Apologies for absence
Apologies were received from Anne Cruikshank, Alastair MacBain, Jim Shepherd, Richard Spooner, and Simon Walker

Minutes of the previous meeting
These were agreed as a correct record.

Matters arising
Nil – not dealt with below.

Chairman’s report
Alan Hutchison tabled a report. This and all other reports will be published on the Scottish ACB website for those not able to attend. This report detailed the Scottish ACB’s activities during the previous year. He reported the sad death during the previous year of Dr John Paterson, and that the committee had been considering how best to mark this. Two proposals had been made, the planting of a tree at Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary, and a poster prize at this year’s EuroMedLab meeting. Both of these ideas will be pursued. It was then his pleasant duty to award the John King Award to Dr Colleen Ross for her paper entitled “Nutritional support and Manganese” presented at the Spring meeting 2004.

Report from Regional Member of Council
Dr O’Reilly reported that three main issues had occupied much of council’s time in recent meetings. These were firstly Agenda for Change and its implementation. Secondly, an anxiety that the interests of the medical members of the ACB were not being well served. Dr Mike Toop has been charged with the task of setting up a Clinical Affairs Committee. This will be open to all Members of the Association with a remit to support the clinical practice of Clinical Biochemistry to complement the other more scientific activities of the Association. The final issue has been the possibility of changing the name of the ACB from the Association of Clinical Biochemists to the Association for Clinical Biochemistry. This has a number of legal implications because the name of the Association is registered and federation activities mean that it would not be a simple matter to change the name. This would be further discussed at the forthcoming council meeting and if the feeling is that the name should be changed this will be put to the wider membership.

Report from Regional Member of the Federation of Clinical Scientists
Richard Spooner was not present but had tabled a report in advance. Jacqueline MacGuire will take over from Richard Spooner in about 12 months and will shadow him in the intervening period. Paul Cawood briefly updated the meeting about progress on the Lothian PanLaboratory Review.

Report from Regional Treasurer
The accounts were circulated and expanded upon by Frank Finlay. The accounts are straightforward with receipts being capitation fees and the generous sponsors of our various meetings. These sponsors should be warmly thanked by both the committee and the wider membership. Payments made are under the headings of Meeting Expenses, Committee Expenses (primary travelling expenses), the John King Award and this year a donation also to EuroMedLab. There is a surplus for the year of approximately £500, and a reasonable reserve which allows us to continue to plan meetings in the coming year.

Report from Trainee Committee Members
A report was tabled. Trainees are encouraged to use the trainees’ mail base.

Report from Regional Tutor
A report was tabled. There are eight trainees at present and three new posts have been advertised this year. In the future, there will be three posts every year rather than the previous alternating two posts and three posts. Mike emphasised that sites for training have to be accredited via the Education Committee and he extended thanks to Philip Wenham for providing a new Training Centre in Fife.

Report from the Audit Co-ordinator
Anne Pollock tabled a report and thanked all who had participated in her questionnaires.

Scottish ACB Website
Joy Johnstone has taken over the immediate running of this site. Peter Rae reported that he would plan to increasingly use the site for communication with the membership about meetings, including the programmes and transport details. There had been some problems with e-mails for the present meeting, but the membership agreed that he should persist with this arrangement.

Membership of the Regional Committee
A number of members have reached the end of their term of office as follows:

Alan Hutchison has served three years as Chair and is not eligible to serve a further term.
Janet Tilman has been nominated as his successor. Further nominations were sought from the floor. In the absence of any nominations Janet was elected as Chair.

Bill Simpson has completed one three-year term of office for Grampian and Highlands. Nominations will be sought from the North East of Scotland constituency.

Trainees – there is a vacancy for an East of Scotland trainee representative at present and there will be a vacancy for a West of Scotland trainee representative later in the year. Nomination will be sought from the relevant trainees.

Peter Stromberg has reached the end of a second three-year term of office for Ayrshire, Arran, Dumfries and Galloway and Argyle and Clyde and is not eligible to serve a further term. Nominations will be sought from the relevant members.

Future scientific meetings
The next meeting will be held at or near the Borders General Hospital on 16th June.

AOCB
Archie McConnell expressed the view that nominations for membership of the committee should be sought openly rather than simply being made from within the committee. All agreed that this was the appropriate means of obtaining nominations, with the only reservation being that sometimes when nominations were sought in an open manner no-one volunteers, and it can then be necessary to more actively canvas for a nomination.


Peter WH Rae
Secretary
Scottish Region, ACB