minutes of a meeting of the international relations committee ... - aagbi

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE
AT 10.30 AM ON FRIDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2010
AT 21 PORTLAND PLACE, LONDON W1B 1PY
Present: Dr Paul Clyburn Chairman
Dr Iain Wilson
President
Dr Isabeau Walker Honorary Membership Secretary Elect
Dr Felicity Plaat
Council Member
Dr Samantha Shinde Council Member
Dr Kate Grady
Co-opted Member
Mrs Ruth Hooper WFSA Administrative Co-ordinator
Dr Paul Howell
OAA Representative
Ms Sarah Kessler
Global Oximetry Project Manager
Dr Bruce McCormick WAS Representative
Dr Oliver Ross
Co-opted Member
Dr Tei Sheraton
Co-opted Member
Dr Kate Wark
RCoA Representative
Mrs Chloë Hoy
Miss Jane Messum
PA to Executive Officers / Secretariat
Co-ordinator
Finance Assistant
Morning business meeting
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Dr Ellen O’Sullivan (Honorary Membership Secretary),
Dr Steve Yentis (Editor-in-Chief, Anaesthesia), Dr David Bogod (Vice President),
Professor Robert Sneyd (Vice President), Dr Mansukh Popat (Council Member), Dr
Liz Shewry (GAT Representative), Dr Mike Dobson (WFSA Representative) and
Professor Howard Fee (RCoA Representative).
Dr Kate Wark would be representing the RCoA at the meeting in place of Prof Fee.
2. TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 16 JULY 2010
The minutes were approved.
3. TO REVIEW ACTION LOG
The list of action points from the July meeting was reviewed.
Dr Walker reported that the donation of £5K for a monitor requested by Dr Craig
Oranmore-Brown had been arranged. Dr Clyburn agreed to contact Dr Oranmore-
Brown and ask which machine had been purchased.
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Action point: Dr Clyburn to contact Dr Oranmore-Brown and ask which monitor
had been purchased.
Dr Howell was happy for the obstetric handbook and CD ROM to be distributed
together. It was agreed that a strategy was needed for distributing both these resources.
The committee briefly discussed some options. Dr Wilson would arrange for the
distribution of 3000 CDs and Mrs Hooper would write to WFSA member organisations
in developing countries asking if they wished to be sent copies of the handbook and
CD.
Action point: Dr Wilson to arrange for the distribution of 3000 CD ROMs. Mrs
Hooper to write to WFSA member organisations in developing countries and ask
if they wished to be sent copies of the handbook and CD.
Dr Walker reported that Dr Gerald Dubowitz had recently spent a couple of weeks in
Uganda and had raised the issue of the fellowship scheme. Work on this was ongoing.
Three specialist societies had also been approached and asked if they wished to
participate in the scheme; the matter was also mentioned at the recent AAGBI
specialist societies’ meeting.
Dr Walker reported that Dr Arthur Kwizera had enjoyed a successful trip to the
AAGBI Annual Congress in September. Dr Wilson suggested asking Dr Kwizera to
write an article for Anaesthesia News; this was agreed.
Action point: Dr Walker to ask Dr Kwizera to write an article for Anaesthesia
News.
Regarding the issue of RCoA funding in Uganda, no further information had been
provided. Dr Wark would follow this up in due course.
Action point: Dr Wark to follow up the issue of RCoA funding in Uganda.
4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
a)
b)
Report on funding of Ugandan fellows
This issue was briefly discussed again. Dr Wilson remarked that a formal review of
this scheme should be done soon in order to measure its success, outcomes and
sustainability.
Successful promotion of OAF at Annual Congress and future
Dr Clyburn thanked Miss Messum for running the OAF stand at the Annual
Congress. Miss Messum reported that five new regular OAF donors had signed up,
and some one-off donations had also been gratefully received. There had been
quite a bit of interest in the donation of old textbooks, but Dr Wilson remarked that
this was not always ideal or straightforward to do.
Miss Messum reported that the regular OAF donors had not received a newsletter
in a long time, and that it was important to keep in contact with them on a regular
basis. This was discussed in detail by the committee. It was agreed that Dr
Clyburn, Dr Walker and Miss Messum would discuss the promotion of OAF
further in due course (including setting up a regular newsletter) and would bring
their proposals to the next IRC meeting.
