Annual Report of the Council 2005-2006

President's Report

Head Office staff were on the front line of the global terrorism that has beset our world this year. In July last year a bus exploded just in front of the building that houses AMSPAR. As I waited for news a text message from Tom, our Chief Executive, told me that all the team were safe. It was a terrible time for everyone touched by the horror of the bombings that struck down ordinary people just travelling to work or setting off on a day’s site seeing in the capital. This report is an opportunity for all of us involved in AMSPAR to reflect on the horrors, count our many blessings and remember all those who died and those who lost loved ones.

A few men and an electronic device ended and changed lives, and the team at AMSPAR are undoubtedly different following the events on July 2005. I live in Brighton and clearly recall the night the IRA blew a hole in our beloved Grand Hotel in an attempt to murder Margaret Thatcher. An atrocity so close to home is never forgotten. Following the attacks on bus and underground, the work of AMSPAR hardly faltered, even though staff weren’t allowed into the building initially. Paperwork got taken home and was worked on, students and tutors probably hardly noticed the blip. This report is also an opportunity for me to thank our Head Office team for their resilience, their commitment and their willingness to just get on with the jobs despite the terrifying events of that July morning and the effects these events must have had on each and every one of them.

Life and work goes on … and AMSPAR has used 2005-6 to consolidate the growth and development reported on in the last few annual reports. This year we repeated the residential event that had been so useful last year. Head Office staff, Council members and Chief Examiners worked on a variety of important issues. It would be easy as a small organisation to spend so much time reacting to the vagaries of our governing bodies - remember, we are required to react to government initiatives and the inspiration of civil servants working in both Education AND Health Care. We could fill our days responding to ideas formulated by others. However, we have always tried to remain proactive, using our knowledge of external drivers and our communication with members to develop qualifications and courses that provide AMSPAR students with what they need to do their jobs effectively. We hope the time away from the office will become an annual event where we can allow ourselves time for creativity and product innovation.

Make no mistake, ALL those working to deliver cost effective health services need recognition, support and a range of development opportunities. AMSPAR remains committed to providing this for its members and those who access our courses and qualifications.

Pauline Young, President

Treasurer's Report

I am pleased to say this year we are able to show a slight profit which means, as an Association, we appear to be in a stable position. Although income from Membership is slightly down, the balance is redressed by the increase in Education income. Hopefully, with the new initiatives taking place whereby everyone is being encourage to have skills for life coupled with promotion of continuing professional development, our qualifications and programmes will become even more popular.

As those of you who read last year’s balance sheet you will remember the Association invested £50k in a high interest Investment Bond which this year has yielded nearly £1.5k in interest, and this will continue at approximately the same level for the coming year. Our post and telephone charges have fallen against previous years but we have to be aware that with the new postal charges that were introduced at the beginning of April along with PPP these may in fact rise. For those who may have missed PPP in the news, there is now a wider spread of charges for letters, packages, etc which are of non-standard sizes. This will obviously make a difference when we have to send out examination papers etc.

Coming up in the next year there will be expenditure in upgrading the computer system once again (it is now three years since its last upgrade). We are awaiting details from QCA with regard to technical specifications that Awarding Bodies may require in the future.

I hope you will accept this report as it stands. It is not the most exciting thing to read but at least as I said at the beginning, we are in a stable position.

Jennifer Kerry, Honorary Treasurer

Chief Executive's Report

The past year is one that will remain in the memory for a long time for a variety of reasons. The most painful one should be dealt with first: the events of July 7th and its consequences.
The explosion of the bus outside BMA had an impact on the staff in a variety of ways; some were in the office at the time while others were still embarked on their journey. We all have our memories of that day and our thoughts remain with those who are no longer with us or who still bear the scars.

However, AMSPAR still had its obligations to meet and, despite being denied access to the office for 12 days, staff worked to ensure that all the published result dates were met.

