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Update on the future of the BPSU
December 2012
We are pleased to announce that the BPSU has now secured funds to guarantee its financial viability for the next three years, and it will remain hosted by the RCPCH in London. Thanks to generous grants from Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity and the UCL- Institute of Child Health, and committed support from the Health Protection Agency, the Scottish Executive and the RCPCH, the BPSU will continue to function with a full-time scientific co-ordinator (Richard Lynn) and a part-time research facilitator (Rachel Winch).
We hope to start negotiating a new long term contract with the new Public Health England when it comes into being in April 2013.
The RCPCH is still reviewing its governance structures, but at the moment the BPSU continues as a tripartite model between RCPCH, the HPA/HPS and UCL. Co-ordination of the international surveillance network (INoPSU) has been successfully transferred to Sydney, which enables the reduced staffing in the BPSU office in London to concentrate on surveillance studies in the UK and Ireland.
The strategic priorities of the BPSU over the next three years include moving to e-reporting and investigating online questionnaires to reduce costs and administration; and developing closer links with college speciality groups to encourage more surveillance projects initiated by practicing paediatricians. Researcher charges which were increased in 2011 to £10 000 for the first year and £5 000 for subsequent years will be held at this time. This still represents excellent value for money considering the research support provided and the data collection facilitated by the BPSU.
The BPSU Scientific Committee recruited 2 new members in 2012: Simon Nadel from St Mary’s Hospital, London and Simon Lenton from Bath, to replace Shankar Kanumakala and Richard Reading. My thanks go to Shankar and Richard for all their work on the committee and their support for the BPSU over many years. Two new professional members and two lay members will be sought in 2013.
Please keep returning your orange cards, either by post or by email, as the unique strength of the BPSU is being able to mount surveillance studies and maintain a 90% response from paediatricians in the UK and Ireland.
With best wishes for 2013.
Professor Alan Emond
Chair, BPSU Executive Committee
Associated Publications, Resources and Links
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