Our principal purpose is to promote the health of children in Scotland. This is achieved by holding academic meetings and providing junior staff with funds to travel to international meetings.
Academic meetings and AGMs
There are two academic meetings each year. These meetings pivot around the presentation of clinical cases and research and audit projects. They benefit from friendly but incisive questions and comments from the audience.
Traditionally, the St Andrew’s Day Paediatric Symposium is held in November, and immediately preceded by the Annual General Meeting. The venue alternates yearly between Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and attendance is open to all members of the Society.
The Summer Meeting is hosted in another city or large town in Scotland, typically in June.
Constitution
The Society shall be called "The Scottish Paediatric Society" and its objects shall be the advancement of academic, scientific and clinical knowledge of Child Health and Paediatrics and the promotion of friendship among paediatricians in Scotland.
Governance and who we are
The SPS has a President, a Secretary and an Executive Committee (EC). The EC is elected by the members of the Scottish Paediatric Society at the Annual General Meeting, and also includes an Honorary Treasurer serving six years, and seven EC members who are elected for four years.
The President serves on the SPS Executive Committee as President Elect for the first year and then as President the following year. The Honorary Secretary and Treasurer is elected for a six-year term.
Dr Rosie Hague
President
Term started: November 2023
Term ends: November 2024
Dr Christine Findlay
President elect
Term starts: November 2023
Term ends: November 2024
Dr Lana O'Hara
Honorary Secretary and Treasurer
Term started: November 2023
Term ends: November 2028
Other Executive Committee members
Nine EC members are elected for four years as follows:
- Three members represent the four main academic centres in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow
- Three members whose work is primarily out with the four main academic centres
- One member from either an academic or non-academic centre
- Two members represent the trainees
Dr Dave Beattie
Consultant Paediatrician, University Hospital Wishaw
Term started: November 2023
Term ends: November 2027
Dr Gulshan Malik
Consultant Paediatrician, RHC Aberdeen
Term started: November 2019
Term ends: November 2023
Dr Umair Khan
Consultant Paediatrician, RHSC Edinburgh
Umair.khan@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
Term started: November 2018
Term ends: November 2024
Dr Stuart Henderson
Consultant Paediatrician (Highland)
Term started: June 2023
Term ends: June 2027
Dr Kristyna Bohmova
Consultant Paediatrician (Forth Valley)
Term started: November 2020
Term ends: November 2024
Dr Jamie Cruden
Consultant Paediatrician (Fife)
Term started: November 2020
Term ends: November 2024
Dr Carla Visocchi
Trainee Paediatrician,
Trainee Representative
Term started: November 2022
Term ends: November 2026
Dr Niall Donaldson
Trainee Paediatrician,
Trainee Representative
Term started: June 2024
Term ends: June 2028
VACANCY
There are two more posts co-opted to the SPS ED: Officer for Scotland of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and a Scottish Association of Community Child Health (SACCH) representative.
Dr Mairi Stark
RCPCH Officer for Scotland and Consultant Paediatrician
Elected: February 2021
Term ends: February 2026
Dr Alison Mcluckie
SACCH Representative and Consultant Paediatrician
Elected: November 2023
Term ends: November 2027
Membership
Membership of the SPS provides great opportunities to promote the health and welfare of children, to further academic interests, to learn from colleagues and is always thoroughly enjoyable and fulfilling.
Past officers
Presidents
- 2022-23 - Steve Turner
- 2021-22 - Patricia Jackson
- 2019-21 - Mary Callaghan
- 2018-19 - Helen Mactier
- 2017-18 - Sheena Kinmond
- 2016-17 - Donald Macgregor
- 2015-16 - Ishaq Abu-Arafeh
- 2014-15 - Jack Beattie
- 2013-14 - Ian Laing
- 2012-13 - Robert McWilliam
- 2011-12 - Robert Simpson
- 2010-11 - Peter Helms
- 2009-10 - Ann Harvie
- 2008-09 - Neil McIntosh
- 2007-08 - Ruth Thomson
- 2006-07 - Richard Olver
- 2005-06 - John McClure
- 2004-05 - Peter Smail
- 2003-04 - Tom Turner
- 2002-03 - Keith Brown
- 2001-02 - Leyla Al-Roomi
- 2000-01 - William Uttley
- 1999-2000 - George Russell
- 1998-99 - Ian Ruthven
- 1997-98 - Alistair Blair
- 1996-97 - Norman Coutts
- 1995-96 - Krishna Goel
- 1994-95 - Valerie Marrian
- 1993-94 - Forrester Cockburn
- 1992-93 - Colin Galloway
- 1991-92 - James Syme
- 1990-91 - Alexander Campbell
- 1989-90 - Eric Coleman
- 1988-89 - Sydney Wilson
- 1987-88 - W. Morton Fyfe
- 1986-87 - Gavin Arneil
- 1985-86 - James Farquhar
- 1984-85 - Alexander Speirs
- 1982-84 - Ross Mitchell
- 1980-82 - J. Oman Craig
- 1978-80 - W. Hugh Galloway
- 1976-78 - Robert Shanks
- 1974-76 - Donald Douglas
- 1972-74 - John Forfar
- 1970-72 - Patrick MacArthur
- 1968-70 - John L. Henderson
- 1966-68 - James Hutchinson
- 1964-66 - James Thompson
- 1962-64 - Richard W. B. Ellis
- 1960-62 - Douglas Nicholson
- 1958-60 - Angus MacGregor
- 1956-58 - John Craig
- 1954-56 - Stanley G. Graham
- 1950-54 - Charles McNeil
- 1946-50 - Geoffrey B. Fleming
Secretaries
- Current - Lana O'Hara
- 2016-2023 - Lynn Macleod
- 2010-2016 - Christine Findlay
- 2003-2010 - Ishaq Abu-Arafeh
- 1999-2003 - Donald MacGregor
- 1994-1999 - John B. Beattie
- 1987-1994 - Alistair Blair
- 1980-1987 - Colin Galloway
- 1964-1980 - Eric Coleman
- 1957-1964 - Ross G. Mitchell
- 1948-1957 - James H. Hutchison
- 1946-1948 - George L. Montgomery
Secretaries of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Paediatric Club
- 1922-1926 - Leonard Findlay
- 1926-1933 - Lewis H. F. Thatcher
- 1933-1946 - Noah Morris
You can also view the winners of our past prizes.