The year 2007 has been a good one for NSUKI and our membership has grown to around 60 members. We held a very positive and successful 7th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) at York on 16th & 17th November 2007. This was a joint meeting with British Stereotactic & Functional Neurosurgery Group. The scientific faculty of NSUKI put together an excellent 2-day agenda with general appeal to all those involved in neuromodulation. The meeting was well attended as were the industry sponsored satellite symposia organised by Boston Scientific, Medtronic and Eisai (Ziconotide). The NSUKI Board are particularly grateful to Dr. Peter Toomey for his invaluable assistance in organising such an excellent conference.

Mr. Brian Simpson is organising the next ASM. The meeting will take place at the Hilton Hotel, Cardiff in Wales on 6th, 7th & 8th November 2008. There are plans to make this a joint meeting with the Benelux Chapter of the INS. As in previous years, INS members from outside of the UK & Ireland will be very welcome to join us at our ASM and further details will be published on our website in due course.

The International Neuromodulation Conference in Acapulco was well attended by NSUKI members with several making the long journey to Mexico. Dr. Jon Valentine & Dr. Simon Thomson attended the INS Board meeting at which the highlight was without doubt the election of Dr. Thomson as the next president of the INS. Congratulations, Simon!

Last autumn, the NSUKI membership voted in an election for our next President. The results were announced at the ASM at York and Dr. Francis Luscombe, who has previously served on the board as treasurer, was elected as the next elected president. He has now rejoined the NSUKI Board as president-elect and will take over the presidency in November 2008. Congratulations and welcome back, Francis!

Educational neuromodulation seminars had been planned for January 2008 at the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain & Ireland facilities at Portland Place, London. Dr. Francis Luscombe & Dr. Jon Valentine organised these events. Unfortunately due to some administrative problems the seminars had to be postponed. The new dates for the 2 seminars are:

• 15th Oct 2008 - An introduction to Intrathecal Drug Delivery
• 16th Oct 2008 - An introduction to spinal cord stimulation

This year, NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) are appraising spinal cord stimulation for neuropathic and ischemic pain and their report is expected by November 2008. NSUKI has participated in this process which is recognised as being very important for all those involved in neuromodulation in the UK. Dr. Jon Valentine & Sam Eldabe (NSUKI Secretary) were nominated as the NSUKI representatives and submitted their contribution to NICE prior to the deadline of 20th November 2007.

Dr. Simon Thomson has put in a bid to the National Audit Advisory Group for £100K for our National SCS Database. NSUKI recognises the importance of developing a national database for neuromodulation procedures and Dr. Thomson is taking a leading role in this process.

There are currently no neurosurgeons on the NSUKI Board. To ensure continuing input, Mr. Roger Strachan, Consultant Neurosurgeon, has been co-opted to represent neurosurgical interests. Roger has been closely involved with NSUKI leading up to our joint meeting with the British Stereotactic & Functional Neurosurgery Group in November last year.

The NSUKI website is making progress with Dr. Sam Eldabe taking the leading role. Our website include details of the NSUKI Board, President’s Newsletter and details about meetings. A members’ forum sponsored by a grant from Eisai is up and running so please add to the debate and exchange thoughts and ideas on all matters “neuromodulation”. If you have forgotten your user name or unique password then contact Tia Sofatzis (ins@neuromodulation.com) or Busola Adesanya-Yusuf (busola@aagbi.org).

With so much going on, we have a great deal to look forward to in 2008 and it should be a very exciting year for all of us.

Jon Valentine, President NSUKI.
28th January 2008