Chairs Message May 2025

Dear colleagues

I hope you’re all well and enjoying the warm weather recently. I’m certainly looking forward to summer now and flying to warmer climates. My daughter has been sitting her GCSEs, so the house has been very stressful! If your family members are currently sitting them, I wish them well!

Here are a few updates that I wanted to highlight before the summer months:

Conference

Don’t miss out on our early bird offer, available exclusively to members until 30th May.

The provisional programme is now available on our website—get a first look at the exciting sessions, speakers, and networking opportunities in store.

https://www.imi.org.uk/conference2025/

Lunchtime Learning is back!

Thank you to our incoming chair, Anthony, who has been gathering speakers for a triple set of lunch time learning talks. We aim to have regular Thursday lunchtime sessions offering new perspectives, expert tips and practical takeaways to inspire and inform.

The series kicks off on Thursday 29th of May with a presentation by Mike Lacey, of Wills Etcetera, giving expert guidance on everything you need to know about making a will or setting up a trust.

Following on from this we will have talks on:

3rd July – Emily Arthur (OUH) – Talk on their experience after a burglary in the department

7th July – Jack Spotwood (Prospera Wealth Management LLP) – Pensions, income protection and retirement planning.

If you have a project you have been working on, some software or practical techniques you would like to share with your fellow IMI members please get in touch! These will be short and informal sessions and can be adapted to suit your topic. Contact Anthony at chairmanelect@imi.org.uk if you would like to get involved.

https://www.imi.org.uk/events/summer-lunchtime-talks/

Awards

We’re thrilled to share that Sony will once again be sponsoring the prestigious Sony Portrait Award this year! This award recognises exceptional portrait photography from those who have submitted to the 2025 IMI Awards and celebrates the power of portraiture in the healthcare setting. It recognises the most compelling photographic portrait of a patient or healthcare professional that captures the human experience within a medical environment. Whether documenting resilience, compassion, or the quiet strength of everyday life in healthcare, this award honours both the technical skill and emotional depth of the image. The Sony Portrait Award is sponsored by Sony and highlights excellence in storytelling through portrait photography. The winner will be selected by Sony representatives and will receive a Sony camera worth over £1,000.

The Canon ‘Most Inspirational Image’ Award has also been confirmed for this year. This special recognition will celebrate the most inspiring image, selected from Gold and Silver Award winners, with the winner receiving a Canon Pro Series Photo Printer (model TBC). The winning image will demonstrate exceptional visual impact by evoking a powerful response and telling a compelling story. Above all, it should spark curiosity, wonder, or a deeper understanding, leaving an enduring impression on viewers.

A huge thank you to Sony and Canon for their generous support. Stay tuned for further details and get ready to showcase your best work!

In addition we also have the Wellcome Trust Photographic Award, which is sponsored by The Wellcome Trust and is presented to the photographic entry selected by the Trust. The winner receives a certificate and £200.

Remember you can check and manage your submissions anytime via the ‘My Award Entries’ page in the Members Area. For more information about the Awards criteria and entry guidelines, please visit: https://www.imi.org.uk/…/imi…/imi-competition-awards/

For any queries, please contact Bethan at awards@imi.org.uk

AHCS developments – Oral Scanning

Are there any departments that are currently taking 3d intra oral scans?

Some departments seem to be prevented from doing this because they are not statutorily registered and we are challenging that, so please let us know. Contact Katie at katie.owen9@nhs.net.

Goodluck to everyone submitting awards this year and make sure you register for conference, Newcastle is a beautiful city and certainly one to visit.. look forward to seeing you there!

Take care

Cat