British Geriatrics Society | Improving healthcare for older people

We are a Society that works hard to improve the care of older people, and supports and guides fellow professionals

- Dr Adhi Vedamurthy

Events

14 September

19th International Conference on Falls and Postural Stability 2018

14 September 2018

Leeds

The day includes sessions on Falls and Fractures consensus statement, systematic review on drugs that increase falls risk, Falls prevention RTCS, visual assessment in fallers and many more.

SIG Meeting

21 September

Improving Continence in Older People 2018

21 September 2018

Manchester

Bladder and bowel problems are common but neglected areas of Geriatric medicine practice. This meeting will focus on providing comprehensive, up to date information and practical tips from leading experts in the field.

SIG Meeting

22 September

Leadership and Management Weekend 2018

22-23 September 2018

Manchester

A 2 day residential course for senior registrars focusing on management & leadership issues that affect health services for older people.

Trainee Meeting

Latest

Featured Policy & Media Blogs Resources

BGS Vacancy: Deputy Honorary Secretary 2018 - 2019

11 July 2018

The BGS is now inviting expressions of interest for the post of Deputy Honorary Secretary.

Closing date: midnight, 30 September 2018.

News article

BGS Vacancy: Vice President, Workforce

11 July 2018

The BGS is now inviting expressions of interest for the post of BGS Vice President: Workforce.

Closing date: midnight, 30 September 2018.

News article

EUGMS Survey on the assessment and management of urinary incontinence in the older patient

26 July 2018

News article

10 days in a hospital bed leads to 10 years’ worth of lost muscle mass in people over age 80

25 July 2018

I have lost count of the number of times I have quoted this fact, I use it when teaching on frailty, and I have used it when assessing people in the emergency department to explain the risks of hospital induced deconditioning. I regularly hear other Geriatricians use this fact. It is emblazoned across much of the #EndPJParalysismaterial, and is quoted (unreferenced) on the NHS improvement website.

Blog

Managing Frailty and Delayed Transfers of Care in the Acute Setting: A call to get involved!

30 July 2018

This project provides a unique data set on the pathway of frail older people through secondary care, from assessment in A&E, assessment units, inpatient wards and supported discharge. The project gives insight into why this cohort of patients appear to be more prone to delayed transfers of care. The BGS has also worked with the NHS Benchmarking Network to develop a short service user audit which will be included in the project.

Blog

Tribalism Kills; The Journey Towards Genuine Integration

08 August 2018

Tribalism does not work. We exist in a world where the cost of care for older people living with frailty, multi-morbidity, and dementia is threatening the very existence of our NHS.

Blog

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions: How to assess the mental capacity of people with dementia

20 August 2018

The importance of supporting the rights of people living with dementia is increasingly recognised, and key to this is respecting the wishes and decisions of the individual

Blog

Hip fracture management - plenty of guidelines, not enough evidence

20 August 2018

Roger Jay argues that there is a plethora of guidelines governing hip fracture, but very little evidence. He contrasts this with stroke where evidence has been the focus, to good effect. Stroke has led the way - we need evidence for managing the hip fracture patient.

In a series

Newsletters

BGS Scotland Summer Newsletter 2018

20 August 2018

BGS Scotland's Summer Newsletter reports on important national appointments, lists members of the BGS Scotland Council and the establishment of the Older Adults Assessment Unit in the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

News article

Social care: a summary of the framework and BGS's policy engagement

15 August 2018

A lot of our policy and influencing work in the last year has focused on social care and the health impacts for older people, and the associated implications for our members' work, when there are difficulties in accessing good quality social care.

Policy Update

BGS Policy Update: Summer 2018

15 August 2018

In order to make progress against our policy aims and objectives BGS engages in a mix of proactive and reactive activity. All of it is evidence-based and focused on the unique contribution that the Society is able to bring to inform policy development decisions. Some of it involves keeping a watching brief on external developments that have an impact on our members’ work and on the healthcare of older people. In this update I have provided a summary of recent developments and some of the engagement we have had.

Policy Update

BGS Wales Update - August 2018

15 August 2018

The devolved national branches of the BGS report to the BGS Board of Trustees twice a year. These reports are published in BGS News. Here, Wales reports on its activities and workforce issues.

News article

Vacancy: BGS Chief Executive

09 August 2018

Colin Nee, Chief Executive of the British Geriatrics Society will be retiring at the end of January 2019. The BGS now invites applications from suitably qualified candidates. Join us in improving the healthcare of older people across the UK.

