British Society for Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery
(Company Limited by Guarantee number SC465033)
Society Byelaws


Registered address: British Society for Children’s Orthopaedic Surgery, 25 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2ER. Company Limited by Guarantee.

bscos.org.uk


Byelaws of the Society may not contravene the Company Rules and should be read in conjunction with them.

In all matters of dispute, the Board interpretation of the Society Byelaws shall be final.

i Membership of the Society

In addition to Ordinary, Overseas and Honorary Members who have voting rights according to the Constitution, BSCOS recognises the following additional (non-voting) categories of membership:

a. Associate Membership

This category of membership is open to:

  • *Consultant Surgeons from other disciplines and those with locum Orthopaedic Consultant posts who commit a proportion of their clinical time to the management of musculoskeletal conditions in children.
  • *Staff grade, Associate Specialist & Specialty (SASS) Doctors who commit a proportion of their clinical time to the management of children with conditions that result in regular work alongside children’s orthopaedic surgeons
  • Trainees in orthopaedic surgery in possession of a national training number
  • Doctors on the specialist register for trauma and orthopaedics practising as Fellows in children’s orthopaedic surgery

Associate members (excluding those who do not hold a substantive career grade post) may stand for election to subcommittees and working groups of the Society but may not chair subcommittees.

*Consultant and SASS doctor associate members may attend but not vote at the AGM of the Society.

Applicants should be proposed and seconded by Members of the Society as described above. Where an application has been approved by the Board of Directors, it will be announced to the Society Members for their approval.
For those in a training or locum post, the tenure of their Associate Membership will be the duration of the training or locum post and for a maximum of five years. For those holding substantive appointments, Associate Membership is not time-limited.

Where an Associate Member has been appointed to a substantive Consultant Orthopaedic appointment with a special interest in orthopaedic problems relating to children and where they will commit a significant proportion of their clinical time to dealing with such matters, they shall no longer be eligible for Associate Membership and shall need to transfer to become an Ordinary Member.

Associate Membership will cease on receipt of a Member’s written resignation, or if there is a failure to pay the annual subscription or transfer when no longer eligible to hold this category of membership.

Associate Membership will also cease if the Member has not attended a relevant scientific meeting for three consecutive years.

b. Affiliate Membership

Affiliate membership is available for appropriately qualified allied health professionals who regularly treat children in an orthopaedic capacity, surgical or otherwise. It is expected that this aspect of their work is carried out in conjunction with Ordinary Members of the Society. A letter of application should be sent to the Honorary Secretary together with a current Curriculum Vitae and supporting references from 2 Ordinary Members of the Society in good standing. Where an application has been approved by the Board of Directors, it will be announced to the Society Members for their approval.

Affiliate Membership will cease on receipt of a member’s written resignation, or if there is a failure to pay the annual subscription.

Affiliate members may stand for election to Consensus/working groups and subcommittees of the Society but are not eligible to chair these groups.

Afilliate Membership will also cease if the Member has not attended a relevant scientific meeting for three consecutive years.

c. Medical Student Membership

Medical student membership is available at the discretion of the Board for motivated medical students studying in a UK Medical School. It is expected that they would have formed a strong interest in children’s orthopaedic surgery during their undergraduate training. A letter of application should be sent to the Honorary Secretary together with a current Curriculum Vitae and supporting references from 2 Ordinary Members of the Society in good standing. Where an application has been approved by the Board of Directors, it will be announced to the Society Members for their approval. Medical Student Membership will cease on receipt of a member’s written resignation, or where there is a failure to pay the annual subscription for two consecutive years. Medical Student Membership will also cease when the student completes their undergraduate degree when they will have the opportunity to apply for Associate Membership of the Society.

d. Honorary International Membership

The Board has discretion to grant Honorary International Membership to any individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of Orthopaedic Surgery and specifically aligned with the aims of BSCOS.

Honorary International Membership does not attract a membership fee and does not carry the voting privileges of Ordinary membership.

Subscriptions

The Board shall set subscription rates which shall be reviewed upon the recommendation of the Treasurer and published at the AGM for the approval of the Society.

The following are the fees accepted at the AGM of 2021 and remain extant until further review takes place.

