The BSCC Council met on the 8th June. The principal items of business were as follows:
After an initial surge, sales of both the video and booklet have slowed. To help promote sales it was agreed that the price of the video and booklet should be reduced.
Further details on how to get order copies of both can be found on this website.
BSCC are keen to undertake work on criteria for adequacy of LBC samples but Council are aware that HTA will shortly be seeking expressions of interest to run a project in this area. The formal advertisement is expected on 24th August and it was felt appropriate to await developments rather than initiate a separate project.
Dr Denton circulated a short report on progress since the last meeting. There have been preliminary discussions with the NHSCSP and there are still some issues that need to be resolved before this work can be taken forward. These include the concept of three types of borderline and the merits of moving to high / low grade but persisting with descriptors for mild, moderate and severe dyskaryosis. It is anticipated that a small subgroup will meet with representatives of the BSCCP and NHSCSP to seek a way forward.
Work is progressing on some of the sections. As reported earlier the guidance will be produced in a modular format so that each section can be modified as necessitated by changes in practice or service provision.
The sections covering diagnostic cytology (FNA & exfoliative cytology) are almost complete and it was agreed that they would be sent to the RCPath, IBMS and NAC for comment.
The FNA section will also be placed on the website with an invitation for comments.
The Exfoliative Cytology section needs a little more work and will be added to the website in due course.
The section on cervical cytology remains problematic and it was agreed that work on this section will remain on hold until practice based evidence on LBC is available.
The section on staffing and ergonomics etc is also in progress but again with uncertainties around Agenda for Change and other changes in the NHS it is difficult to move this forward.
As you will be aware the secretariat move to Coldbath Square in London in February. Council feel this has gone extremely well and hope you find the new arrangements to your liking.
There are still some minor problems with contact details for some members and we would be grateful if you have changed address, email address or phone number recently you could inform Gillian Woods so that we have your correct current contact details.
Until now Council have met four times each year. Council debated the merits of this and will bring a proposal to reduce this to three at this years AGM in September.
Both Spring Tutorials were extremely well attended this year and the hard work of Dr Chandra and Dr Rana resulted in the outstanding academic and financial success of both meetings.
It was agreed that with the success of these meetings it would be prudent to continue with a similar programme for next year and it is hoped to run two tutorials once again in Spring 2006.
Dr Desai reported that the number of abstracts for oral presentations and posters for BSCC ASM 2005 was very high.
Ms Mather reported that several regional representatives were concerned that they no longer meet regularly with Council and wondered whether it might be possible for this to take place again. It was felt that at least one meeting between Council and the regional representatives could take place at the Annual Scientific Meeting.
Mr Dudding supported this proposal and noted that recently links with some of the affiliated societies had deteriorated. Furthermore, whilst some affiliated societies remained active and successful, Council were aware that others were dormant. After some debate it was agreed that a meeting of the Officers of the Society would be held at the ASM in Newcastle to which all current and past regional representatives would be invited. This would allow the Officers to gauge the current strength of the regional societies and their future interaction with Council.
Dr Kocjan circulated copies of the publishers report and went through the executive summary. The Journal is doing slightly better in the United States and continues to perform well in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The impact factor is keeping pace with both Acta Cytologica and Diagnostic Cytopathology.
Dr Kocjan also reported that she was seeking to expand the number of editors and was looking to appoint a correspondence editor to help strengthen the correspondence section. She was also proposing to develop an educational /CPD section.
Seven new applications for membership had been received. All had been approved by the Credentials Committee and will go forward for approval at the AGM in September.
It was agreed that the reduced membership fee for junior medical staff would run for three years from the date of ratification at the AGM.
At the moment there is only one membership application form. However BSCC statutes state that non-medical applicants should "have been in technical charge of a substantial cytology laboratory for five years or contributed in a significant manner to the advancement of cytology". The current application form does not allow for assessment of this and it was felt that either the Statutes be changed to allow for a wider group of individuals to apply or a second application form introduced for non-medical (and non-AP) staff.
This led to a wider debate on the whole issue of membership classes and the majority of Council felt that serious consideration be given to abandoning the class of extra-ordinary membership completely. The opinion of the membership will be sought at the AGM.
The next Council meeting will take place on 11 September 2005.
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