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Action point: Dr Clyburn, Dr Walker and Miss Messum to discuss the
promotion of OAF further and to bring their proposals to the next IRC
meeting.
At this point, Dr Ahmed Zulfiquar joined the meeting.
c)
d)
WFSA Refresher Courses
Dr Walker reported that nothing further had come of this so far. There was only
limited funding available from the WFSA Education Committee, and Mrs Hooper
reported that the WFSA were trying to concentrate funding on their own training
centres. Dr Ross suggested that previous travel grant recipients could be contacted
in order to build a database of what refresher courses were being run at the present
time. Dr Clyburn remarked that some refresher courses were being run by more
experienced people than others, and that the content of some courses was not
necessarily always what the particular training recipients needed. Dr Sheraton
suggested that web-based resources for the courses could be developed in the
future.
Airway management course and DAS
Dr Walker reported that Drs Popat and O’Sullivan were taking this forward and a
provisional date in 2011 had been set.
5. RESPONDING TO DISASTERS
A proposal from Dr Zulfiquar was received by the committee. Dr Clyburn thanked Dr
Zulfiquar for attending the meeting, and then Dr Zulfiquar talked through his proposal.
The suggestions focused on three main areas: an online survey to ascertain how many
anaesthetists had volunteered their services during humanitarian disasters, and whether
they would be willing to do so again; to develop guidelines and training advice for
those travelling abroad to work in disaster conditions, and possibly also a buddy system
and/or training days; and linking up with other organisations. Dr Zulfiquar’s proposal
was discussed at length and committee members had the opportunity to ask Dr
Zulfiquar questions about the details of his proposal. The committee also discussed the
work that other organisations were doing in this area and the ways in which the AAGBI
could contribute. It was agreed that Dr Zulfiquar, with assistance from Dr Clyburn,
would take his proposal forward by way of conducting a survey, with a corresponding
article in Anaesthesia News, and putting some website content together.
Action point: Dr Clyburn to assist Dr Zulfiquar with conducting a survey on
working in disaster-struck countries, placing a corresponding article in
Anaesthesia News, and putting together some web content.
At this point, Dr Zulfiquar left the meeting.
6. NEW FUNDING APPLICATIONS
The following travel grant applications were received:
i) Dr Rhys Clayton
Destination: Kenya and Uganda
This application was considered and approved - £1500
ii)
iii)
Dr Hosnieh Djafari Marbini
Destination: Malawi
This application was considered and approved - £1500
Dr Mike Dobson
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Destination: Zambia
This application was considered and approved - £841.60
iv)
Dr Gurpreet Gill
Destination: India and Uganda
This application was considered and approved - £2000
v) Drs Keith Thomson and Aleksandra Bojarska
Destination: Liberia
This application was considered and approved - £1000 in total
The following IRC funding applications were received:
i) Dr Geeta Aggarwal
Destination: Uganda
This application was considered and approved - £1000 was agreed
provisionally; Dr Clyburn would contact Dr Aggarwal’s consultant referee, Dr
Mark Blackmore, to find out further information about the project before
releasing funds.
ii)
iii)
Dr Nicola Ross
Destination: Uganda
This application was considered and approved - £2000
Dr Rachael Stoeter
Destination: India
This application was considered and approved - £500
It was agreed that a more formalised scoring system would be beneficial when assessing
travel grant applications, and also that the application form itself needed amending to ask
for more specific detail in order to help with the assessment process. Drs Sheraton and
Clyburn would look into this and report back to the next IRC meeting.
Action points: Dr Clyburn to contact Dr Aggarwal’s consultant referee to find out
more about her trip to Uganda before granting funding of £1000. Drs Sheraton and
Clyburn to look into amending the travel grant application form and devising a
scoring system, and to report back to the next meeting.
7. REPORT FROM IRC GRANT HOLDERS
A report was received from Dr Hilary Edgcombe about her trip to Zambia. This would be
put on the IRC section of the website with the other reports received. Any recent grant
recipients who had not yet submitted a report would be asked to do so.
