Department of Anaesthesia, University Clinical Department, The Duncan Building, Daulby Street, Liverpool L69 3GA, UK
E-mail: bja{at}liv.ac.uk
Undoubtedly, it has been the greatest privilege of my professional life to be Editor-in-Chief (EIC) of the British Journal of Anaesthesia (BJA). For nearly 8 yr, it has monopolized my waking hours. Yet it has been a highly rewarding, educational, and enjoyable task. I would never have wanted to miss this huge challenge, and I am ambivalent about passing on the responsibility to my successor, Professor Charles Reilly in Sheffield, UK. Part of me would wish to undertake this burden forever. But, as with all living things, this journal needs continual stimulation, change, and renovation to keep it at the forefront of its specialized area. No human being (or team of beings) can continue infinitely to produce original ideas to enhance such a challenging entity. I must, therefore, as I come to the end of my term of office, question what I have achieved in the last 7.5 yr.
When a new EIC takes over the running of a scientific journal, they must first concentrate on the day-to-day running of it, that the routine tasks are managed efficiently and well. But, when they have gained a grasp of all aspects of this formidable challenge, it is apposite to review the improvements that could be made to their journal. An electronic manuscript tracking system must be the major change I have introduced. Since January 2003, all new manuscripts have been submitted electronically to the BJA. This change occurred more smoothly than I had anticipatedperhaps authors were more use to the concept than we (ageing) editorsand in that year the number of manuscripts submitted to the BJA increased to 840. Our latest electronic venture, which came live in November 2004, is electronic only submission of Letters to the Editor through the BJA web site (http://bja.oupjournals.org). If a scientific journal is to be attractive to its readership, it must stay at the forefront of electronic publishing, and this journal intends to do so.
Other editorial changes I have made (in corroboration with the Board of the BJA) include the removal of the Short Communication section since January 2004, because of its negative effect on the journal's impact factor.1 Over the last 7.5 yr, we have introduced more Editorials to each issue, as I find that readers are attracted to this section of a scientific journal. A freestanding Review has been included in every issue. Four years ago, we introduced structured abstracts in line with other leading scientific journals. This change was not problematic, and we do not regret it. The information contained in the Summary sections of the journal is now more factual. I have also increased the Correspondence section of the BJA substantially, as this allows an essential contribution from a more varied and international readership, as has been successfully demonstrated with other scientific journals.2 It is important that our readership, as with any journal, considers the BJA always to have something in it for them, and the Correspondence section plays an important part in this respect. It has certainly helped other journals to improve their impact factor.2
My illustrious predecessor, Professor Graham Smith, was an integral part, with Professor R. D. Miller, of the establishment of the TEAL project. This venture brought together the contents of four mainstream anaesthetic journalsBJA, Anesthesia and Analgesia, Anesthesiology, and the Canadian Journal of Anesthesiaon a CD ROM.3 Each CD ROM contained the contents of 4 yr of these four journals, and has been a significant success. In 2004, the format was changed to DVD, and now allows all the contents of the four journals since 1991 to be included on one small, round disc. This is truly an amazing development.
In the last 7 yr, we have seen the full text of the BJA, since 1995, become accessible on the journal's website (http://bja.oupjournals.org), with a rolling programme making all but the last 2 yr of text freely accessible. I hope that this 2-yr window will be narrowed to 1 yr in the near future. The BJA Board are also arranging, in collaboration with our publishers, Oxford University Press (OUP), to produce a full electronic copy of all of the text of the BJA since its establishment in 1923. I am hugely enthusiastic about this project, which demonstrates, yet again, this journal's commitment to full electronic access. Since 2003, newly accepted research papers have been uploaded 34 months ahead of print, on the BJA website under Advance Access, to shorten the acceptance to publication interval, and thus increase the speed with which readers gain access to our latest research reports.
Many readers may not appreciate that a selection of papers from the BJA is published as Excerpts in South Africa, six times a year. Each Excerpt issue contains six to seven papers, reproduced with the authors' permission, and a Comment from a local editor, Professor M. F. M. James, in Cape Town. With the help of Gerry Lincoln at OUP, this venture, which was introduced over 10 yr ago, has become more professional and is now well established. Thus, in 2004, we introduced a similar Indian Excerpts Issue, locally edited by Professor D. Tempe in New Delhi. These issues allow anaesthetists, particularly those working in remote areas of the underdeveloped world, more ready and free access to the anaesthetic literature.
Since I became EIC, the time-consuming challenge of running the BJA has been assisted for the first time by a team of four editors: Dr G. B. Drummond, Professor P. M. Hopkins, Dr D. G. Lambert, and Professor D. J. Rowbotham. Their unstinting support of my efforts, together with their intellect, sanity, and wit, will be my overriding memory of this great challenge. I am tremendously grateful to them: to work closely with men of such ability has been a huge honour.
I am now following once more in Professor Smith's (large) footsteps, as I take on the responsible task of Honorary Chairman of the Board of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. My commitment to this journal is absolute, and I hope to be able to continue to serve it in my new role until I retire from professional practice.
Finally, I must acknowledge the unfailing help of Hilary Lamb and Eva Gooding at OUP, whose efficient, constructive, and cheerful contribution to the monthly production of this journal has been a constant source of comfort to me.
My eyes have been opened to the mysterious, Dickensian world of publishing, and I very much appreciate their contribution to the BJA. It has been, in its own way, as committed as my own. I shall miss their friendship too, but with only pleasant memories of our healthy professional relationship, and I am most grateful to them. I also acknowledge, without reservation, the unfailing support of my two secretaries in Liverpool, Jean Wilson and Elizabeth Batty, and my two assistant editors, Professor R. S. Jones and Dr B. V. S. Murthy, over the long days (and nights) of this roller coaster ride.
So farewell, adieu, auf wiedersehen, goodbye: I leave you in the capable hands of Professor Reilly.
Farewell night, welcome day.Bunyan J, Pilgrim's Progress (1648).
References
1 Hunter JM. The latest changes ... no more shorts. Br J Anaesth 2004; 92: 7
2 Harmer M. A moment to reflect. Anaesthesia 2003; 58: 115961[CrossRef][ISI][Medline]
3 Smith G. Personal reflections. Br J Anaesth 1997; 79: 12