I must have a whinge more often.  At least some of the phase 2 PET procurement has been settled to the pleasure of some local providers and some not. Time will tell if this works well but always we must be aware the prime requirement is delivery of a high quality and safe service to our patients. There remain deep concerns that the phase 1 and 2 contracts stifle innovation in PET-CT. Maybe we will have to find new ways of expanding services despite these constraints. Also in July Lutathera treatments for gastro-intestinal and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours was funded by NICE and NHS England. Again there must now be some equity in delivery with patients hopefully receiving treatment not too far from their homes. Locally in Cambridge today we did our first blueteq funded patient so after a 3 year gap we can treat again. By the way I am not claiming any credit for these 2 events but maybe if it works I should whinge about a few more items we need fixing like technologist training.

I am sure like me when you are on your holidays sitting on the beach sipping a pina colada your mind thinks about what work can I present at the BNMS. If you have something ready to go, the abstract submission for our November meeting in Dublin shared with the Irish Nuclear Medicine Association is open. If you still need to do some more work or maybe not yet started this is a good time to prepare what you will present at the Spring BNMS.  September is a better time to think about these things than the first week of January.

Can I also send a big thank you to all of those who filled in the BNMS membership survey, I know it takes time but it really helps us focus on what concerns us all as members of the BNMS. Some things we cannot fix but we will always try if we can. One example was moving the spring meeting away from a weekend as this was particularly difficult for many technologists and radiographers. Concerning the Spring meeting for those thinking of coming and joining us in Oxford we have some accommodation arranged at Worcester College 10 minutes’ walk from the venue and more affordable than a hotel. It may not be the Ritz but you can relive those glory days as a student and we hope the bar (i.e. cheap beer) will be open till late to get a great authentic  Uni feeling back again.

Dr John Buscombe

BNMS President