8. WFSA/WHO GO PROJECT UPDATE
Ms Kessler reported that the GO Project had been rebranded as ‘Lifebox’ by Smile
Train, and she tabled copy of the new logo. A second batch of orders from Smile Train
(100 pulse oximeters in total) had been received, and she would assist them to look into
wider-scale distribution. 100 pulse oximeters had also been ordered via OAF. These
would be distributed on request. A panel would be set up in order to assess these
requests. The third stage of the project would see a further 2000 oximeters purchased by
Smile Train, and this would involve an outreach programme with 2000 sites identified
with appropriate geographical distribution. The website was currently a work in progress.
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Dr Atul Gawande would be visiting London on November. A team meeting would be
held, followed by a reception and lecture in the evening. Various medical, political and
philanthropic contacts had been invited.
Dr Wilson thanked Ms Kessler for her work on the project so far.
9. STANDING REPORTS
a. WFSA REPORT
Mrs Hooper reported that the WFSA had been concentrating on their 12 training
centres. The WFSA had recently released funds to its committees with which to
organise their own projects separate to the existing training centres.
The organisation of the 2012 World Congress was in progress, including a site visit
to Buenos Aires.
Mrs Hooper reminded the committee that anyone was welcome to visit the WFSA
office at 21 Portland Place.
b. WORLD ANAESTHESIA SOCIETY (WAS) REPORT
Dr McCormick reported that a WAS seminar had been held in June, organised by Dr
Moyna Bill. Dr Walker was organising a lunchtime symposium at WSM London
2011.Dr McCormick tabled a copy of the latest edition of ‘Update in Anaesthesia’.
He informed the committee of the plans for forthcoming editions, including non-
English versions. He also reported that Tutorial of The Week would be published on
the AAGBI website when the new version was fully operational. Dr Wilson
congratulated Dr McCormick on his work for WAS.
c. RCoA REPORT
Dr Wark informed the committee that she was the new Bernard Johnson Adviser for
the RCoA. She had made contact with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges as
they had a new international programme. She would keep the IRC informed of
developments. Dr Wilson remarked that it would be beneficial for a formal link to be
put in place between the IRC and the Academy.
Dr Wark reported that the regulations for trainees coming to the UK from overseas
had recently changed. A Tier 5 visa was now required, as opposed to a Tier 2 visa
required previously. She also gave an update of other changes to the regulations, and
this was briefly discussed.
At this point, the committee broke for lunch. After lunch, the following committee
members were in attendance: Drs Clyburn, Wilson, Walker, Grady, Howell,
McCormick, Ross and Sheraton.
10. OVERSEAS OPPORTUNITIES DATABASE
A proposal for an overseas opportunities database was received from Dr Matt Walters. Dr
Ross agreed to contact Dr Walters to discuss his proposal further, and would also be the
IRC lead for the new AAGBI website. The committee felt that the database should be part
of the IRC section of the website and not a separate microsite, so that the AAGBI could
retain control of the design and implementation.
Action point: Dr Ross to contact Dr Walters to discuss his proposal for an overseas
opportunities database.
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11. CORRESPONDENCE
An email had been received from Dr Negussie Bekele regarding book donation for the
nurse anaesthesia programme in Botswana. This was very positive feedback for the work
of the IRC.
A report on a visit to Gaza by Dr Murray Carmichael of Edinburgh Direct Aid was
received by the committee. Dr Clyburn would contact Dr Carmichael to ask if the IRC
could assist with book provision.
Regarding out of programme training in developing countries, an email had been received
from Dr Jo James to say that a unit of training had been approved by the GMC. This was
a great achievement.
Action point: Dr Clyburn to contact Dr Murray Carmichael to ask if the IRC could
assist with book provision in Gaza.
12. ANY OTHER COMPETENT BUSINESS
Dr Walker gave an update on the anaesthetic training scheme in Ethiopia which had
previously been discussed at the June meeting. She reported that HVO were conducting a
nurse anaesthetist programme and asked whether the AAGBI should encourage the ASA
to fund the training of medical anaesthetists too. Dr Wilson suggested a contact for Dr
Walker at the ASA, Dr Kelly McQueen. Dr Walker would contact Dr McQueen in due
course.
