Spectrum 2019 Summer

Notes from the BEAI AGM

Executive Committee 2018/2019

The Executive Committee lead on the various activities for the organisation, and the output of the BEAI would not be possible without their commitment, dedication and hard work. This has been a key factor in the positive development of the BEAI over its many years since 1992. As in previous years, I would like to thank all of our members, who have entrusted the Executive to manage the services provided by the BEAI for the members. This year, we welcomed Bernard Murphy, John Adlington and Robert Kinsella to the Executive. And throughout the year, we have progressed in developing the roles of professional development, student representation and various subgroup leads to ensure we continue to deliver on our strategy. I would like to thank Andrea Fottrell for her work on the Executive as she steps down from her role as Education Officer.

The BEAI are always looking for new members for both the executive committee and as non-executive members on the various subgroups that work alongside the main executive, including the education, Spectrum Journal and IT subgroups. Please get in touch at chairperson@beai.ie if you want more information or to discuss this further.

Finance

Oleg Shrolik has continued to work tirelessly as our treasurer – a role that is extremely important and highly demanding. Oleg has managed to steer the organisation through the financial year, ensuring that the books are kept right and the best value is obtained for every cent spent. This year saw the investment in the position of executive development administrator, a role that is remunerated. I see this as a solid investment for the future development of the BEAI, but in order to sustain this trajectory, we must continue to grow and diversify our sources of income as per our Strategic Plan 2016-2020.

Membership

Membership development, led by John Adlington and assisted by our executive development administrator Barbara Conway, has been a success, with substantial increases in both individual and corporate membership subscriptions year on year. Individual membership to the end of May 2019 was at 54, compared to 67 for the whole of 2018. Similarly, corporate membership was at 34 at the end of May 2019, compared to 37 for the whole of 2018. This would indicate we are on track to once again increase the membership base in 2019. The focus for this area is now on membership benefits, asking ourselves how we can add value to the membership, what services we should offer, engagement methods with our members and developing a knowledge centre on the website. All of this work is in line with another objective of our Strategic Plan 2016-2020 to increase membership to enhance the representative capability of the organisation.

Spectrum Journal

Frank Kelly continues to lead the publication of our prized Spectrum Journal. We continue to produce 3 x high-quality publications each year, containing articles and news snippets from across academia, industry and hospital sectors. We continue to lead with a hard-copy production of the Journal, and believe this has worked out very well for the readership. We are also continuing to work on specific article access to the Journal online, and are currently working on the development of knowledge banks for various topics of interest via the website system. A subgroup has been set up to assist with future publications – new members are always welcome. Please contact Frank on spectrum@beai.ie if you have any articles for submission or suggestions for Spectrum Journal.

Education

Rob Vavasour has taken the lead on this work in recent times, in conjunction with our executive development administrator. This work includes identifying educational needs for our members, and liaising with session leads and the Health and Social Care Professions (HSCP) on how best to meet these needs. This subgroup are very active, with a busy calendar published for 2019, and plans being put in place for 2020. Corporate members are being given opportunities to reach out to our membership with training and education opportunities and our AHP and other healthcare colleagues are getting involved and attending many events. Strides have been made with standardised templates for the promotion of events, various payment and registration options and feedback forms to ensure we keep listening to the membership. Developing a strategy for education and training for our members continues to be a core objective of our Strategic Plan 2016-2020. The HSCP’s National Office have continued to support the members of the BEAI in providing funding and support mechanisms towards the continuing professional development (CPD) services that we provide. If there are any topics that you would like to see covered under the education series, please contact Rob at education@beai.ie

Annual Scientific Conference

The 2018 Annual Scientific Conference took place on October 5, 2018 in the Clayton Hotel, Galway. It once again broke all records previously set, with more attendees, more exhibitors and a higher profile than previous conferences. We had the pleasure of hosting our international colleagues from Italy and the IFMBE. I would like to thank the Gold Sponsor Aquilant, along with Damien and all his team for working with us to deliver this high class event. I am also pleased to announce that this year’s 2019 conference will take place in the Clayton Hotel, Cork, on Friday, October 4, 2019 with Olympus as our Gold Sponsor. We hope to continue moving the event around the country and getting local groups involved in the organisation of same. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you all to submit a poster or oral abstract for consideration, and hope to see you there on the day.

