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Adapting to change

Consultants Conference 2007
Wednesday 6 June 2007
Church House Conference Centre, Dean’s Yard, London, SW1P 3NZ

Today’s consultants work in a highly politicised health care system that is constantly in the news. As consultants, we often find ourselves at the centre of a variety of policies and healthcare initiatives, sometimes as influencers and sometimes personally affected by the changes that the policies bring about.

Often, in England, it is hard to identify the unifying principles that underpin the sheer range of NHS initiatives such as Payment by Results, the establishment of Foundation Trusts, reconfiguration of the hospital service, and the patient choice and care closer to home agendas. Indeed, there appear to be conflicting and destabilising elements contained within the detail of initiatives that, taken individually, are presented as coherent. Moreover, the divergence of the healthcare systems in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, where the reform programmes differ, present new perspectives on localised and national systems and the working lives of consultants.

In addition to the reforms of the health care system itself, this year also sees formal proposals for a major overhaul of the regulation of the medical profession (also containing national variation).

With motions for debate being submitted from the whole of the UK and with two high-profile guest speakers this year, Consultants Conference 2007 offers a crucial forum for debate of the issues directly affecting our lives and the lives of our patients for whom we have professional responsibility.

I certainly can not remember a more important year for consultants to make their voice heard and conference’s debates and discussion forums give you the opportunity to shape that voice.

I hope you find the day both stimulating and engaging.

Dr Tiz North, Chairman, Consultants Conference

The event
The Consultants Conference is the BMA’s representative conference for consultants. It is the opportunity for consultant representatives from across the UK to meet together to hold the Consultants Committee to account, debate motions and set priorities for the coming year.

Who may attend?
The conference was open to any consultant who wishes to attend if they are appointed as the representative of their Medical Staff Committee (MSC). Each MSC or equivalent in the UK may appoint one representative to attend the conference.

Conference agenda
The conference agenda was supplied to all attendees before the conference and is available via the attached pdf. As in previous years, the conference agenda committee invited speakers to address the conference, and developed themed debates. The remainder of the conference was given over to the debate of motions submitted by Medical Staff and Regional Consultants Committees.

Conference venue
The Consultants Conference 2007 took place at Church House Conference Centre on Wednesday 6 June 2007. The conference centre is located in Dean’s Yard, Westminster, London, SW1P 3NZ. The closest underground stations are Westminster and St James’s Park and the area is well served by bus routes.

Conference dinner
The Conference Dinner took place at One Great George Street, Westminster, London, SW1P 3AA on the evening of Wednesday 6 June 2007. One Great George Street is an ornately designed Edwardian building, providing an elegant backdrop for the conference dinner. All representatives to the conference and their partners were invited to attend the dinner.

A brief guide to the Consultants and Specialists conference
Read about how the agenda is created, how to take part, how debates are conducted and how to get the most out of the conference.