I believe it is particularly appropriate to thank the staff at the outset of this report as they have had a number of obstacles to overcome during the year. The terrorist attack aside we have also had to cope as a number of people have come and gone. But I do want to thank Donna Daniel, Mike Kay, Ann Roberts, Marta Pałaczyńska, Debbie Warren, Penny Bateman, Michael Fiennes and Annie Matthews for their contributions over the period and Nerys Cater who has since joined us. Apart from this team I also record my thanks to the numerous volunteers, examiners and casual staff who ensured that AMSPAR had a successful year.

Whilst we were tackling our routine business we have had much to deal with on the regulatory front where many proposals and innovations have been taking place. Many of you will be aware of the Charities Bill which has been working its way through Parliament. Numerous consultations have taken place but, ahead of this is the new reporting requirements which has entailed extra work for our Annual Report this year.

As QCA move towards a new credit based framework, AMSPAR has been in the vanguard as one of only 9 Awarding Bodies to have a credit based Qualification in the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales - our Certificate in Medical Terminology for Non-Clinical Professionals (it is also now within the NQF).

QCA are now at a two year ‘Test and Trial’ stage of their proposals. AMSPAR is not part of this due to the specifications. However, should the proposals come into force there will be many implications for our organisation. All qualifications will have to be restructured and we will require further investment in our IT structure.

The latter is likely regardless due to the imminent introduction of the Unique Learner Number next year coupled with the Learner Achievement Record. We also await to hear what the IT requirements will be for the Common Centre recognition proposals.

Another developing area we have been closely involved in with QCA and Skills for Health is the introduction of the new Specialised Diploma for 14-19. Although normally not the age group we would be involved with components within the Health and Social Care Diploma are very much our specialist field.

As you will gather from the above it has been a busy year - and the forthcoming one will be no less hectic as the outcomes of the Health White Paper begin to be rolled out. We will be there to support members in carrying out this work and ensuring that staff are qualified to meet the tasks they are asked to do.

Tom Brownlie, Chief Executive

Membership Report

Repetition is, I know, very boring, but once again I am pleased to be able to repeat my annual announcement about an increase in new member recruitment this year. Taking into account the number of new members and the number of lapsed memberships at the end of the 2005/2006 membership year, we have a credit balance of 510. From my contacts with other membership managers during the year, I find that most, but not all, are still reporting net losses. Interestingly, those that are reporting gains all represent professional secretaries working in different disciplines.

As ever, our members are coming to us from different sources; successful candidates in our examinations, those recommended by friends and colleagues, people finding our website on the internet and deciding that we have something special to offer them and, very gratifyingly, lapsed members who have realised what they are missing, so come back to us. All are very welcome, as will others who wish to join us.

As further evidence of AMSPAR’s raised profile, we are working with a number of organisations whose work will have far reaching consequences. One of the most important is the Primary Care Forum of the NHS Security Management Service, which is looking at ways of reducing the unacceptably high level of violence faced by front line NHS staff. Another is a reference group at the Disability Rights Commission which is working on guidance to NHS staff, to ensure that disability equality is embedded in the way that public bodies carry out their business. It has been a particular pleasure for me to be involved in such essential work.

Guidelines have been produced to inform our members (and those non-members who are prepared to pay for them) on a variety of topics during the past year. Probably the most important is the AMSPAR anti discrimination legislation pack, which brings together information about all forms of anti discrimination legislation in one document. Other new additions include Networking and Significant Event Audit.

We have given a large number of media interviews on the subject of the increasing number of trusts that are outsourcing their medical transcription work. We firmly believe that the right people to do this important work are properly trained medical secretaries, and this is the message that we have given in all our television, radio and newspaper interviews.

Finally, our AGM/learning event for 2005 was held at the Assembly House, Norwich on 7th October. The guest speaker at the event, Iain Henderson, is an expert in conflict resolution, and his excellent presentation was greatly appreciated by those present. Unfortunately very few members booked for the event, which was very disappointing. The support of our members will be essential in the coming year if we are to maintain our position in the healthcare arena.

Michael Fiennes, Communications Manager

Download the full report

A copy of the full annual report, with tables and financial figures, is available to download from our web site as a PDF file (112k).

The Association of Medical Secretaries, Practice Managers, Administrators and Receptionists
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