sub-specialties.
http://www.bgs.org.uk
• Social media: We’re very active on Twitter, live-tweeting conferences and engaging directly
with our members, geriatricians, and others interested in the care of older people to 3,500
followers. http://www.twitter.com/gerisoc
• Blog: The BGS blog features authors from all over the world, covering everything from book
review to breaking news, on topics from Chinese geriatric medicine to what geriatricians do
in their spare time! http://bit.ly/BGSblog
Find out more / get involved
• Visit www.bgs.org.uk for more details about the BGS and the work we do
• Follow us on Twitter (@gerisoc) and check out the BGS blog
• Join the BGS as a member: rates start at just £28 per year
• Get involved with your local BGS Council, or relevant Special Interest Groups:
you don’t have to be a BGS member to join a SIG!
• Come to a BGS meeting: www.bgsevents.org