BRITISH STROKE RESEARCH GROUP

British Stroke Research Group

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 23^RD JANUARY 2003

1. Secretaryís report

David Smithard opened the meeting and thanked Christine Roffe and her staff at the University of Keele for their efforts arranging this yearís conference.
Changes on the committee:

D. Smithard to step down after 3 years as secretary to be replaced by Penny Irwin.
Philip Bath has finished his term of office on the committee. This left one place to be filled. Cath Sackley and Ron McWalter were nominated. Cath Sackley was elected by a show of hands. (Some members of the audience objected to the election being conducted by a show of hands, and asked if this was allowed by the constitution).

It was reported that membership is becoming a problem with the success of BASP and the numbers of other stroke meetings taking place, and that keeping track of members had become difficult.

2. Treasurerís report

Damian Jenkinson reported that the account balance was £10,423.38 at the end of 2001.

Income during 2002 -£1651.97
Expenses during 2002 - £2307.97
End of year account agreed was £9,767.59.

3. Future of BSRG

Alan Sunderland reported that he had conducted a survey of the membership as to the future relationship between BSRG and BASP. From approximately 400 on the membership list there had been 44 replies (10% response rate). BASP is getting larger and wants a 2-day conference and the precise membership of BSRG (although uncertain) appears to be getting smaller. 4 options were placed before those present:

To disband BSRG after the 2004 conference, and work to promote an annual stroke conference inclusive of all disciplines. (No votes)

To remain linked to BASP (No votes)

To go it alone and have a separate annual conference ñ this would probably mean an increase in subscription fees. (11 votes)

To form an umbrella organization that would promote an annual stroke conference - this would mean an increase in subscription fees and change to the constitution. (13 votes)

There were no formal abstentions but many in the audience did not vote. Concerns raised about changing the meeting included the following:

A physician did not want to move the annual meeting away from therapists and nurses, saying that interaction between the disciplines at these events was productive. He recommended the Diabetes UK model where the conferences were multidisciplinary.
Others expressed concern that they would loose the opportunity to discuss research issues as in the workshops held as part of BSRG, and that they would rather have a separate, even if this meant paying more for the annual subscription.
The opinion was expressed that BSRG had had its day and should acknowledge that it had done its job to get research and stroke better recognized.
The possibility of a big conference held each year in conjunction with other organizations including the Stroke Association was heralded as a positive way forward.
There was some concern as to whether the research interests of BSRG members would be met within a big conference. Nonetheless there were issues about the way BSRG ran itself as an informal organization at present. It was agreed that if it continued the conference would need to be centrally organized, rather than relying on local clinicians and their staff to do the organization.

It was agreed that:

There would be a postal ballot of members in the immediate future to decide the future of BSRG.
The conference in Cambridge in 2004 would go ahead as planned on 22^nd January whatever the outcome of the ballot.