This is my final blog so I write it with a teary eye and a reflective air. It has been my privilege to lead our society for the past 2 years. I inherited a good position from my predecessor John Buscombe but we will were still bearing the scars from covid. The BNMS has risen like a phoenix out of the covid ashes with our most successful meetings in recent memory. The energy at Glasgow was palpable and so many of you enjoyed such a great meeting in a vibrant city. Swansea sold out – need I say more. I am looking forward to Harrogate as there is much to discuss and learn about nuclear medicine at the moment. The programme has been well put together by the Science and Education Committee and Harrogate is a great environment with a particularly fine tea room – Bettys!
 
During my tenure there have been several big themes:
 
• Continuity of radiotracer supply. This continues to be an issue with the UK not possessing our own medical isotope reactor and the vagaries of world supply. The BNMS have advised government and departments on how best navigate this. We are also supporting a review to radio pharmacy provision in England with the aim of improving tracer availability and baking more redundancy into our system.
• Theranostics . This is the buzz word in nuclear medicine circles around the globe. We have yet to see mass adoption in the UK and we still wait for NICE to approve Lu177-PSMA. Once this occurs our theranostic journey will have really begun and then building our people and infrastructure will be the next challenge.
• PET-CT. PET-CT continues to grow exponenially with annual growth of 15-20%. The wave 1 national contract is coming up for retender and the BNMS is influencing this space to ensure that our patients get the scans they need going forward. We are also in a stakeholder in the decision as to where to place two Total Body PET-CTs in the UK which is a really exciting development.
• Workforce.  We are challenged in all craft groups. We have been working to unblock the barriers to training, recruitment and retention and will continue to do so as the much to do in this space. 

There are too many people for me to thank by name. I would like to thank all of you for the support you have given me which has enabled me to do my best for us. I would specifically like to thank the BNMS office, the BNMS officers and all those who serve on BNMS committees. I was excited to see the recent contest for a vacant council seat from 4 great contenders. I would urge the three unsuccessful people to get involved with the BNMS in another way such as serving on one of our other committees. If anyone wants to get more involved please contact the BNMS office and they will direct you to correct person to talk to.

Finally, I am confident that Jilly Croasdale will be an excellent President and will take our society further. I am confident she will cut a dash in the Harry Potteresque robes of office!

Prof Richard Graham

BNMS President