BRITISH SOCIETY OF
PAEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY AND NUTRITION
NEWSLETTER 1999
October 1999
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
This year has seen a welcome recognition by various NHS Trusts that many more consultant posts in paediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition are needed. Thus several appointments have been made in both district general hospitals and tertiary centre settings and the consultant strength of the society has increased. The role of the members of our multidisciplinary teams is also being emphasised, notably dieticians and nurse specialists, and I anticipate that the involvement of our associate members in the societies meetings will need to evolve rapidly. All this activity must focus our views on the configuration of clinical services and the somewhat complex interactions with the training of SpR’s and with continuing professional development. We are now in a position to evaluate the findings and conclusions of the CSAC visits and also the thoughts of the endoscopy Steering group. We need to build on the implications for both training and service, however any decisions must carry the general agreement of our membership, and thus as you will see elsewhere in the Newsletter the Council is arranging for the CSAC and endoscopy reports to be presented and discussed at the Winter meeting in January. It will be essential for as many of’ us as possible to meet in Bristol, and prior to that any genera1 comments and views sent to the Council or CSAC members will be most welcome.
This year we have held the York and Oxford meetings. York followed the familiar format. It was well supported amongst College members in general and culminated in Alan Walkers guest lecture followed by an excellent dinner at the Merchant Adventurer’s Hall. The joint Italian meeting in Oxford was convened with energy, imagination and a degree of fortitude by Peter Sullivan and his committee. The venue was superb and the scientific and social content of the meeting of a very high standard.
Congratulations all round
Martin Brueton
President of the BSPGHAN
Imperial College of Science and Technology
E Mail : s.elkins@ic.ac.uk
SECRETARY’S REPORT
The Society goes from strength to strength and a particular mention must be made to the contribution of Peter Sullivan during his term of office as Secretary. He deserves our thanks and plaudits not only for organising such an excellent meeting in Oxford in September with our Italian colleagues, but also for the huge contribution he has made over the last 3 years to the development of the Society.
Membership of BSPGHAN at present stands at 217, of whom 54 are Associate members. As many of us now work very closely in multi-disciplinary teams, we are keen to encourage associate members to attend our meetings. To this end there will be a separate meeting of Associate members, to formalise their association with the Society, at the Bristol meeting organised by Dr Sandhu. This will be 10 am to 12.30 pm on Friday, 21 January 2000 at the Swallow Hotel in Bristol. There will be a reduced rate for Associate members to attend the rest of the meeting and stay overnight at the hotel so please encourage your specialist nurses/dieticians to attend. Dr Sandhu will be sending out details to all members. Further information can be obtained from the co-ordinators of this first meeting - Sian Thoms (Nutrition Nurse Specialist in Cardiff, on 02920 744558) and Claire Burnett (Nurse Specialist in Oxford, on 01865 220 934).
The Society has continued to evolve and the Council has drafted some minor changes to the constitution, which will be circulated before, and discussed at, the next AGM in York, April 2000.
We will be having the usual all day scientific meeting at York on Tuesday, 11 April 2000, with the AGM during the lunch break. There has been strong support for moving the AGM to the winter meeting of the Society, as time is always short at the RCPCH meeting. Please give thought to this and we can discuss it further in York.
Bhu Sandhu has organised an excellent meeting in Bristol and please register early for this so numbers can be finalised. I stress the importance of the Extra-Ordinary General Meeting during the programme (5 to 6.30 pm on Friday, 21 January 2000) please make every effort to attend as this will be a forum to discuss the work of our CSAC (in the visiting of possible training centres in the UK and the guidelines on training which have been produced), as well as an opportunity to discuss the draft endoscopy guidelines described by Mike Thomson in this newsletter.
I would be grateful to receive any offers to host any future winter meetings of the BSPGHAN at the address below, and look forward to seeing you in Bristol for what will be an interesting and important meeting.
Huw Jenkins
Department of Child Health University Hospital of Wales Heath Park
CARDIFF CF 14 4XW
Telephone: 02920 744558
Facsimile: 02920 744559
e-mail: Huw.Jenkins@UHW-TR.wales.nhs.uk
REPORT FROM THE COLLEGE SPECIALIST ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON PAEDIATRIC GASTOENTEROLOGY AND NUTRRITION GIVEN AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 1999
Members received a report from the President, Dr Martin Brueton, on the work of the College Specialist Advisory Committee on Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.
