October 2011 saw the 44th Annual Conference of the Institute of Medical Illustrators in Cheshunt, which lies just to the north of London. I attended my first IMI Conference in 1979 at the University of Swansea, and in thirty-plus years, I have been fortunate to be able to attend quite a number of these events, although I would not describe myself as a ‘regular’. Despite the relentless march of time and the technological changes this has brought to the profession, I was struck by the enthusiasm of the members who attended, especially amongst the students. This enthusiasm has survived the passage of time, and should be recognised and nurtured, particularly by heads of service who are able to influence and support attendance to such events.
In 1979, I was described by one distinguished member of IMI as a ‘rebellious Scot’, a charge I still plead guilty to on both counts. I had, and retain, a fondness for asking ‘why’ questions, and it was perceived that I was questioning in areas that should not have concerned me at the time. This year at the Annual General Meeting of the Institute, not a single question was asked of the officers. In addition, an election had taken place for vacancies on the IMI Council; however, there was an exceptionally poor return despite the introduction of online electronic voting. The fact that the Chairmanship was unopposed, and has been for several years now, is a sad reflection on the current membership. So, “Well done” to all those brave enough to stand for Council, and if you were unsuccessful this time, I would urge you to stand again. The Institute needs people who are willing to get involved.
When invited to write this guest editorial, I noted that the norm was for incoming Chairmen to outline what they hope to achieve for the Institute over their term of office. Well, my aim is simple: to increase engagement with the membership. Somewhere amongst the delegates at the conference was a future Chairman and perhaps several members of the IMI Council, and I would like to encourage everyone to have a say in the running of their Institute. The global financial situation continues to have an effect on the devolved National Health Services in the United Kingdom, and it is vital that the membership (who have a choice where their hard-earned money is spent), feel that they are getting a quality service from their professional body. The way to ensure this is by engaging with the Institute and having your voice heard.