isrrt Newsletter Volume 43. No.2 - 2007

Secretary General General
The year began with preparations for the Board Strategic
Review meeting which was held in Singapore during the
first week in January. This was a very successful meeting
and was reported in the February issue of the newsletter.
It is hoped that the recommendations made relating to the
restructuring of the Board will be agreed at the Council
meeting in Durban in 2008 and implemented during the
same meeting. If agreed this will involve elections for
the Europe/Africa Region and member countries in that
Region should now be considering candidates to fill the
new positions.
The annual meetings were arranged early March with
the Solicitor, Auditor and Portfolio manager. It had
been agreed tat the president, Robert George, would
accompany me to these meeting but unfortunately
a family crisis prevented him attending. However I
am pleased to say that all is now well and Robert
George did meet with the Solicitor in Cardiff following
the UK Radiology Congress (UKRC). My meetings
went extremely well with the accounts being audited
successfully and the portfolio of shares in a healthy
state. The meeting with the Solicitor was to discuss the
required changes in the Statutes to enable the proposed
structure to be implemented. These changes will be put
as motions to be voted on at the Council meeting in
Durban.
The European Congress of Radiology (ECR) took place
in Vienna in early March and this was once again very
well attended by radiographers. The ISRRT had a booth
in the Conference Centre and great interest was shown
for the 2008 World Congress in Durban. During the ECR
the Director of Public Relations, Fozy Peer, and myself
visited the companies to discuss their participation in the
Durban World Congress with positive results.
While in Vienna opportunity was also taken to meet with
the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This
was a good meeting and the possibility of co-operating
with the IAEA for future workshops was highlighted.
Further information can be obtained from the Quarterly
Reports which are now available on the ISRRT website.
On the subject of the website – the newsletter is now
available in electronic form on the website. The Board
decided in Singapore that the newsletter should be
published electronically however the latest edition will
only be available on the website three months after the
hard copy has been distributed to member countries and
Associate Members. One drawback is that because of
the size of the file it may take quite long to download.
Further to the website I would like to draw your attention
to the Education Poll which is on the website and would
encourage you to take
part in this important
fact finding initiative.
The more people who
answer the better will
the ISRRT Education
Director be able to
provide the necessary
education.
In May I attended
the Sixtieth World
Health Assembly (WHO) in Geneva. As a Non
Governmental Organisation (NGO) it is important
that the ISRRT maintains its contact with WHO.
During the Assembly opportunity is given to listen
to debates and meet with other NGO’s. Meetings
are also held with Dr Harald Ostensen, Co-ordinator
Diagnostic Imaging and Medical Devices (DIM/EHT),
WHO. Dr Ostensen has been a great supporter of the
ISRRT during his years in office and I am extremely
sorry to report that by the time you read this Dr Ostensen
will have retired. I wish Dr Ostensen the very best for
his retirement from WHO and I am sure that the ISRT
will continue to liaise with him and ask his advice in the
future.
The UKRC was held in Manchester during the second
week in June and as usual the ISRRT, being a Charity, are
very kindly given a free booth at this event and I would
like to thank the organiser for this. As reported earlier
Robert George attended the UKRC and both of us met
with representatives from companies to discuss future
co-operation with the ISRRT. We were both invited to
the UK College of Radiographers educational events and
had very useful meetings with Richard Evans, CEO of
the College of Radiographers. It was good to meet with
Marion Frank who is still very much involved with our
profession. The ISRRT booth was very busy and I would
like to thank my wife Alison for being in attendance
during the three days which enabled Robert and me to
go to the meetings being re-assured that things were in
capable hands.
Finally I would once again thank everyone for their help
and support during the last six months which have not
been altogether easy and in particular I thank Robert
George. Serious discussions and decisions have had to
be made this year and Robert has been a constant support
and has wisely guided the ISRRT Board. I look forward
with confidence to the strengthening ongoing work of
the ISRRT.
Dr Alexander Yule, ISRRT Secretary General
Volume 43 – No. 2 7