Dr Brueton highlighted important issues that the that members of the Society should address:
- Future staffing levels, particularly at Consultant level
- Clarification of the role of the DGH based paediatricians with an interest in gastroenterology and nutrition
- Contribution to the development and review of the criteria to be applied when accrediting tertiary centres for clinical services
- Clarification of the training programme for SpR’s wishing either to train as gastroenterologists, hepatologists or nutritionists or as paediatricians with an interest in any of the above specialities.
- Clarification of the training programme for SpR’s wishing to spend a year in Gastroenterology as part of their 5 year programme leading to entry to the specialist register in general paediatrics
These issues will be discussed further at the Extra-ordinary AGM to be held during the winter meeting in Bristol in January 2000 when the training advisors who have been inspecting centres with a view to consideration of accreditation for training will give a report and endoscopy training (see below) will be discussed.
PROPOSALS FOR PAEDIATRIC ENDOSCOPY TRAINING
( DISCUSSION DOCUMENT FOR COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF BSPGHN)
Subsequent to publication of training minimums to ensure competence in endoscopy and colonoscopy in paediatrics in North America (Hassel et al, Journal of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 1997;24:345-7, Fox V Journal of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition 1998; 26:200-4), and Australia (Conjoint Committee for Recognition of Training in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in Australia), and the recent publication of recommendations for training in gastrointestinal endoscopy by the Joint Advisory Group on Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (JAG) concerning recommendations for training of UK adult endoscopy, it has become apparent that United Kingdom guidelines for endoscopy training in paediatric gastroenterology are urgently needed.
In order to facilitate this a subcommittee of the BSPGHN was set up in 1998 (Endoscopy Steering Group), and among other issues one of its remits was to suggest training guidelines for paediatric endoscopy and colonoscopy. Clearly the eventual aim being to improve standards of endoscopic training and practice in turn in order to enhance care of patients. Our adult colleagues in the BSG via JAG are intending that registration for such skills be a requirement for training by the year 2001.
It is therefore clear that as wide a consensus as possible is needed amongst ourselves regarding training issues before deciding on minimum training requirements and/or directives. In order to facilitate this it has been decided by the Council of the BSPGHN that two initiatives are needed. Firstly, that a debate on these naturally contentious issues occur at the Winter meeting of the society in Bristol in January 2000. Secondly, that everyone involved in UK endoscopy in children has a chance to put their considered views forward - this, it is hoped, will allow a fair consensus to be reached, and that due consultation can occur between all our colleagues. A cross-section of views and a summary of issues for discussion will then form the starting point for discussion in Bristol.
The following are points requiring our deliberation, and also touch on important issues other than training. Some of them are deliberately contentious, others are common sense, but all are very similar to that which has already been decided upon by our paediatric colleagues in North America, Australia and adult UK gastroenterology:
Minimum unassisted procedures for recognition of adequate endoscopic training
- Upper endoscopy 100
- Colonoscopy (including ileoscopy) 75
- Therapeutic endoscopy and ERCP only to occur in specialised units, therefore not to form part of standard training, but exposure to such procedures would be desirable
- All procedures <7years should occur under general anaesthetic
- A separate training certification for "Paediatric Gastroenterology without Endoscopy" is considered
- To aim for training two types of paediatric endoscopists: those who would perform all types of procedures in a referral centre: and those that would only aim to perform endoscopic small bowel biopsy in a district general hospital type setting
- Centres are recognised as training or non-training in paediatric endoscopy
- Each completed procedure by a trainee is assessed and signed up by a trainer
- Training includes assessment of appropriate indications; recognition of macroscopic and histological lesions; technical equipment knowledge; and cleaning of endoscopes.
- Prospective logbook of procedures undertaken during training
Dr Mike Thomson
University Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology
Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine
Pond St
London
NW3 2QG
Fax 0044 171 8302146
Tel 0044 171 8302781
E Mail : mthomson@rfhsm.ac.uk
JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY AND NUTRITION
The Journal of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition is constantly on the look out for suitable selected summaries. If you have seen a recent paper in another journal that you think would be of interest to the readership of the JPGN and you or one of your trainees would like to write a selected summary please contact me to discuss it.