Action point: Dr Walker to contact Dr Kelly McQueen at the ASA regarding a
possible medical anaesthetist training scheme in Ethiopia.
13. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting would be held on Friday March 2011 at 10.30 am at 21 Portland Place,
London W1B 1PY.
Afternoon strategy meeting
1. WASH-UP FROM BUSINESS MEETING
Items 10 to 13 had already been covered at the start of the afternoon session.
2. WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT
Dr Walker showed the committee a model for another section of the new AAGBI
website. The committee then put forward a number of ideas for the IRC section of the
new website, including:
• External links
• Database
• The IRC’s mission statement and what the IRC does
• Guidelines for working overseas
• Financial support
• The state of global health
• Current projects
• Resources
• OAF/donations
• Forum
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At this point, Dr Wilson left the meeting.
Dr Ross would continue to work on the new IRC section of the website.
Action point: Dr Ross would continue to work on the new website as IRC lead.
3. SAFE ANAESTHESIA COURSE UPDATE
Dr Grady tabled a copy of the draft facilitator manual. The quality of work that had
gone into this project was impressive. The DVD was progressing well. A monitoring
and evaluation procedure had been set up which included MCQs. WHO funding was
awaited, although other sources of funding might be considered. Visits to Bhutan and
Uganda were planned for early 2011. Dr Walker remarked that it was important to
engage with the existing Ugandan anaesthetists. Dr Grady agreed, but was not sure
who the anaesthesia providers were in Bhutan.
This issue was discussed in detail with regard to funding. It was agreed that Dr Grady
would set up a meeting with interested parties and would also organise for a logo to be
designed.
Dr Wilson had written to the Deputy Prime Minister about funding for these courses,
and had received a reply from Stephen O’Brien, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of
State. He had provided contacts of two DFID representatives from their Policy
Division; Drs Grady and Walker would contact them in due course.
Action points: Regarding the SAFE Anaesthesia courses, Dr Grady to set up a
meeting with interested parties and to also organise for a logo to be designed. Drs
Grady and Walker to contact the two people from DFID’s Policy Division
mentioned in Stephen O’Brien’s letter.
At this point, Dr Wilson re-joined the meeting.
4. E-LEARNING DVD UPDATE
Dr Sheraton gave the background to this. She explained that this resource was aimed at
non-medical anaesthesia providers, but would be something that medical anaesthetists
could use too. The RCoA had given support with their e-learning material. It was
hoped that the DVD would be finished in time for World Congress 2012, and that an
early draft might be available as a demo in time for WSM London 2011.
The committee discussed the format and style of the DVD, and agreed that it should
look the same as the other ones. The committee also discussed consent for use of
images.
Dr Wilson suggested that Dr Sheraton liaised with Dr Ed Hammond.
Action point: Dr Sheraton to email Dr Ed Hammond about the e-learning DVD
(and to copy in Dr Wilson).
At this point, Drs Shinde and Plaat re-joined the meeting.
5. FUTURE MULTIDISCIPLINARY WORKING GROUP
Dr Wilson reported that he was keen to set up a meeting with other specialty groups
and DFID. This could be done after an IRC meeting in 2011. The committee discussed
how to take this forward, especially with regard to the RCOG; their new president, Dr
Tony Falconer, had previously attended an IRC meeting and it would be a good time to
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econnect. The desired outcomes of such a meeting, such as multidisciplinary
collaboration on a few projects, were also discussed. Dr Clyburn gave an example of
the possibility of the lay MEWS score being done in collaboration with the RCOG and
the Royal College of Midwives.
6. LAY MEWS SCORE
Dr Walker gave the background to the concept of the lay MEWS score and a draft
document was circulated. The committee discussed the draft and suggested better
wording in some places. The committee also discussed how to illustrate the document
and whether it should include questions about the patient’s history or simply be based
on observation.
Dr Sheraton reported that the Melrose East group in Gwent taught birthing assistants in
the community Dr Clyburn would liaise with them. Dr Wilson suggested also possible
asking Dr Nicola Ross to look into this when she visited Uganda.
Action point: Dr Clyburn to contact Melrose East about the lay MEWS score.
7. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
There was none.
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