The great and the good of the radiography profession and many other esteemed guests from the world of healthcare gathered together in London on Wednesday 2 July to celebrate the appointment of the Society’s new president.
Michael Graveling, a radiographer in the radiotherapy department at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, was sworn in as the 71st president.
Handing over the president’s badge of office, outgoing president Zena Mitton said she felt privileged to have been president. Following the hand-over Michael Graveling took to the stand and praised Zena for her “calm, considered leadership” and “determination to do what is right for the profession”.
Zena Mitton becomes immediate past president and Chair of Council for the year ahead. Michael then presented Gill Dolbear as the new president elect. Sandie Mathers, one of the three Council members for Scotland, was elected as vice president.
Michael spoke eloquently of the changes the profession is facing and how the Society has adapted to support its membership, as well as the profession as a whole.
He said: “The Society has set in train an evolutionary process, geared to allow us to respond effectively to the changing needs of those who use our services.
“It is a process that has been partly influenced by changes beyond our control, but largely one that has been driven by our awareness of the absolute necessity of fulfilling the needs of the profession.
“Whether those needs are professional in the form of guidance, CPD and practice accreditation, or industrial relations related, the focus is on creating an organisation that continues to respond quickly to supporting its membership.
“As such it remains a major challenge to the organisation and one to which everyone must commit.”
Michael urged each and every member of the Society to drive the profession’s agenda by getting more involved.
The evening's guest speaker Dr Michael Williams, consultant clinical oncologist at the Addenbrookes Oncology Centre in Cambridge, officially welcomed Michael Graveling to his new role.
Dr Williams spoke of the radiography profession’s key role in developing radiotherapy and spoke of the challenges the profession faces.
He said: “Over the last few years the professions have worked together to convince government that radiotherapy has been shamefully under resourced in our countries. We have now won that argument, but the challenge for all of us is to deliver change on the ground.”
The presidential inauguration also provided the opportunity to recognise members of the profession who had won awards at the 2008 United Kingdom Radiology Congress.
Victoria Brown received the Alan Nichols Memorial Award for best proffered paper. The winner of the Beth Whittaker Prize for best paper is Keith Piper.
The recipient of the award for best paper by a student, the Forder Memorial Prize, went to Joanna Wilson, Elizabeth Rom and Victoria Porter. Congratulations to all five winners!
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