BASEM For a New Age

Alongside significant advances in the management of acute and chronic injuries over recent years Sport and Exercise Medicine was introduced as a new medical speciality with a recognised training programme in 2005. Since then the appearance of NHS Consultants has been a slow process, but there are emerging NHS services in London, Sheffield, Leeds and Cardiff with over 30 doctors in training as specialists. This may have been prompted by the London 2012 Olympic games but should leave a more permanent legacy than many buildings.

The training programme ensures expertise in the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of all sports injuries but also in the designing and management of exercise of those with other illnesses. The benefits of exercise in depression, cardiovascular disease and diabetes are all too well recognised but until now the advice on what type, how much and how often was difficult to come by.
The injury prevention strategies and overall health promotion within the community and specialist groups, also is part of the training of this new specialityand the education of the nations exercise professional's, therapists and colleagues in the medical profession is important.

BASEM is a members organization, discrete from the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine focused on the promotion of the speciality and the education of its members. BASEM recognizes the need to integrate the whole of the Sport and Exercise Medicine Community from consultants to general practitioners with more than a specialist knowledge, to those helping out at the sports club at weekends. We recognize the enormous experience and work which has gone into building our speciality, and wish to build on its success alongside our colleagues in physiotherapy, coaching, strength and conditioning, rehabilitation and surgery.

We started this process in 2010 with a new worldwide multi disciplinary conference which, you told us, was an enormous success and as such are focusing on our affiliate member scheme as we emphasize the multi disciplinary nature of our role.

We have used the UKSEM logo, as was the intention to redesign the BASEM logo to emphasize the steering hand and In rebranding the BASEM website we have sought to offer you unique and ongoing online learning, and further added value with partnerships with eth BJSM and UKAD. We also have highlighted the origins of the association and emphasized the important role of those in integral to its success with an honor board of many names you will recognize.

We start 2011 with a new website, with a forum where we can raise questions, issues and concerns, we will also blog, twitter and launch our video lecture series for members and continue to redevelop our in person, and online learning objectives.

We will shortly relaunch our educational courses with a progressive programme of tiered courses to replace our existing  programme.