As BADS Conference 2023 draws to a close, we have the opportunity to reflect on the work that has been presented and what we have learnt from our expert speakers and enthusiastic delegates. Back
It is clear that day surgery offers huge potential to improve productivity & efficiency within the NHS and the wider healthcare system, and in doing so will be one of the most important factors in post-Covid restoration of services, managing the elective backlog and reducing our record surgical waiting lists. Whether it be through developing new pathways in existing day surgery units or the formation of new elective surgical hubs, it is the day surgery philosophy that is enabling efficient use of resources, including not least hospital beds and staff.
It not surprising therefore that as an organisation, BADS is thriving with record membership numbers and what I think you will agree, has been an excellent annual conference. This has been a fantastic opportunity to bring together so many knowledgeable and enquiring minds of people who clearly share BADS purpose to ‘Promote excellence and maximise delivery of UK day surgery’. Day surgery and ultimately our patients are benefitting from advances in surgical technology, from pathway development and changes in infrastructure, all driven by individuals with a passion for day surgery and desire to change practice for ever.
I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the many benefits of becoming a BADS member including free online access to all current and future BADS publications; discounted registration fees at selected HCUK conferences; free access to the new members only section of the website; free membership of the International Association of Ambulatory Surgery including discounted registration to their biennial conference.
I would like to thank Event Management Direct, our conference management company for their professional and efficient administration, the Caledonian University for hosting us, Talking Slides for providing seamless audio-visual support and of course our corporate sponsors who have helped to fund this event.
I would like to thank, my fellow BADS Council members, including our representatives from external surgical and speciality associations for their contributions to this years’ conference but also for all the hard work they put in throughout the year on the many workstreams that BADS is involved in. In particular, I would like to thank the conference organising team of Fiona Belfield and Matthew Checketts. Matthew is also leaving council this year, thank you Matthew, sorry to see you go and wish you all the best with ongoing endeavours in the healthcare industry, I know you will continue to make great contributions to reducing length of stay and achieving day case management for major surgery as part of this work. Thank you also to Theresa Hinde who has been with BADS council for 7 years now, most recently as secretary and will also be leaving us this year. Kim Russon has served her tenure as past-president and will now be stepping down from BADS council duties, and I wish her the best of luck with the rest of her portfolio of professional duties which I know is extensive. I would like to thank our lay members of Council that are very important to us as they bring a breadth of experience to council, namely Sally Leyshon for acting as a patient advocate, and Shaun Clee for all the work he has done with regards to strengthening BADS governance policies and with our strategy development.
That has left BADS Council with some vacancies and we have been very fortunate in being able to elect nine new council members, a new lay member and two candidates will be taking up taster council positions. I would like to welcome them formally to BADS council and I am very much looking forward to working them all.
Finally, I would like to thank Jo Marsden (our immediate past president) for her exceptional service and leadership, her dedication and commitment to her role and her contribution to UK Day Surgery. She has done a huge amount of work over the many years that she had been on BADS council. Just to mention a few aspects in particular; during her presidency, she has forged important partnerships with several national organisations including GIRFT and NHS England through the Model Health System. She has had a large part to play in tightening up many of our governance procedures and she has managed an extensive portfolio of regular external meetings co-hosted by BADS through which we have seen our membership grow. Somewhat more difficult to describe but equally as important, Jo has achieved what I would describe as a changing face of BADS with a new-look journal, digital publications, and a fresh new social media presence. That’s not to forget she has always steered the Council with enthusiasm, patience and gratitude when overseeing the many other aspects of work that are undertaken.
The ultimate success of any conference is down to the attendees who have given up their time to attend and share knowledge and I would like to thank all our speakers and to the delegates for their contribution to this years’ conference. I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at next years’ conference in Cardiff.
David Bunting
BADS President