Annual General Meeting 2008
2 Mar 2008
Past, Present and Future
Annual General Meeting - 2nd February 2008
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London
1. Welcome
Nicholas Panay, the Chairman of NAPS, welcomed members, sponsors, volunteers and trustees to the meeting, and thanked them for their contributions.
2. Update on the progress and current situation of NAPS
2.1 Chris Ryan who recently resigned as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) was thanked for taking the organisation forward. Jackie Howe has undertaken oversight of the administration in the absence of a CEO.
2.2 It was explained that NAPS is going through a period of consolidation with the aims being:
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To raise funds and to ensure the continued viability of the charity.
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Priority to re-establish an administrative infrastructure and recruit a new CEO.
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To increase publicity via a media-campaign planned through Nigel Denby (NAPS Public Relations Officer).
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To develop and take forward the Women's Health Alliance, whereby NAPS along with other organisations related to women's health will form a "united umbrella".
2.3 The Chairman highlighted the benefits of the website, forum and bulletin. "Ask The Experts" continues to provide a valuable service for sufferers.
2.4 A conference for health professionals is planned for London in 2008.
2.5 It was agreed that the year ahead will be an exciting time, with much planned.
3. Approval of the Minutes of the last AGM (15th November 2006)
4. Matters arising
4.1 NAPS' PRO will collate information on how best to develop NAPS website. Committee members were invited to compare and contrast other websites concerning women's health matters with the present NAPS website and forward their comments and suggestions to him.
4.2 It was noted that NAPS receives enquiries from the United States, and as a result it was thought that this offered an opportunity for expansion. Members of the committee will actively seek links for NAPS in the United States.
4.3 It was thought that a number of adaptations should be made to certain components of the website, particularly in light of the proposed charges to be made to professionals accessing the site (see point 6.2 below). Preferences for a separate forum or an "open site" for health professionals were discussed.
5. Treasurer's Report and approval of the draft accounts
5.1 The Treasurer, Jackie Howe, presented the annual accounts highlighting the continued fragility of the charity, since, due to ill health and staff turnover, very little fundraising had taken place over the past year.
5.2 Jackie thanked all NAPS corporate sponsors, mentioning in particular the pharmaceutical company Wyeth, and all individual supporters.
5.3 Currently NAPS is cutting costs sensibly and there are no employees. The charity is sustained by volunteers though there is obviously a pressing need to recruit a new CEO.
5.4 The current finances have been approved in draft and await finalisation.
6. Subscription Resolution
6.1 The annual "ordinary" subscription to NAPS should increase from £20.00 to £25.00 with immediate effect. Concessions should increase from £10.00 to £12.50.
Proposer: Jackie Howe Seconder: Gilly Andrew
7. Election of Honorary Treasurer and Honorary Secretary and two membersof the committee
7.1 Election of the Honorary Treasurer. Jackie Howe was re-elected.
Proposer: Nick Panay Seconder: Gilly Andrews
7.2 Election of the Honorary Secretary. Carrie Sadler was re-elected.
Proposer: Jackie Howe Seconder: Julia Hammnd
7.3 Election of the Committee Members. Julia Hammond and Annie Hawkins were voted to remain on the committee.
Julia Hammond Annie Hawkins
Proposer: Jackie Howe Proposer: Frances Johnson
Seconder: Claudine Domoney Seconder: Carrie Sadler
(Next year requires election of the Chairman and the Public Relations Officer)
8. Any other business
8.1 In order to raise the profile of NAPS, it was suggested that stands could perhaps be rented at relevant meetings and conferences, such as the Royal College of Nursing and "Nursing in Practice", shared with pharmaceutical companies such as Wyeth and also the Women's Health Alliance.
8.2 Primary Care Conferences. It was suggested that when Committee Members are invited to be speakers, then a stand could be erected at the given conference. Members were asked to supply the NAPS' PRO with information of any such conferences planned in their areas.
8.3 NAPS should be advertised at meetings such as Women's Health Concern. Their next meeting will be held on 18th April 2008.
8.4 Training courses on PMS for health care professionals. Such courses would be welcomed by GP's who are encouraged by the Primary Care Trusts and the DoH to acquire additional skills.
8.5 Up-dated information leaflets should be distributed whenever possible to health care professionals and journalists.
8.6 Celebrities who have supported NAPS in the past should be encouraged to come forward again to publicise NAPS' work.
8.7 It was asked whether further research had been carried out based on the pioneering work of Dr. Katharina Dalton focussing on natural progesterone. Apparently four trials have been run, on small numbers of people, but the results have been inconclusive. There remains a need for a Randomised Control Trial (RCT) studying progesterone only treatment.
8.8 The meeting was informed that PMS guidelines for the RCOG would be launched imminently.
