British Geriatrics Society
England National Council

---

Chairman: Dr Duncan Forsyth
Secretary: Mrs Sarah Allport

Welcome to the home page of the England Council of the British Geriatrics Society.

In 2003, the British Geriatrics Society amended its constitution to recognise the devolved structure of government in the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland has had a devolved administration with its own Ministry of Health since 1921; Scotland has also had a considerable amount of autonomy with respect to health matters for some years; and Wales is developing an increasing number of its own policies.

Geriatric medicine is a specialty closely related to administration of both health and social services and, as policies in the four nations have increasingly diverged, the Society has taken account of this.

With no devolved government for England (presently), it is paradoxical that within the Cabinet of the UK, there are Secretaries of State whose roles are UK wide, e.g. Foreign Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer etc, and others whose remit extends only to England, including the Secretaries of State for Health, and for Education and Skills. It is not always realised, even in the devolved parts of the UK, that announcements by these Secretaries of State, whether they are on budgets or policies, only apply to England. Nevertheless, England contains over 80% of the population of the UK and accounts for over 80% of the public expenditure.

The Constitution of the Society is intended to reflect this reality.