News article

National Audit of Inpatient Falls: Expressions of interest invited to represent the BGS

02 August 2018

The Falls Workstream is currently contracted (2018-2021) to deliver the National Audit of Inpatient Falls (NAIF), a clinically led, web-based audit of inpatient falls prevention care in acute and community hospitals in England and Wales.

News article

Vacancies: Geriatricians for Canterbury District Health Board, New Zealand

31 July 2018

Canterbury District Health Board in New Zealand are looking for Geriatricians to join our team of committed and dedicated clinicians. Experience and interest in orthomedicine, community medicine and telemedicine would be desirable along with an interest in providing support to the West Coast.

News article

BGS response to call for evidence on tackling loneliness

27 July 2018

The Loneliness Strategy is Government’s first step in tackling the long-term challenge of loneliness. Loneliness is a complex issue that affects many different groups of people, and the evidence base on it is still developing.

Policy Update

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions: How to assess the mental capacity of people with dementia

20 August 2018

The importance of supporting the rights of people living with dementia is increasingly recognised, and key to this is respecting the wishes and decisions of the individual

Blog

BGS Deputy Honorary Secretary role – should I apply?

20 August 2018

If you’re thinking “That’s not for me” then allow me to persuade you otherwise! We are all extremely busy in our clinical roles and loath to take on anything extra. But some opportunities offer more in return for the time you invest, and this is one.

Blog

Autumn Speakers Series: “Interface medicine”

15 August 2018

“Interface medicine” has a number of definitions in different contexts—it seemed an appropriate title to describe primary care-trained doctors working in community or hospital settings whose aim is to maximise quality of life for older frail patients using skills and knowledge from both general practice and geriatric medicine.

Blog

Reflections of an Editor

13 August 2018

The learning opportunities that the editor’s role has afforded have been quite phenomenal. When you get to see over 1000 articles per annum you are pushed into thinking about all aspects of the speciality and clinical research methods

Blog

Are you really as old as your arteries?

10 August 2018

In recent years, the architecture and actions of arteries have gained increasing importance in understanding the cardiovascular system, with arterial stiffness emerging as a robust, non-invasive technique for assessing cardiovascular risk

Blog

Tribalism Kills; The Journey Towards Genuine Integration

08 August 2018

Tribalism does not work. We exist in a world where the cost of care for older people living with frailty, multi-morbidity, and dementia is threatening the very existence of our NHS.

Blog

Cardiovascular risk factors and frailty in a cross-sectional study of older people

06 August 2018

Screening older people to identify frailty could include opportunities to review lifestyle advice and medication to optimise levels of Cardiovascular risk factors for prevention of disability and death in frail older people.

Blog

The link between pain and frailty revealed: it’s time to move towards more effective pain management in older people

01 August 2018

The presence of pain may contribute to and/or accelerate the process of frailty in older adults through the following mechanisms: reduction of mobility and physical activity, depression, social isolation and reduction of nutritional intake. These changes could leave older adults more vulnerable and less able to effectively adapt to physiologic stressors.

Blog

Hip fracture management - plenty of guidelines, not enough evidence

20 August 2018

In a series

Newsletters

Hospital Wide CGA and the Hospital Frailty Risk Score

Evaluation of an Otago Exercise Programme and behaviour change techniques to ensure adherence

16 August 2018

In this study, the Otago Exercise Programme is enhanced with behaviour change techniques with a view to improving adherence to home exercise in frail older people

Members only

In a series

Newsletters

Nursing Perspectives on the Confusion Assessment Method

16 August 2018

The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) is used to detect delirium but its sensitivity is low when used in real-world settings. A study explored reasons for this through a series of focus groups with orthopaedic nurses at two academic hospitals in Hamilton, Canada.

Members only

In a series

Newsletters

Does pain increase delirium risk in people with dementia during a hospital admission?

16 August 2018

Alexandra Feast describes a study which highlights how people with dementia experienced pain for a substantial part of their admission without being able to communicate this pain. It explores the relationship between pain, dementia and delirium.

Members only

In a series

Newsletters

Mirabegron – useful for frail older people?

16 August 2018

Henry Woodford questions the validity of using bladder anticholinergic drugs for frail older people with urinary incontinence. He says it has not been tested in frail older people and may have its own longer-term adverse effects related to adrenergic stimulation.

Members only

In a series

Clinical guidelines

The BGS and the BAD - some good cross-pollination

16 August 2018

The British Association of Dermatologists (the BAD) invites other specialist societies to provide a ‘guest parallel session’ at the BAD annual scientific meeting and the BGS was invited to do this at the July 2018 BAD meeting in Edinburgh.

