The President's Message

As we head towards Easter - and the ASGBI Meeting in Liverpool - plans are also taking shape for our own Scientific Meeting in Oxford (September 9 and 10). Please put the date in your diaries and keep an eye out for the microsite which will be online soon. As well as information about the scientific programme the microsite will allow you to register for the conference and help with practicalities such as accommodation.

Prof John Primrose is busy pulling the Scientific programme together with the help of local organiser Nick Maynard and it already promises to be another first class event. A training day will again be held on the Wednesday before the meeting (8 September).

As well as live networking opportunities we are keen to help members find other ways to keep up with the latest developments in surgery and healthcare in general, via the website. With this in mind we have recently introduced a new section on the website which allows members to look at the relevant guidelines such as those from NICE - Click here to see the new section and The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) - click here to see this section

We are also delighted to support the National Oesophago-gastric Cancer Awareness Campaign 2010, organised by our Affiliate members. The aim of this campaign is to raise awareness of oesophago-gastric cancer, its presenting symptoms, diagnosis, investigation and treatment. Local cancer networks are being asked to run events to mark an Awareness Day on Friday, April 23. Healthcare professionals working in the UGI field will offer information on the signs and symptoms of oesophago-gastric diseases to the public.

As the leading surgical association in Upper GI disease, AUGIS strongly supports this campaign and hopes that participating hospitals/networks will be able to run events on or around April 23. These may be run by clinicians, nurse specialists, ward nurses, endoscopy nurses, dieticians plus other members of the relevant MDTs.

I wish everyone the best in the run-up to Easter and look forward to seeing many of you at the ASGBI meeting in Liverpool.

Simon Paterson-Brown
President, AUGIS