We end the year with a clear message: we are stronger together. I hope that most of you will have seen social media around our global campaign against ED over-crowding. Just before the campaign started on 5 December, we surveyed IFEM Members and 100% of our member organizations reported over-crowding. This is dreadful.

Over-crowding costs lives and causes staff burnout and losses. I wish to say a big thank you to all of you who have worked hard on this campaign. Also, to our regional societies who have taken it on vigorously in those continents.

For our campaign to be successful we need all of you to campaign actively. Please write to journalists, politicians, local health policy influencers using letter templates and posters from our toolkit on the IFEM website. 

Let us know any success stories via our web form.

On social media use hashtags #NoMoreLivesLostWaiting and #ResetEmergencyCare

Let us not allow this chronic situation to be regarded as normal or acceptable.

Since my last message in October, I have joined in and thoroughly enjoyed the scientific content and warm welcome in the following national / regional conferences:

• Belfast, Northern Ireland. Royal College of Emergency Medicine, UK.
• Berlin, Germany. European Society of Emergency Medicine.
• Amman, Jordan. Jordanian Emergency Medicine Society.
• Accra, Ghana. African Federation for Emergency Medicine.
• Abu Dhabi, UAE. Emirates Society of Emergency Medicine.

The quality of content was excellent in each and every one. The atmosphere was great, seeing lots of emergency physicians all chattering together. The pace of change in developing Emergency Care through the Middle East and Africa is astonishing and heartening. Congratulations to JEMS for their very first international conference and to ESEM for celebrating their 10^th Anniversary.

Lastly, we are happy to announce that IFEM has procured the services of The Association Specialists, a company who specialize in office support for organizations similar to ours. This will help us keep pace with IFEM’s growth. We remain grateful to the Hong Kong College of 

Emergency Medicine, the Emirates Society of Emergency Medicine and the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine for helping us with administrative support.

I hope that you all had a successful and enjoyable year at work. Despite the stresses of our job and the shift work, not many people work in the field of helping the public during their greatest hours of need. I wish you and your families all our best wishes for 2023 from Team IFEM.

Dr Ffion Davies
IFEM President