International Interest in Hand Therapy

( GUEST EDITORIAL)

International Interest in Hand Therapy Victoria Frampton

President, IFSHT Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital Margate, Kent, England

T of Societies for Hand Therapy (IFSHT) is

he success of the International Federation

clearly illustrated by its increase in membership, which has almost doubled since the first International Congress in Israel in 1989. The third International Congress of the IFSHT was held in Helsinki, Finland, in 1995. At that meeting, membership consisted of 22 member countries, 8 corresponding member countries, and a further 3 countries applying for full membership. It was my great honor to accept the position of President at the Helsinki Congress, and I look forward to leading the IFSHT to the fourth Congress in Vancouver in 1998. I take on this new role with some trepidation, recognizing that my predecessors, the two founder members of the IFSHT, are quite a hard act to follow! Evelyn Mackin, our first President and an unrivaled pioneer of hand therapy, still remains a close friend and advisor to me and to the IFSHT as a whole. In the last three years, during Jean-Claude Rouzaud's presidency, I acted as Secretary-General. He was a source of constant support and encouragement to me, with unfailing energy and dedication to the cause of hand therapy. In recent years we have redrafted the constitution to meet the changing needs of the Federation. The compilation of the 1992 Membership Directory has since been updated to include the expan~d membership. One of the primary roles of the IFSHT Executive is to foster cooperation between member societies; the Membership Directory has enabled this to happen. We are very encouraged by the increasing numbers and the quality of papers presented at the recent Congress in Helsinki. Membership ranges from sophisticated, established societies to members in Third World countries. The recent congress in Helsinki achieved a balance between a high standard of scientific papers and practical and clinical case histories. This

ensured a wide appeal to a large audience. Our thanks go to Riitta Helin-Fay, Congress President, for her sterling work. As any organization grows, it must innovate but continue to embrace the strength and ideas of its founding members. We want to maintain the drive and energy to expand membership and meet the diversity of their needs. I wish to see an increasing standard of scientific contributions to our Congresses while encouraging the spread of expertise through training workshops for less experienced hand therapists. It is very important that the IFSHT Congress remain accessible to all who have an interest in hand therapy. Many countries have now established postgraduate education in hand therapy. There is a need to foster and develop international cross-recognition of postgraduate training. There are many common standards within postgraduate education in different countries; however, the growth and direction in individual c()uhtries may vary. Such heterogeneity can only enhance the development of hand therapy. There is a need to improve teaching methods in Third World Countries, and perhaps the IFSHT should consider sponsoring such ventures. I am very aware of the importance of communication within an International Federation that meets only every three years and has members from 33 countries. We intend to launch a newsletter this year that will include updated information on member societies, forthcoming annual conferences and events, and any other news of interest. Depending on its success, it will be published once or twice a year. The first issue is due this autumn. I should be very grateful to receive any contributions either from member countries or from interested hand therapists. The Executive Committee is anticipating the Vancouver Congress with great excitement. I look forward to seeing you there. October-December 1996

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