This is my last Members’ briefing to you all for 2024. I will start by wishing all our members, staff, volunteers, trustees a very Merry Christmas. I know that we are all probably far too busy, but I hope that you all get a chance to take some time off and enjoy yourselves during this time of the year.
This had been intended as a very short briefing recapping the works of BASEM this year. I have written to you all many times in this last year, trying to keep everyone up to date with all that has been going on, and whatever the next steps may be in BASEM’s journey. Here I will reflect on things have gone well and give you all a glimpse of what may be coming, there has been a lot of great stuff this year from BASEM and as always there is a lot to draw your attention to.
As you all should know, we recently hosted the 2024 Conference in Coventry. Thanks to the amazing efforts to the BASEM Conference team of staff and volunteers, we brought together a line-up of fantastic speakers on a broad range of topics, and the “buzz” around the conference rooms was great. I know many members were able to attend the conference and I hope you all enjoyed yourselves and got something from this. Many members were able to present their works in the poster presentations. As well as big themes, there were a number of breakout sessions covering aspects such as paediatrics, women in SEM, and getting started in a career. In addition, at the Conference it was a privilege to award the Sir Roger Bannister prize to Dr Jane Dunbar for her lifetime achievement in this speciality and as a recognition of all that she has done. The annual Conference is a great showcase of all that we as a speciality do. Planning is underway for the 2025 Conference, which will be held in Leeds 18th & 19th November 2025. Keep an eye on the website for details, and book your ticket early! https://basem.co.uk/basem-2025-conference/
BASEM made a number of awards this year to support the activities of members in 2024, much as we do year-on-year. This includes financial assistance to support aspects of undergraduate and post-graduate study, to support members travelling to centres of excellence, and supporting members publishing and disseminating their works. These are all part of the support that is on offer for members, and these annual awards come round again very soon. Have a look at https://basem.co.uk/basem-awards/ for more information
BASEM continues to run specific education courses to upskill healthcare professionals in aspects of sport, exercise, and musculoskeletal medicine. This includes the long-running residential Foundation Skills Course where many of our members first started to hone their skills, as well as specific revision courses for professional examinations. If you haven’t seen what is on offer, then head over to https://basem.co.uk/courses/ and see what may be of interest to you.
Lastly, BASEM continues to progress in its partnership with the Faculty of Sport & Exercise Medicine (FSEM) towards establishing a new medical College, bringing together the membership support, education, and conferences that BASEM offers, to the aspects of standard setting, examination, and appraisal that are offered by FSEM, to form a single unified organisation thereby improving offerings for members, and clarity for external stakeholders. BASEM started on this journey several years ago, and continues to be guided both by lawyers and the outcome documents that was put together by BASEM members >18months ago. We are encouraged that there have been no legal, financial, or reputational risks identified in the legal due diligence processes that BASEM have undertaken. The next significant stage in this journey has commenced with the formation of a combined BASEM/FSEM Steering Group with an independent Chair appointed to this to coordinate the next stages of works. BASEM & FSEM have appointed a merger consultant to guide the next steps which we hope will be concluded the end of the 1st quarter of 2025. Hopefully by the BASEM 2025 Conference we will stand united as a College (name still tbc!), and my genuine belief is that most of us won’t notice much difference day-to-day as the functions of membership support, education, awards, journal, conference etc will all continue within this new entity, but in a more joined up way and part of a single national voice that better represents what we do. As always, information will be available on the website https://basem.co.uk/proposed-college/ and I will continue to keep you all informed, much as I have throughout this last year.
That’s it from me. Again, I hope that you all get to enjoy some time over this Christmas period. 2025 is just around the corner ……
Prof Patrick Wheeler
Chair, BASEM