In a series

Newsletters

Low vitamin intake is associated with risk of frailty in older adults

15 August 2018

Whereas the effects of protein intake to stave off frailty have been studied, the effects of specific nutrients have not, until now.

Members only

In a series

@gerisoc on Twitter

RT @LondonDGMCourse: 🚩*Brand new date for the next London Diploma in Geriatric Medicine Course! Saturday 19th January (Written) and Sund… https://t.co/7vrDWDrA4X

6 hours 36 min ago

RT @DrYvonneChun: And even if assessed to have lost capacity for a particular decision we should still try to elicit their wishes and… https://t.co/G9hLk5NCf6

13 hours 39 min ago

Calling all BGS Members! Please read and RT @drohanlon blog 'BGS Deputy Honorary Secretary role – should I apply?'… https://t.co/DC8VzJYTlq

13 hours 52 min ago

RT @ElderlyMedEd: Work in a hospital? We bet you will see a delirious patient every single day. Come to #G4J18 and hear the brilliant… https://t.co/g8NYM6XgR6

17 hours 19 min ago

Experienced Chief Executive sought! Closing date for applications: 9am on Monday 3 September 2018… https://t.co/RCDTReTs0G

20 hours 5 min ago

We should not automatically assume that dementia equals a loss of capacity. Many people with mild or moderate demen… https://t.co/Q62uPpUYwI

20 hours 21 min ago

In order to have mental capacity, an adult must be able to: Understand relevant information, Be able to weigh up th… https://t.co/jA0z4bf3oy

20 hours 23 min ago

Assessing mental capacity can be a daunting task for both healthcare professionals and loved ones, particularly as… https://t.co/fs8ObEmzad

20 hours 25 min ago

RT @dan26wales: BP targets such a minefield with SPRINT, HYVET, Milan 75 studies and now this, main problem is seperating the robus… https://t.co/hxaS0ewy3u

20 hours 29 min ago

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions: How to assess the mental capacity of people with dementia @Age_and_Ageing… https://t.co/v9SPdzVwPJ

20 hours 29 min ago

RT @EileenBurns13: Such problems with labels. Frailty "problematic" for older people but the used in scientific literature. What alter… https://t.co/5avkTq3bf6

20 hours 48 min ago

RT @LEAD_Coalition: The @AList4Research, an online community of people living with #dementia/#Alzheimers and #carers, is shaping develo… https://t.co/WcMsVVcXh0

4 days 7 hours ago

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Toolkit for Primary Care Practitioners

Editor in Chief for Age and Ageing journal

Vacancy: BGS Chief Executive

Events

19th International Conference on Falls and Postural Stability 2018

Improving Continence in Older People 2018

Leadership and Management Weekend 2018

Latest

BGS Vacancy: Deputy Honorary Secretary 2018 - 2019

BGS Vacancy: Vice President, Workforce

EUGMS Survey on the assessment and management of urinary incontinence in the older patient

10 days in a hospital bed leads to 10 years’ worth of lost muscle mass in people over age 80

Managing Frailty and Delayed Transfers of Care in the Acute Setting: A call to get involved!

Tribalism Kills; The Journey Towards Genuine Integration

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions: How to assess the mental capacity of people with dementia

Hip fracture management - plenty of guidelines, not enough evidence

BGS Scotland Summer Newsletter 2018

Social care: a summary of the framework and BGS's policy engagement

BGS Policy Update: Summer 2018

BGS Wales Update - August 2018

Vacancy: BGS Chief Executive

National Audit of Inpatient Falls: Expressions of interest invited to represent the BGS

Vacancies: Geriatricians for Canterbury District Health Board, New Zealand

BGS response to call for evidence on tackling loneliness

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions: How to assess the mental capacity of people with dementia

BGS Deputy Honorary Secretary role – should I apply?

Autumn Speakers Series: “Interface medicine”

Reflections of an Editor

Are you really as old as your arteries?

Tribalism Kills; The Journey Towards Genuine Integration

Cardiovascular risk factors and frailty in a cross-sectional study of older people

The link between pain and frailty revealed: it’s time to move towards more effective pain management in older people

Hip fracture management - plenty of guidelines, not enough evidence

Hospital Wide CGA and the Hospital Frailty Risk Score

Evaluation of an Otago Exercise Programme and behaviour change techniques to ensure adherence

Nursing Perspectives on the Confusion Assessment Method

Does pain increase delirium risk in people with dementia during a hospital admission?

Mirabegron – useful for frail older people?

The BGS and the BAD - some good cross-pollination

Low vitamin intake is associated with risk of frailty in older adults

@gerisoc on Twitter