The full subscription payable per annum is £100 on the following basis:

Ordinary Member Full fee (100%)
Honorary Member Nil
Associate Member Reduced fee (50%)
Affiliate Member Reduced fee (25%)
Medical Student Member Reduced fee (25%)
Overseas Member Full fee (100%)
Honorary International Member Nil


 

Membership Type Annual Fee
Ordinary Member Full fee (100%)
Honorary Member Nil
Associate Member Reduced fee (50%)
Affiliate Member Reduced fee (25%)
Medical Student Member Reduced fee (25%)
Overseas Member Full fee (100%)
Honorary International Member Nil

Transfer of membership category
Where a member of any category of membership changes their status (for example, where a Trainee who is an Associate member takes up a Consultant post), the member shall be required to notify the secretary of the date of that change within a 3 month period, and comply with any requirements of their new status within a total of 6 months from the date of change. In particular, the correct subscription must be paid in full on the next anniversary of membership following the change. Failure to do so shall result in expiry of membership with immediate effect. Thereafter, a new formal application for membership would need to be submitted for readmission to the Society.

ii Subcommittees of the Society

a) Education Subcommittee

The Education subcommittee shall be appointed from career grade Ordinary, Affiliate & Associate Members of the society subject to application.

The Education Lead shall be appointed to Chair the Education Subcommittee from amongst its members, subject to ratification by the Board. They shall have responsibility for the organisation of the instructional programme of BOA meetings and represent the Society in the educational domain.

The Education subcommittee is expected to act within its terms of reference and is accountable to the Board.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Objectives

  • To support and advise BSCOS membership on education in paediatric orthopaedic surgery.
  • To liaise with the BSCOS board on the direction and strategy of paediatric orthopaedic education in the UK.
  • To coordinate the educational activities of the Society.

Responsibilities
  • Supporting the educational content of the BSCOS annual meeting.
  • Organisation of the paediatric orthopaedic revalidation section of the BOA Annual Congress.
  • Organisation and support of the 3 yearly Current Concepts Course.
  • Coordinating Surgeon and Patient information.
  • Collation of currently available policy documents and information sheets.
  • To liaise with the Publicity Committee and maintain open channels of communication with them.

Membership
  • The Education committee (EC) will consist of up to 8 members.
  • Quorum for each meeting to be a minimum of 4 members, one of whom must be the chair.
  • All members should be full and active career grade members of BSCOS.
  • The term of office for members will be three years. Members can seek reappointment for a further term (maximum 2 terms).
  • Applications for membership will be sought by the BSCOS Board from eligible members of BSCOS as and when new members are required on the EC.
  • The committee shall have the capacity to co-opt up to one additional member where that would bring additional skills and competencies.

Chair
  • The chair will be proposed by the EC and approved by the BSCOS Board.
  • The term of office is three years and the chair can seek reappointment for a further term (maximum of 2 terms).

Accountability
  • The Board shall maintain close interest in the Committee's work.
  • Accountability is to the BSCOS board through reporting by the Chair.
  • The Board can appoint one of its members to liaise with the committee and has observer status on the committee.
  • Activities of the Committee are subject to review by the Board, although in general it will act with autonomy within its remit.

Frequency of Meetings
  • The Education Committee will conduct business by quarterly teleconferences and meet formally at the BSCOS annual conference.


b) Research Subcommittee

The Research subcommittee shall be appointed from the career grade Ordinary, Affiliate & Associate Members of the society subject to application.

The Research Lead shall be appointed to Chair the Research Subcommittee from amongst its members, subject to ratification by the Board. The Research Lead shall be responsible for the representation of all matters relating to research that involve the Society including international, national and multicentre collaborative studies.

The Research subcommittee is expected to act within its terms of reference and is accountable to the Board.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Objectives
  • To support and advise the BSCOS membership on research in paediatric orthopaedic surgery.
  • To liaise with the BSCOS board on the direction and strategy of paediatric orthopaedic research in the UK.
  • To develop research links with national and international organisations and funding bodies.

Responsibilities
  • Provide professional advice and guidance for BSCOS members who have an interest carrying out prospective research in paediatric orthopaedic surgery.
  • Review projects submitted via a standardised ‘PICO’ form published on the BSCOS website.
  • Develop the priorities for paediatric orthopaedic research and communicate this with the membership and funding bodies.
  • Explore avenues of funding.
  • Spread awareness of current and future research projects and disseminate results to BSCOS members and beyond.
  • Suggest expert reviewers to funding bodies for grant applications in subject relevant areas.