IT developments

The IT subgroup are working through a lengthy agenda to ensure that the BEAI continues to grow and evolve to facilitate our member services. The subgroup has identified areas requiring development and are working with our service partners to enhance both the member and visitor experience with our online facilities. With feedback from members, we have identified three core elements currently being re-developed. This will include an enhanced database search engine which will provide members with improved and up to date information. Development of our website will give an enhanced user experience which will include an online knowledge repository. As our education events continue to grow in popularity, we will also be utilising efficient registration system for events. This work has been focussed with membership feedback to the fore. The subgroup will continue to work with this valuable input to ensure members are part of both the process and progress into the future development of our IT services.

Governance

Governance is a very important aspect to any organisation, and is concerned with the systems by which organisations are run, directed and controlled. It is about developing and implementing the appropriate structures and processes to ensure that an organisation is run effectively. Along with existing systems, processes and structures already in place, the BEAI continue to develop and strengthen its governance policies and procedures, to ensure our members and the organisation are fully protected. We have developed a comprehensive governance document in line with company law for limited companies and the standard operating recommended procedures for non-profits. This includes:

1. Review of Constitution – updating to incorporate all of the above.
2. Code of Professional Conduct.
3. Conflict of Interest Policy Document.
4. Committee Member Obligations Document (code of behaviour and responsibility).
5. Outline role and job descriptions for all key officers.
6. Review and update of all financial management procedures.
7. Review and update of membership; application, entitlements, dismissal.
8. Data Protection.

We will continue to roll out these policies and procedures to ensure the organisation is run and controlled in a professional and effective manner.

Collaboration with other organisations/international work

We continue to collaborate with various other organisations both nationally and internationally. These include the Irish Medical and Surgical Trade Association (IMSTA), Engineers Ireland, National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), the UK’s Institue of Engineeing and Medicine (IPEM), the European Alliance for Medical and Biological Engineering & Science and our international body, the International Federation of Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE), along with our colleagues in medical physics and other HSCPs. I feel these collaborations are extremely important for learning, development and network building. They also assist in achieving one of our Strategic Plan objectives to position the BEAI as the voice and thought leader of the profession. In particular, we have been busy working with our international colleagues across the globe, with Peter Grainger leading the way this year in progressing this agenda. These works have included attendance at the IFMBE’s international scientific conference held in Prague 2018 and representation by Peter at the EU Parliament EPIG Forum in Brussels. On behalf of the IFMBE, Peter also attended the IMDRF world regulators meeting in Moscow in March, and Liam Hackett and John Adlington have been in attendance at CED meetings contributing as global nomenclature advisors.

Ireland was invited to have representation on both the membership and CED IFMBE committees, with Peter Grainger as co-chair of the IFMBE membership committee and chair of the CED Committee titled Health Technology Regulation. Last September, Peter Grainger and I hosted Prof J Goh, Present of the IUPESM in Dublin, in which he was very complimentary of the Irish BEAI/clinical engineering model and has continued to engage with us as advice to the establishment of a Singapore BEAI model. Declan Murray also continues to represent the BEAI in the UK at the CESIG.

As has been stated previously, I am acutely aware that we must continue to move forward as a professional membership organisation in a progressive manner, and in order to achieve key developments and growth for our members, we have made various structural changes and investments to allow this to happen. We remain fully committed to providing resources to support and assist the professional development of you as members, and ask that, as fellow Biomedical and Clinical Engineers, you join with us in this journey and shape the professions future. Yours Sincerely,

Brian Kearney
Chairperson,
BEAI Email: chairperson@beai.ie