BAUS 2011 Liverpool

On behalf of the Council of The British Association of Urological Surgeons, I  am delighted to invite you to our Annual Scientific Meeting, which this year, will be held at The BT Convention Centre in Liverpool from 20–23 June 2011. As always the programme features leaders in Urology from the UK and around the world and will provide you with invaluable opportunities to update your knowledge of Urology.

It is inevitable that simulation will play an increasingly important part in surgical training and we have included a session in which we will hear about current experiences in urology and other specialties in the UK and America. As those of you who have followed the debates about the Health and Social Care Bill will be aware, we face challenging times in which we need to be proactive to provide the best care for our patients and trainees. I will chair a session on Thursday examining the impact of these proposed changes on urological services. I hope this will be an invigorating and thought provoking session.

We are again delighted that the Sections of Academic Urology, Andrology & Genito-Urethral Surgery and Female, Neurological & Urodynamic Urology will be holding their respective Annual Meetings on Monday 20 June. The Sections have also supported the Programme Committee in developing the scientific sessions during the rest of the week.

Tamsin Greenwell, Director of the BAUS Offi ce of Education, has produced an excellent programme of Teaching and Skills Courses. Places are limited, please see the registration desk for more details. The Welcome Reception will this year be held in the Exhibition Hall at 18:00hr on Monday 20 June, and will provide an additional opportunity to visit the exhibition stands. On Wednesday 22 June the BAUS 2011 Social Event is an evening cruise on the River Mersey on an old Mersey Ferry (pictured right). This includes a buffet dinner and jazz band.

I would also particularly like to express our appreciation for the very generous support the Association receives for the Annual Meeting (as well as our activities more widely) from the pharmaceutical and equipment industries. I hope you will show your appreciation by visiting the stands in the Exhibition Hall during the week. We have, once again, scheduled times in to the programme to allow you to spend time visiting the exhibition.

In closing I would like to thank the Organising Committee, the BAUS Section Chairmen, Secretaries and Committee Members, our Abstract Reviewers and, in particular, our Honorary Secretary, Tim Terry, the staff in the BAUS Office and Bob Tolley (Exhibition Manager) for the enormous amount of work that has gone into planning this meeting.

Hope you enjoy the meeting ...