Membership
  • The research committee (RC) will consist of up to 8 members.
  • Quorum for each meeting to be a minimum of 4 members, one of whom must be the chair.
  • The RC has the freedom to co-opt a lay patient/carer representative. The RC can liaise with the various charities to seek suitable volunteers.
  • All members except for the patient/carer representative should be full and active members of BSCOS.
  • The term of office for members will be three years. Members can seek reappointment for a further term (maximum 2 terms).
  • Applications for membership will be sought by the BSCOS Board from eligible members of BSCOS as and when new members are required on the RC. It would be expected that there would be representation from both university and NHS employed consultants.
  • The committee shall have the capacity to co-opt up to one additional member where that would bring additional skills and competencies.

Chair
  • The chair will be proposed by the RC and approved by the BSCOS Board.
  • The term of office is three years and the chair can seek re-election for a further term (maximum of 2 terms).

Accountability
  • The Board shall maintain close interest in the Committee's work.
  • Accountability is to the BSCOS board through reporting by the Chair.
  • The Board can appoint one of its members to liaise with the committee and has observer status on the committee.
  • Activities of the Committee are subject to review by the Board, although in general it will act with autonomy within its remit.

Frequency of Meetings
  • The RC will meet every 6 months with further meetings arranged if required.


c) Publicity Subcommittee

The Publicity subcommittee shall be appointed from career grade Ordinary, Affiliate & Associate Members of the society subject to application.

The Publicity Lead shall be appointed to Chair the Publicity Subcommittee from amongst its members, subject to ratification by the Board. The Publicity Lead shall be responsible for Society communications with BSCOS members and externally where appropriate.

The webmaster shall be a member of the Publicity subcommittee and may be its chair.

The Publicity subcommittee is expected to act within its terms of reference and is accountable to the Board.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Objectives
  • To use the BSCOS website and other social media channels to inform the members of BSCOS, other medical professionals and the general public of the activities of the society and to deliver educational material.
  • To liaise with the BSCOS board regarding the methods of promotion to be used.
  • To foster links within the society and between BSCOS and others involved in the care of orthopaedic diagnoses in children

Responsibilities
  • To explore and enhance methods for sharing information with the Society and others to whom it may be of interest
  • To develop and strengthen the presence of BSCOS on social media
  • To agree and publicise standards to be applied before sharing any information on the website or social media channels
  • To share proposed content with the Board at a minimum of 1 week before it is to be released.
  • To liaise with the Publicity Committee and maintain open channels of communication with them.

Membership
  • The Publicity committee will consist of up to 8 members.
  • Quorum for each meeting to be a minimum of 3 members, one of whom must be the chair.
  • All members should be full and active members of BSCOS.
  • The term of office for members will be three years. Members can seek reappointment for a further term (maximum 2 terms).
  • Applications for membership will be sought by the BSCOS Board from eligible members of BSCOS as and when new members are required on the Publicity Committee.
  • The committee shall have the capacity to co-opt up to one additional member where that would bring additional skills and competencies.

Chair
  • The chair will be proposed by the Publicity Committee and will usually be the BSCOS Webmaster. The post will be approved by the BSCOS Board.
  • The Board shall maintain close interest in the Committee's work by means of a representative from one sitting on the other as determined by the Board.
  • The term of office is three years, and the chair can seek reappointment for a further term (maximum of 2 terms).
  • The Chair shall be the responsible person in respect of GDPR compliance for the society.

Accountability
  • The Board shall maintain close interest in the Committee's work.
  • Accountability is to the BSCOS board through reporting by the Chair.
  • The Board will appoint one of its members to liaise with the committee and has observer status on the committee.
  • Activities of the Publicity Committee are subject to review by the Board, although in general it will act with autonomy within its remit.

Frequency of Meetings
  • The Publicity Committee will meet quarterly with further meetings arranged if required.

d) Reading committee

We are grateful to members of this subcommittee who assist the Board in scoring and ranking abstract submissions and bursary applications.

All Ordinary members of the society will be eligible to serve on the Reading committee.

There shall be up to 8 members of the Reading committee who are appointed for a 3 year term.