Dr A Thomas
Booth Hall Children’s Hospital,
Charlestown Road,
Blackley,
Manchester M9 7AA.
Telephone: 0161 795 7000
BRITISH ASSOCIATION OF PAEDIATRIC SURGEONS
The next BAPS annual congress which will be held in Sorrento, Italy, in July 2000. Further details of this and other meetings may be obtained by contacting the BAPS office at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 35- 43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PN (telephone: 01 71 31 26638) or by accessing the BAPS website www.baps.org.uk .
NATIONAL REGISTER OF PAEDIATRIC INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE
The Register is now open to accept proposals for research projects using the National Register from any contributor to the Register. Proposals will be assessed by the Committee with regard to the following four broad categories:
- usefulness of the research project
- appropriateness of methods including data collection and analysis
- feasibility of the project
- burden to patients and medical staff.
Once a project has been accepted the Register can provide assistance to facilitate its progress. Specifically we can provide advice with regard to ethical approval, statistical analysis and data collection. The Register will provide a preliminary costing for the work it will undertake.
For initial applications there is no need to provide evidence of financial support for the project. If the preliminary application is accepted a more detailed application and ethical approval will be required.
Applications are assessed on an approximate 6 month basis. Details and an initial application form can be obtained from Maria Galloway at the address below
National Register of Paediatric IBD
University Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology
Royal Free Hospital
Pond St.
London NW3 1 YD
Phone/Fax 0171 830 2465
Email pibd@rfc.ucl,ac.uk
ADOLESCENT NUTRITION : AN UNDERRATED PROBLEM
13/14 th March 2000
Conference to be held at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London
Details
Professor Ian Sanderson, St Bartholomew’s and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Tel: 0171 601 8589
TENTH ANNUAL COURSE IN PAEDIATRIC GASTROENTEROLOGY
13-15 December 1999, The Royal Free Hospital, London, England
This intensive three-day postgraduate course in paediatric gastroenterology is open to trainee registrars and consultants, approved for 6 CME credits per day. For information and registration forms please contact:
Professor JA Walker-Smith
University Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology
The Royal Free Hospital
Pond Street Hampstead
London NW3 2QG UK
Tel: 44 171 830 2779
Fax: 44 171 830 2146
SECOND MASTERCLASS IN MODERN PAEDIATRIC ENDOSCOPY
15-16 December 1999 , The Royal Free Hospital, London, England
Following the success of the First course in 1998, this live endoscopy course covers all aspects of diagnostic and therapeutic paediatric endoscopy, colonoscopy, ERCP and enteroscopy with illustrative live cases. Open to trainee registrars and consultants. Approved for 6 CME credits per day.
There is the option to attend in continuity with the Tenth Annual Course in Paediatric Gastroenterology. For information and registration forms please contact:
Dr Mike Thomson
University Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology
The Royal Free Hospital
Pond Street Hampstead
London NW3 2QG UK
Tel: 44 171 830 2779
Fax: 44 171 830 2146
FUTURE SOCIETY MEETINGS
BSPGN Year 2000 Winter Meeting Swallow Royal Hotel, Bristol 21 st -22 nd January 2000
Details Dr B Sandhu, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, St Michael’s Hill, Bristol BS2 8BJ Tel No 0117 928 5445
ROYAL COLLEGE OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH 4TH SPRING MEETING YORK 2000
10-13 April
Details:
RCPCH, 50 Hallam Street, London W1N 6DE
44 (0)207 307 5600
BRITISH SOCIETY OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
21-23 March 2000. International Convention Centre, Birmingham
British Society of Gastroenterology
3 St Andrews Place
Regent’s Park
London NW1 4LB
Telephone: 0171 387 3534
Fax: 0171 487 3734
BSPGHN FINANCE
Balance as of 28/9/99
£20,354
BSPGN WEBSITE
Newsletter produced by Dr RM Beattie - apologies for any errors or omissions
Copyright © 2006 British Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition