International Primary Care Respiratory Group
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IPCRG Presidential Report 2003-04
It gives us great pleasure to present the 2003 - 04 report for this 2004 Annual General Meeting of the IPCRG. What began as a seedling in Cambridge in 2000, has grown into a sturdy sapling in 2004. The progress that has been made has been nothing short of remarkable and it is our pleasure to report that the IPCRG is on a firm footing, and poised to leap forward in a number areas.
First let us outline what has been achieved in essentially three and a half years since inception.
Membership
We have representation from 22 member countries and we are in negotiation with several others including Dubai, Malaysia, Japan, Lithuania.
Of these, we expect 13 to be full members (those who have their own organizations) and the remainder to be associate members. Our goal is to convert associates to full membership by helping to develop and foster local organizations.
Included are -
| Australia | National Asthma Council |
| Bangladesh | National Primary Care Respiratory Group |
| Canada | Family Physician Airways Group of Canada |
| Cyprus | Cyprus Respiratory Group |
| Denmark | Danish Respiratory Group |
| Ireland | Irish GP's in Asthma Group |
| New Zealand | New Zealand Primary Care Respiratory Group |
| Norway | Lunger I Praksis |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi Respiratory Asthma Group |
| Spain | Grupo Respiratorio |
| Sweden | Swedish GP Asthma Group |
| The Netherlands | COPD en Astma Huisartsen Advies Groep |
| United Kingdom | General Practice Airways Group |
In addition we have individual Associate Members from: Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, and Ukraine.
Associate Corporate Members for this year are Altana, BI, GSK, Novartis, Pfizer, Micromedical and Vitalograph. We have been given a donation from MSD for 2004. We are grateful for their support of our associate corporate members and we look forward to a long and mutually fruitful relationship.
In addition we have invited as Associate Members, the International Council of Nurses, and the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients' Association
(EFA).
We will continue to approach other organizations.
Wonca
The Executive have met with the CEO of WONCA, Alfred Loh to finalise relationship between Wonca and the IPCRG. As a result, the IPCRG is the first clinical working party of Wonca and we plan joint education events. We are submitting an abstract for a plenary and a symposia at the Wonca World Conference in Orlando October 2004. There will also be opportunities for Regional meetings.
Governance
Backdated to 18 September 2003, the IPCRG is now a Scottish Charity and Scottish Company limited by guarantee, and as a result we report to UK tax authorities. The final Memorandum and Articles are on website www.theipcrg.org
Website
We are still trying to disengage from www.ipcrg.org. We unfortunately no longer own this domain but we are negotiating repossession. Please note our current address - www.theipcrg.org
We have an exciting development and we are working with Norway and our web designer to produce a template for home page for each country so each can input their own pages.
IPAG
The final IPAG Guidelines are with GINA, GOLD, ARIA and WHO for approval. We are to be responsible for review and dissemination from now. Ron Tomlins chairs the Dissemination Committee and Onno van Schayck will assume the role of chairing the committee for continuing revision and updating of the guidelines. At the time of writing details have yet to be finalised.
Melbourne Conference:
In total we have over 420 registrations for the conference and we are looking at breaking even in regards to the costs, publication of abstracts will be in the June issue of the Primary Care Respiratory Journal (editorial decision rests with PCRJ).
As you are aware the 2006 conference is to be in Oslo, and you will hear more about this in due course.
Primary Care Respiratory Journal:
We are able to pay GPIAG for 4 editions in 2004. These will be distributed free of charge to anyone whose postal address we have.
From start of this year it will be published by Elsevier. Business plan intends to move to 6 and then 10 editions per year and it will be going for Medline status in December 2004. Individual members sit on Editorial Board but as yet there is no formal link with IPCRG.
Research
Our priority has been to establish governance and a firm financial footing for the organization. David Price chairs the research committee and we are to have what is essentially the inaugural meeting of this committee on Sunday / Monday. We have a couple of projects at the development phase so "watch this space" for future developments. We see research as one of the major planks of cooperation with our Associate Corporate Members.
Thanks
We would like to thank all members of the executive who have worked so hard on your behalf and because of this our job has been easy. Ron Tomlins has had major input into the Governance development as well as being a sound and hardworking treasurer.
Thys van der Molen has been very active with Associate Corporate Membership.
Anders strem has worker tirelessly on the WONCA initiative as well as other executive items.
But the whole thing may not have happened if it had not been for our executive staff - our CEO Sian Williams - our lynch pin - and a constant source of advice and common sense; and Sam Knowles who has put up with our idiosyncrasies with patience, and has "just got the job done".
To you all - our sincere thanks.
Jim Reid
H. John Fardy
February 2004
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