Where there are more members who express a willingness to serve on this committee than there are vacancies, appointment shall be by random selection from amongst those who apply.

The reading committee does not elect a chair and does not send representation to the Board.


iii Specified Roles within the Society

President

The President of the Society shall represent the Society and shall Chair its Board of Directors, leading the strategic direction of the Society.

With the Treasurer and Secretary, as Officers of the Society, they shall take particular responsibility for fulfilling the legal obligations of the Society.

Immediate Past President/President Elect

The Immediate Past President/President Elect shall act in an advisory capacity to support their successor in post. They shall chair meetings of the Board which the President is unable to attend.

Shall act as a link with other societies including the BOA.

Honorary Secretary

The Honorary Secretary shall be responsible for:
  • organisation of Board meetings
  • agenda setting (with the President) and distribution of papers to Directors.
  • keeping the authorised minute of Board and General Meeting business.
  • receiving and processing applications to join the Society.
  • the timely consideration of applications for Bursaries and Grants awarded by the Society.
  • receiving communications to the Board.
  • issuing decisions made by the Board.
  • acting as Returning Officer for elections of the Society.

With the President and Treasurer, as Officers of the Society, they shall take particular responsibility for fulfilling the legal obligations of the Society.


Honorary Treasurer

The Honorary Treasurer shall be responsible for:
  • Maintaining the bank account(s) of the Society.
  • Recommending subscription rates to the Board of Directors
  • Corresponding with members concerning agreed subscription rates.
  • Reporting on financial performance of the Society to its Board and General Meetings.
  • Authorising and processing claims for expenses
  • Acting with fiscal prudence and maintaining appropriate counter-fraud and other security measures over the financial resources of the Society.
  • Liaison with our Accountants to ensure timely production of the Accounts for Board approval and submission to Companies House.
  • Ensuring that appropriate insurance(s) are in place for the Society in respect of its activities and those acting on its behalf in an official capacity.

With the President and Secretary, as Officers of the Society, they shall take particular responsibility for fulfilling the legal obligations of the Society.


Webmaster

The webmaster in their ex-officio capacity shall be responsible for:
  • Maintaining the website of the Society as directed by the Board
  • Sharing Board communications with the membership
  • Running online processes for payment of subscriptions (on behalf of and in liaison with the Treasurer).
  • Running online processes for elections (on the instruction of and in liaison with the Returning officer (Hon Secretary) of the Society).
  • Recommending appropriate investment in technology and software to the Board in support of the activities of the society.
  • Maintain registration with the ICO.
  • Maintaining and monitoring compliance of the society with its own GDPR policy and the legal requirements that underpin it.

Diversity & Inclusion Lead

The following remit shall be held by the DI lead, although all Society members are expected to play their part in upholding and promoting the values of the Society.
 
  • The DI Lead shall seek to promote the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion in the activities of the society.
  • To instil appropriate regard to equality of treatment of all members and participants in respect of protected as well as other characteristics which might otherwise be a source of inappropriate discrimination in all activities of the society.
  • To actively explore the development of a range of activities such as buddying and mentoring schemes which encourage women and under-represented groups of clinicians to apply for leadership roles within the Society.
  • To monitor the messaging of Society projects, both internally and externally, to ensure that they are inclusive.
  • To monitor the demographics of the society and make report to the Board (and the society as a whole) of the impact of efforts to address issues relating to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
  • To have responsibility for educational content of the society in respect of diversity and inclusion.

DGH Board member

This Board member shall be elected from amongst those Ordinary members who work predominantly outside of tertiary children’s centres. The DGH board member shall have a lead role to
 
  • act as a link for the Board for all issues relevant to those working in these centres.
  • maintain awareness of the needs of those working in these centres to ensure equitable access to paediatric orthopaedic care across the UK.
  • bring relevant medico-political issues and devolved national issues to the attention of the Board and Society.


