Allied Health Professionals Meeting

The Society of British Neurological Surgeons (SBNS)

Brighton, Thursday 8 September 2011

This is the First meeting of the Allied Health Professionals (AHP’s) as a part of the SBNS meeting

PRESENT:

Mr Peter Kirkpatrick, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Addenbrookes

Mr Peter Hutchinson, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Addenbrookes

Lynda Gunn, Nurse Practitioner, Sheffield (Chair)

Anne Preece, (BANN) Clinical Nurse Specialist, Birmingham

Julie Neal, NITU/HDU Ward Manager, Sheffield

Sheila Rodgers, Lecturer Practitioner, Sheffield,

Dee Cope, (BANN) Clinical Nurse Manager, Birmingham

Steve Ney Senior Charge Nurse, Addenbrookes

Loiuse Marise, Divisional Lead Nurse, Addenbrookes

Anita Philip, Spinal Nurse Practitioner, Frenchay

Sue Parker, Matron, Frenchay

Lyndy May, Nurse Consultant, GOSH

Melissa Strickland, Ward Sister, Neurosurgery, GOSH

Linda Kinsella, Practice Development Nurse, Hurstwood Park

Jackie Powell, Head Injury CNS, GOSH

Assad Khan, F1, Salford,

John Doherty, National Business Manager, B-Braun

Notes taken:

The meeting started with Lynda Gunn explaining the rational for the meeting:

How and Why :

(First nurse to present, Became a member, for own development of knowledge base, up to date research based, there is now a blurring of roles therefore a way of improving communication skills).

Following this she introduced Mr Kirkpatrick and Mr Hutchinson who explained they would like to see more AHP’s at the SBNS meeting and how best to encourage this:

  • SBNS – encourage multidisciplinary facet to their meetings
  • Encourage ALL neurosciences units to send someone
  • Looking at variety of subjects
  • Encourage allied health professionals to present in main auditorium
  • Each unit to have two AHP’s to be sponsored from each unit by SBNS, with a financial contribution help from trade exhibitors i.e. accommodation
  • How to get more AHP’s here?
  • Capacity – 50 maximum can be easily accommodated
  • Putting in abstracts – must be sponsored by Consultant at unit – oral or poster

There was then a discussion about above points:

This meeting was testing the water and looking to the future

The main Emphasis is on getting ALL AHP’s to attend – radiographers, theatre nurses, ward nurses, physiotherapists etc

This is a good way of uniting all neuroscience units around the country

The possibility of a fringe meeting to be organised – on a particular day, not detracting from main SBNS meeting/presentations

Encouraging nurses to use database of SBNS / BANN

Neurosciences as whole is fragmented – a good way of pulling this together for AHP’s

Good way of networking/listening/debating

AHP’s roles are changing especially in nursing, which is blurring the boundaries between the disciplines

Will consultants come to AHP session, if these meetings continue to develop?

Feedback to each unit from attendees is a very important aspect developing knowledge to all and encouraging more to attend. Presentation poster leaflets etc could achieve this

Each host unit to strive for more attendees

How to advertise – this could be through local company representatives, posters, newsletters, BANN etc

John Doherty (B-Braun) summarised the meeting with these points of observation:

  • Would this Meeting, if it continued, be best placed on a Wednesday morning?
  • Encourage AHP’s to attend the most appropriate parts of the SBNS and Pre-meeting on the Tuesday that is relevant to their interest and specialities
  • Encourage people to become members of SBNS
  • Keep it relevant for everyone
  • Focusing on what the group is about
  • SBNS communication leads from each unit should be tasked with dissemination through their respective units and staff
  • Encourage AHP’s to tap into other funding
  • Learning through best practice/streamlining practice/facilitating and moving forward in logical and practical way
  • Basically – could each company provide some funding towards AHP’s attendance at each SBNS, as a pot of money, to be distributed by the SBNS

Date and time of next meeting to be arranged

The trade meeting

Friday 9th September 2011

Lynda Gunn and Anne Preece attended on behalf of the AHP’s group, at the invitation of Mr Kirkpatrick and Mr Hutchinson

Notes taken:

  • Code of conduct issues?
  • 50 people for two/three nights? Expensive
  • Any assistance from hosts unit?
  • Loosely working with 50 individuals, contribution from companies? Nominal fee from each company?
  • Trade point of view, more consultants, not necessarily AHP’s
  • John Doherty – controlled contribution, maybe one person for two nights, i.e.-controlled by SBNS, who makes decision
  • Make it attractive
  • Rick Nelson – mull over costing assistance to each unit
  • Business view-point is more consultants, not exactly enthusiastic about funding assistance for AHP’s
  • Free registration, with possible units themselves to sponsor attendance
  • Trade to think about it
  • In principle, supporting it.
  • Contact list in each unit
  • SBNS communication lead in each unit
  • Date of the Next meeting: to be emailed