History

The British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy was founded in 1989 to improve standards, promote training and encourage the exchange of information in minimal access techniques. The foundation of the society followed the first UK meeting in Minimal Access Surgery, planned by Alan Gordon, Victor Lewis and the late Alec Turnbull. Held at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford in 1988, the meeting attracted 60 delegates. With growing interest in endoscopic surgery, several UK gynaecologists continued to visit centres in Europe and the USA. A second meeting was held at Oxford in 1989, attended by Professor Bruhat. By this time, it was clear that operative endoscopy had started in earnest in the UK. The need was identified for a national society to promote best practice. Following a meeting at the Royal College of Gynaecologists, the British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy was established, with Alan Gordon as President, Victor Lewis as Vice President, Chris Sutton as Secretary and Adam Magos as Treasurer. The first Annual Meeting of the Society was held in Hull in 1990, with Jacquez Donnez as guest speaker delivering the inaugural lecture in memory of Alec Turnbull. Annual meetings have subsequently been held in centres around the UK. The Society continues to organise masterclass meetings devoted to a particular subject or technique and arranges visits to centres of excellence overseas. Now an active society with several hundred members and an active trainees section, the BSGE was granted charitable status in the year 2000.

Previous presidents

Alan Gordon (1989-1991), Victor Lewis (1991-1993), Chris Sutton (1993-1995), Ray Garry (1995-1997), John Newton (1997-2000)

Honorary fellows

Jacques Donnez, Michael Baggish, Alain Audebert, Kurt Semm, Denis Querleu, Harry Reich, Franklin Loffer, Daniel Dargent, Jean-Bernard Dubuisson, Chris Sutton, Kess Wamsteker