iv Miscellaneous policies & rules for all Board Subcommittees and working groups
 
  • For any queries regarding the remit of a given committee please contact either the President (president@bscos.org.uk) or the Secretary (secretary@bscos.org.uk).
  • Any and all external communications from a group/committee that lie outside the remit of the group/committee must be first discussed with the President/Secretary.
  • Committee communications - The BSCOS webmaster (webmaster@bscos.org.uk) will be able to provide an email for use by approved groups, as well as offering advice on videoconferencing and survey capacity etc) that may be available to facilitate your group/committee.
  • Reports/updates of committee work should be submitted to the Board via the Secretary in time for Board meetings at which the Chair of the group may also be required to make a verbal report.
  • Each committee or group chair shall make effort to ensure that EDI principles are upheld and GDPR requirements are fulfilled in all of its activities. Queries for EDI should be directed to the EDI Lead. Queries for GDPR should be directed to the webmaster in the first instance.
  • Logistics:
    • Whilst it is anticipated there is likely to be value in and need for initial (and subsequent) face to face meetings of groups/committees, use of VC working is encouraged both for reasons of inclusion of participants for whom travel is less easy and to minimise cost to the society.
    • Wherever possible there should be provision for remote participation in all face to face meetings.
    • Any group who the Board approves to meet on behalf of BSCOS may approach the Treasurer in advance for a budget to support their activities, within the agreed Society expenses rules.
    • It is usual for the chair of a group/committee to plan, book and pay for any such meeting and seek reimbursement thereafter. Reimbursement for non-personal meetings expenses should be submitted via the link on the BSCOS website available on request from the Treasurer.
  • Expenses:
    • All BSCOS activities are required to adhere to agreed fiscal controls.
    • Any expense queries should be raised with the Treasurer (treasurer@bscos.org.uk).
    • Please draw the committee members’ attention to the rules surrounding expenses before any such expenses are incurred. Retrospective permission for expenses outwith the rules is very unlikely to be granted.
    • The chair of a group shall be responsible for confirming the attendance of members of the group at a given meeting to the Treasurer within a week of the meeting to allow the Treasurer to reimburse verified claims on a timely basis.
    • The Board Treasurer will monitor expenses for a given group or committee and feed any issues back to the Chair of that group and to the Board.


v Personal Expenses

Expenses incurred as a result of work on behalf of the Society will generally be reimbursed if the following rules are observed:
 
  • The online form provided shall be used to claim expenses for approved meetings of the Board or its subcommittees, or when attending other meetings when recognised as a delegate of the Board.
  • Claim forms must be accompanied by (copy) receipts in order to be honoured (excepting personal mileage or oyster fares).
  • Claims are only paid in respect of personal expenses incurred. Expenses for family members or dependents or colleagues cannot be paid.
  • Payment will be by electronic transfer to the bank details provided.
  • All claims should be submitted within 3 months of the meeting or event for which they were incurred (although significant expense items may be submitted in advance).
  • Claimants attention is drawn to the following specific guidance in respect of expense types.
  • Expenses incurred in respect of Board subcommittees or other recognised groups must be identified as such. The Chair of each subcommittee is required to ensure that the subcommittee adheres to the identified budget for a given area of work.
  • Where a member is unsure if there is a budget for an expense they are strongly advised to check with the chair of the group and/or the Treasurer to gain authorisation in advance of committing to the expenditure.
  • Any exceptional expenses or deviation from this guidance must be pre-authorised by the Treasurer or the expense cannot be paid.

Air travel
  • Flights under 5 hours will be reimbursed to the maximum level of the applicable BA economy fare.
  • Flights 5 hours and over will be reimbursed to the maximum level of the BA premium economy fare.
  • The use of advance discount tickets is encouraged, the expense can be claimed as soon as it is incurred.

Personal mileage
  • This will be reimbursed at a rate set in line with the BMA rate (45p per mile).

Rail travel
  • Journeys of one hour or less are reimbursed at standard class rates only
  • Journeys of over one hour may be first class
  • The use of advance discount tickets is encouraged, the expense can be claimed as soon as it is incurred.

Accommodation
  • Overnight stay will only be reimbursed where the journey from home would need to start before 6am or return home would be after 11pm in order to attend the meeting.
  • The use of advanced discounts and competitive hotel rates is encouraged.
  • Where overnight stay is necessary, this will be reimbursed to a maximum of set in line with the BMA rate (£195 per night).

Subsistence
  • Where overnight stay is necessary or arrival to home is later than 9pm, dinner expenses may be claimed to a maximum of £35.

