‘It’s about learning and making connections’ –IES President

Speaking at the Annual Meeting of the Irish Endocrine Society, the Society’s President Prof Steven Hunter spoke with the Medical Independent (MI) about the event, and his hopes for the future of the Society.

“I think it’s a great venue and we have had a great attendance,” he commented. “We start with paediatrics [on the agenda] and then we move on to adult endocrinology, so it’s a really good mix.” This was Prof Hunter’s first meeting as President and he also spoke about his hopes for his tenure. “I want to build on the work that has been done before – it’s about bringing people together from all parts of Ireland, learning from each other and making some connections too.”

Prof Hunter also spoke about how the specialty of endocrinology has evolved since his early days in medicine. “It has certainly grown in terms of numbers,” he told MI. “There are a lot more endocrinologists now, and also a lot more patients with diabetes and endocrine disorders, so we are trying hard to keep pace with that.”

Prof Hunter was also asked about the main movements in the specialty at the moment around patient care. “Some of the biggest issues are the rising prevalence of diabetes, and also the new drugs to treat obesity,” he said. “These potentially look very promising and will have major implications financially for the health service. That’s something that will need to be worked out as we go forward.”