Notes of the Council meeting held on Wednesday 7 June 2006.
The membership database still has to be run in tandem with the website database resulting in a lot of duplication of work. The IBMS IT section had been approached to see if the membership database could be modified so that it was in the same format as that for the website. However the cost for this would be in the region of £8000. In response to this the Webmaster had suggested that the website database be modified to allow Gill Woods to manage the database. This would have a one off cost of £500. It was agreed by Council that we should do this.
Mr Williams also reported that the web site designer had put forward a proposal that we alter the current system of payment for his services. The proposal was that we pay a flat monthly rate rather than a fee per item of service. The suggested fee was £250 per month. Mr Williams felt that while this was probably a fair reflection of what we had paid over the last twelve months but he anticipated that the fees should fall over the next twelve months and agreed to liaise with the web site designer to see if this figure could be reduced. Dr Smith also recommended that we should draw up a service level agreement and contract with the web site designer and again Mr Williams agreed to investigate this.
Dr Desai reported that the joint proposal with Dr L Turnbull had been submitted to the HTA Board and a decision was expected shortly.
Liaison with the BSCCP was slower than anticipated. However Dr Denton circulated a first draft of the proposed terminology document for comment. Several points were made, and volunteers found, to move the draft forward.
There was debate over the issue of linking our terminology with the standard action codes. The general view was not to do this, since these could well change during the lifetime of the BSCC document
There was also debate around the issue of borderline glandular lesions and whether to refer or not. This led to a great deal of debate over whether the document should aim to provide detailed recommendations on management. The general consensus was that it was felt that our first task was to develop the morphological descriptions and draft the document. How various entities were managed could be resolved thereafter. There was general agreement on this and Dr Denton agreed to revisit the document removing references to management so that the document was more of a 'morphology' document.
Dr Denton agreed to finalise the draft document and then circulate it to Council for comment. Dr Smith indicated that this should be done within a fairly short timescale.
Dr Smith tabled the findings of the recently circulated borderline questionnaire and it was agreed that we should publish the results in a peer-reviewed journal.
Following the publication of the draft module on the website Dr Chandra had received some encouraging feedback from Dr Peter Smith and the RCPath Cytopathology Sub-committee. Specific suggestions included recommendations on staffing, health & safety, and workload. In relation to health & safety Dr Kocjan felt that this required the input of a microbiologist and a health & safety officer. Drs Kocjan, Chandra and Herbert will liaise to move this forward.
Some specific comments included the role of technical staff and clinical priorities. It is likely that the role of biomedical scientists will be clarified before publication and the document may then need modification. These comments are being addressed by Dr Chandra with assistance from Margaret Middleton and it is hoped that the document will be available for consultation on the website by 1st July 2006.
The membership will be balloted on the revised statutes at the same time as the nominations for members of Council. Copies of the proposed changes accompanied by a covering letter from the Chairman would be circulated in advance of the ballot.
Dr Smith reported that Julietta Patnick had indicated that she would be grateful if the BSCC could research the appropriate way to screen SurePath LBC samples. Northern, Yorkshire and Humber region were already designing a study and Dr Smith suggested that it was unnecessary for BSCC to duplicate this work. He proposed therefore that the BSCC should not get directly involved, but noted that a number of Society members were active in the protocol design group. This approach was agreed by Council. Dr Desai commented that she had already done a local study on this theme and it was suggested that she be co-opted to the protocol design group.
Dr Anderson summarised the draft year-end accounts, which although not complete and still lacking any expenditure for Gill Woods, indicated that we were likely to break even.
A meeting had been held between Dr N Anderson, Dr E McGoogan and representatives from Meeting Makers to review the financial options for the IAC2010. There are three options:
The three options had been discussed at length at the Finance Committee and it was proposed to adopt option 3. This option would allow Meeting Makers to prepare accounts and work directly with the bank. The BSCC liability would also be more clearly limited.
Positive feedback was received for the 2006 Spring Tutorial in London. There were 65 delegates. Despite an excellent programme and speakers fewer delegates attended the 2006 Northern Tutorial, Belfast. It was thought that the low numbers might have been due to the fact that delegates tend to book the tutorials at the last minute and low cost travel options may not have been available at short notice.
Preparations for the ASM in Edinburgh are going well. There are still one or two changes to the programme to be made.
Plans are already in place for next year’s tutorials. The Northern tutorial will be held in Manchester in March. The programme will be AP related aimed at both existing APs and for those intending to sit the exam. Janet Marshall from Manchester is assisting with the programme and will be contacting existing APs for suggestions in the near future.
The London tutorial was to be a similar day to that in Manchester but aimed at trainee pathologists about to sit the MRCPath.
Dr Desai reported that work had already started on the programme for the 2007 ASM in Cardiff and this was looking good.
Dr Smith outlined the progress on the City & Guilds initiative. Most of the work had now been carried out and the project was nearing completion. The final document had to go through NCCETC. Council were advised that the introduction would have substantial implications for departmental training officers.
Drs Mutch and Thomas complete their term of office on NCCETC at the end of 2006 and nominations for replacements would be sought in the autumn.
Dr Smith reported that the NHSCSP had reconvened the Training School Directors Group, which would be responsible for training policy and strategy for the NHSCSP. NCCETC would be responsible for policy implementation. The Training Schools Development Group would no longer be supported by NHSCSP. In view of these changes in the training structure and the appointment of a professional conference organiser, Dr Smith suggested that the BSCC might wish to merge the Education and Programme Committees into a ‘scientific affairs committee’. The new committee would work principally on the scientific programmes for the ASM and the tutorials, reflecting contemporary educational needs.
In the absence of Dr Chandra no report was received.
In common with other diploma examinations, the future role and place of the Diploma in Cytopathology remains under consideration following the implementation of run through training.
The College are still awaiting a response from the Department of Health with regard to BMS involvement in screening of non-gynaecological cytology.
In the absence of Dr M Young no report was received.
There has been no meeting of NQAAP since the last Council meeting. The next meeting is to be held 13 June 2006. Dr K Boyd is happy to continue as BSCC representative for a further year.
Mrs Mather reported that the regional prize still existed thanks to the kind sponsorship of Thermo Electron.
Mr Dudding reported that Ms Mather and he had investigated further the possibility of mergers for six of the regional societies but that with the exception of CSNENW and the NECS this was now looking very unlikely. The South East and North Metropolitan and East Anglia Societies would be put into hibernation and a comment to reflect this put on the website. Mr Dudding and Ms Mather were to attend the CSNENW AGM in October to discuss the proposals further and Mr Dudding would approach the NECS, who had not met for some time to seek their views.
Seven new applications for membership had been received and were tabled. Six of them were approved by the Credentials Committee and will go forward for approval at the AGM in September.
The next Council meeting will take place in Edinburgh on Sunday 10 September 2006 at 1.00pm.
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