I would like to update everyone on the latest news on behalf of the British Hernia Society.
As a society, it is important for me to express our gratitude to all of you in health care with the immense work and sacrifices that are being made to continue to provide expert care for patients especially in testing times. The BHS has already reached out to the Government and pledged its unequivocal support.
BHS Research Award
Coming to recent BHS developments, we had a very successful round of research applicants for the BHS research award. They were all of an excellent calibre; the board decided to award grants to three applications as listed below. It’s always difficult to choose, more so on this round as every application was deserving of something.
On behalf of the board, I wish them luck with their research and further information about the research specifics that the BHS is supporting will be found very soon on our website.
1) RETAINER II – Development and validation of a patient reported outcome measure (PROM) for inguinal hernia repair – Christina Fleming
2) Using an in vitro engineered 3D model of the human rectus sheath to standardise pre-clinical hernia mesh testing – Thomas Whitehead-Clarke
3) Artificial intelligence for automatic detection of parastomal herniae on CT images – George E Fowler
BHS new Surgical trainee representative
After Ms Oroog Ali obtained a consultant post it was a unanimous decision by the board for her to be elected as our new Education secretary. This left a vacancy for a surgical trainee representative. Again, we had several high calibre applications, and all deserved the position, but it came down to a vote and I would like to inform you that Ms Nasra Alam, a trainee from the NW deanery was successful and has been appointed as trainee representative on the board of the BHS. She will take up her position with immediate effect, so congratulations to her. I’d like to thank all the applicants and I’m sure we’ll be working with them closely in the future.
Preparations for EHS 2022 in Manchester are moving at a rate of knots as I write this. We have a whole line of fantastic speakers as well as a great social programme to look forward to. It will be a great event but to ensure excellent representation from trainees there will be a reduction in the registration fees for all surgeons in training as well as developing nations. We would like as many BHS members as possible and surgeons wider afield in the UK & beyond to register for the meeting once registration opens early next year. If anyone has any questions about the meeting next year, then please do contact us via the BHS website and we will be happy to try and answer them for you.
Please do not forget to click on to the website for the meeting below for the latest information as it is being updated regularly until the meeting next year:
https://ehsmanchester2022.com/
We would like to thank our membership for all their continued support and as always, we are here to help as best we can. Please do continue to look on the BHS websites for updates and can I remind all members to ensure that your registered details with the BHS are up to data with emails received to renew your membership acted upon with the greatest of haste.
On a final note, we wish that you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – we ask that everyone stays safe and practices good hand hygiene as well as wearing masks in public places.
Any new information we will promptly share with our members over the coming months.
With my best wishes on behalf of the BHS Board.
Aali Sheen
President BHS