See you in Birmingham!

Alasdair MacRae is a consultant geriatrician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley.  He is the BGS Meetings Secretary, BGS Bladder and Bowel Health SIG Secretary and Falls and Bone Health SIG Secretary.

I cannot believe that it is almost February!  It has been a busy start to the year. Three named storms in the UK (so far), snow, and some treacherously icy conditions (it took 90 minutes just to get to the top of my driveway one morning) have resulted in the orthopedic wards being very busy with people sustaining weather-related injuries. There is something about the snowdrops that have begun blossoming around the garden, however, that I find pleasantly reassuring. Daffodils and other flowers look like they are not too far behind. Soon the garden will be in full colour as the days get warmer. The nights are fair drawin’ oot.

As we quickly approach Spring, I wanted to remind you about the BGS Spring Meeting 2024, which is being held from 22^nd May until 24^th May at the VOX, Birmingham. It is a cracking venue (the food is excellent) and it is near the Birmingham NEC railway station and Birmingham airport, which is a huge plus for those of us traveling from the north of the United Kingdom. I look forward to meeting faces, familiar and new, when I am there. 

There has also been a lot of work going on creating a fantastic programme of presentations for the meeting. I am excited about the continence stream (pun intended!) that Aine McGovern (Bladder and Bowel Health SIG Chair) and I have put together for the Wednesday. This full day of continence-related talks is taking place instead of our annual BGS Improving Continence meeting, so join us in May for your dose of updates from Professors and clinical specialists in continence.

Other topics covered at the Spring Meeting include updates on dementia, medications, respiratory medicine, medical ethics and law, and falls with a focus on syncope. Also, the lightning poster-rounds are also making a come-back.

I appreciate that May is several months away but the reason that I am mentioning the meeting now is that the deadline for abstracts is looming (Friday 16 February 17:00 BST)!

No matter the weather, stay safe and I hope to see you in Birmingham.