(Personal) conference expenses
  • The society does not reimburse its own members (of any membership category) for any expenses incurred when attending its educational events (Scientific meetings, Current Concepts, BOA or other events).
  • Invited guest speakers (who are not BSCOS members) shall be reimbursed at the personal expense rates determined by the society in its byelaws.

(Organiser) conference expenses
  • Budgeted expenses for BSCOS conferences and events will be reimbursed to organisers upon production of relevant receipts using the online form:


MEETING VENUE EXPENSES LINK
 
  • Expenses may also be directly paid by invoice in liaison with the Treasurer.
  • Organisers are required to remain within budget and liaise closely with the Treasurer.


vi Bursary & Fellowship rules & claims

Bursaries, fellowships and awards are made by decision of the Board of Directors.
Application for a Bursary, award or fellowship shall constitute agreement to be bound by the rules governing them.

The Board of Directors decision is final in respect of awards made.

Those awarded bursaries shall be subject to the rules governing them:

a) Orthopediatrics Fellowship x1 or 2

Eligibility:
  • Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
  • Full Member in good standing with BSCOS at time of application

Application:
  • The timing and requirements of application are as posted on the BSCOS website and subject to the final decision of the Board.

Conditions:
  • Funds should not be committed until the Hon Secretary has confirmed the award in writing (or by email).
  • Unless agreed otherwise, the fellowship is to be completed before the next annual Spring meeting of the Society.
  • The recipient commits to attend and present at the next annual Society meeting following the award.
  • The funds are solely for the personal travel, accommodation and subsistence of the recipient.
  • The total award will not exceed the GBP equivalent of US$ 10,000 at the time the award is claimed
  • The recipient shall present PDF copies (or posted original) receipts for all items claimed together.
  • A letter of thanks from the recipient to Orthopediatrics for the award would be considered appropriate.
  • Personal mileage will be paid at the BMA rate (45p per mile in 2016-17).
  • When converting from foreign currency, please use the exchange rate at the time the expense was incurred.
  • Expenses should be claimed together within 3 months of return from the fellowship.
  • At the discretion of the Board the award may be shared between 2 recipients of merit. In this situation, neither applicant can expect their reimbursement to exceed the equivalent of US$ 5,000.



b) Consultant Bursary x2

Eligibility:
  • Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
  • Full Member in good standing with BSCOS at time of application

Application:
  • The timing and requirements of application are as posted on the BSCOS website and subject to the final decision of the Board.

Conditions:
  • Funds should not be committed until the Hon Secretary has confirmed the award in writing (or by email).
  • Unless agreed otherwise, the bursary is to be completed before the next annual Spring meeting of the Society.
  • The funds are solely for the personal travel, accommodation and subsistence of the recipient.
  • The total award will not exceed £1000
  • The recipient shall present PDF copies (or posted original) receipts for all items claimed together.
  • The award will be paid into a nominated bank account
  • The recipient must present at the next Society meeting


c) Trainee Bursary x1

Eligibility:
  • Specialist Registrar (or equivalent) in Orthopaedic Surgery in order to present a paper on the theme of Children’s Orthopaedics at a scientific meeting where alternative funding is not forthcoming.

Application:
  • The timing and requirements of application are as posted on the BSCOS website and subject to the final decision of the Board.

Conditions:
  • Funds should not be committed until the Hon Secretary has confirmed the award in writing (or by email).
  • The funds are solely for personal costs (conference fee, travel, accommodation and subsistence of the recipient) for which alternative funding has not been forthcoming.
  • The total award will not exceed £1000
  • The recipient shall present PDF copies (or posted original) receipts for all items claimed together.
  • The award will be paid into a nominated bank account.



d) Affiliate/Associate member Bursary x1

Eligibility:
  • Affiliate member of BSCOS in good standing at the time of application
  • Associate member (Consultant/SSAS doctor) of BSCOS in good standing at the time of application

Application:
• The timing and requirements of application are as posted on the BSCOS website and subject to the final decision of the Board.

Conditions:
  • Funds should not be committed until the Hon Secretary has confirmed the award in writing (or by email).
  • The funds are solely for personal costs (travel, accommodation and subsistence of the recipient) for which alternative funding has not been forthcoming.
  • The total award will not exceed £1000
  • The recipient shall present PDF copies (or posted original) receipts for all items claimed together.
  • The award will be paid into a nominated bank account.


e) Medical Student Bursary x1

Eligibility:
  • Medical Student to assist with expenses incurred in attending to present a paper on a topic related to Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgery

Application:
  • The timing and requirements of application are as posted on the BSCOS website and subject to the final decision of the Board.

