The first meeting of the British Society for Haematology (BSH) took place on 19 November 1960. For 60 years BSH has been dedicated to helping members support people with blood disorders and diseases.
Our 60th anniversary is a time for recognising the breadth of roles within the multidisciplinary haematology team and acknowledging the contribution of haematology professionals to the advancement of medicine and the transformation of patient care.
60 at 60 Exhibition
Our 60 at 60 exhibition explores the history of haematology through 60 stories, people, objects and memories.
Crafted from member contributions, our initial focus was on the past 60 years - the lifetime of BSH - but we quickly discovered our members have a wealth of objects and knowledge of fascinating facts about haematology stretching back through five centuries.
Enjoy this journey through history and maybe consider whether you have any historical haematology items or stories of your own to share.
Anniversary themes
In gathering contributions from across the haematology community, we have identified 5 themes that are as relevant today as they were 60 years ago:
It is not too late to participate - share your own thoughts or reflections on haematology and/or milestones in the development of the specialty over the past 60 years. Please send contributions to [email protected].
Acknowledgements
We are extremely grateful to the many individuals and organisations who have contributed to our 60th anniversary activities.
Reflections on 2020 and the impact of Covid-19
Covid-19 has impacted all our lives.
As part of our 60 at 60 exhibition, we commissioned three poems to reflect the changes and challenges faced by those working in haematology during the pandemic.
Visit our 2020 gallery to see the images our members feel represent their experiences in 2020.
Infected Blood Inquiry
Thanks in part to advances like the introduction of hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing for donors in 1991, the safety standards around blood supply in the UK are now among the highest in the world. However, NHS procedures and practices around blood transfusion in the 1970s and 1980s would not be acceptable by today’s safety standards, and many men, women and children in the UK were given infected blood and /or infected blood products whilst receiving treatment.
At the British Society for Haematology (BSH), we would like to extend our deepest sympathies to all those who were infected, and to their loved ones, during this period.
The Infected Blood Inquiry (IBI) is now examining the circumstances in which patients treated by the NHS in the 1970s and 1980s came to receive infected blood and/or blood products. More information about the IBI is available at: https://www.infectedbloodinquiry.org.uk/
The BSH: Statement on Infected Blood Inquiry, Second Interim Report can be read here