July 2018
Dear friends in PAG, It is time for a EURAPAG update and there is much to report upon since my New Year message.
Firstly look out for three papers soon to be published in the European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology on current provision, best practice and the future of PAG in Europe, a piece of work completed on your behalf by the EURAPAG Board in conjunction with EBCOG.
I am very pleased to confirm that EURAPAG is now officially represented on the EBCOG Council and we now have a voice in order to consolidate high quality clinical care in PAG within Europe. Council meetings provide an excellent opportunity for networking and EURAPAG has been warmly welcomed. At the last EBCOG Board meeting the new European (PACT) curriculum was launched and I am pleased to report that EURAPAG was involved in its preparation. This brings me to a new challenge to which we are committed. Having set PAG standards, EURAPAG is now working towards a designated European PAG curriculum which for practical and logistical reasons will be based on PACT in order to ensure continuity and partnership working. This challenge is proving to be time consuming but the Board is working towards this goal and I shall update you further in my next message.
We are delighted to welcome Israel and Ireland as national societies/groups and individual members from Belarus, Georgia, Malta and Turkey. This increase in membership is most gratifying.
Do remember that we are here to support your national PAG societies. EURAPAG was successful in lobbying the Czech Ministry of Health in response to a suggestion that PAG be stripped of its subspecialty status. As a result I have been reassured by the Minister that PAG will retain its subspecialty status in the Czech Republic, much to the relief of the (two) PAG societies in that country.
Please let all your trainees know that EURAPAG will be hosting a two-day pan-European Trainees’ Meeting on 15-16 February 2019. We are hoping for a good international attendance and that this will become an annual event rotating between different countries. The meeting in February will be held in Frankfurt with its excellent transport links, and the working language will be English. We are making the meeting trainee friendly and further details will follow. Please encourage your trainees in obstetrics and gynaecology to attend.
Finally please do cascade and circulate this message to your wider membership and do let me know what is happening in PAG in your country and whether we can provide help and support in any way, With my very best wishes
Paul Wood
President EURAPAG