Conditions:
  • Funds should not be committed until the Hon Secretary has confirmed the award in writing (or by email).
  • The funds are solely for personal costs (conference fee, travel, accommodation and subsistence of the recipient) for which alternative funding has not been forthcoming.
  • The total award will not exceed £500
  • The recipient shall present PDF copies (or posted original) receipts for all items claimed together.
  • The award will be paid into a nominated bank account.



vi Conference & Event refund/cancellation policy

Subject to any published specific provisions for a given event, the following policy shall apply:
 
  • Refunds for tickets purchased in respect of BSCOS events will not generally be available from a point less than 6 weeks before the date of the event.
  • Where an event has been cancelled, BSCOS will endeavour to offer an alternative date for the event for which the ticket will be valid.
  • Ticket refunds (for Conference and where applicable for a dinner) at face value will be available on request when an event has been cancelled by BSCOS. The request must be submitted within 3 months of the cancelled event and will generally be refunded to the same account from which the payment was made.
  • Regrettably, BSCOS cannot be responsible for any other consequential expenses incurred. Where possible it is suggested that a refund is sought from credit card companies or other travel insurance held.
  • Refunded delegates should be aware that there may subsequently be a rise in fees for a (rescheduled) conference from which they will not be protected.

Conference sponsorship cancellation and refund policy
 
  • Refunds for sponsorship in respect of BSCOS events will not generally be available.
  • Where an event has been cancelled, BSCOS will endeavour to offer an alternative date for the event to which the sponsor is invited to carry forward their sponsorship.
  • Sponsor refunds will be available on request when an event has been cancelled by BSCOS. The request must be submitted within 3 months of the cancelled event and will require a letter to the Treasurer detailing the account into which any refund should be made.
  • A refunded sponsor shall have no guarantee of access to a subsequent (rescheduled) event.



vii Code of conduct

The Society seeks to operate in an atmosphere of trust, kindness and mutual respect.

Members of BSCOS, attendees at its meetings and anyone acting on behalf of the Society agree to be bound by the following code of conduct:

Conflicts of interest

Members and participants in the activities of the society do so on the basis of mutual trust. A conflict of interest arises when a member (or participant) has an interest in a subject which may, or could reasonably be perceived to, inappropriately limit or introduce bias to the objectivity, rigour or scope of their participation.

There is a responsibility upon all members to where possible avoid, and otherwise to declare (potential) conflicts of interest in advance of any topic being discussed.

In consultation with attendees, the Chair of committee or Lead for a given meeting/activity shall determine whether the conflict should affect participation in the discussion. The decision may be to:
a) dismiss the (potential) conflict as not likely to be a significant factor
b) note the (potential) conflict but permit ongoing participation nevertheless
c) recuse the individual(s) involved for the discussion &/or decision on relevant topic(s).

Any possible conflicts should be recorded clearly on a slide in presentations.

Any possible conflicts should be clearly recorded along with the decision reached in minuted meetings where they arise.

Probity

All members of the Society are required to maintain registration of the GMC or equivalent regulatory body with no restriction of practice and uphold relevant standards of probity. In particular we are required to act in an honest and trustworthy way when acting for, or interacting with, the Society.

Diversity & Inclusion

BSCOS actively seeks to uphold the principles of diversity and inclusion in all its activities. We seek to promote an inclusive practice and culture. Membership of the Society brings with it an expectation that these principles will be supported:
 
  • We will work to eliminate any unlawful or unfair discrimination including direct or indirect discrimination, discrimination by association, discrimination linked to a perceived characteristic, harassment and victimisation.
  • We will continue to strive towards a culture that is diverse and inclusive that recognises and develops the potential of all members and participants in our activities.

Meetings
 
  • Meetings will be conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
  • Debate shall be honest and open.
  • Discussion shall be issue-centred rather than person-centred.
  • Etiquette:
    • time keeping shall be respected.
    • where necessary the Chair will identify a meeting to be quorate the start.
    • speaking shall be through the Chair of the meeting.
    • agenda items should be submitted to the secretary or chair by 2 weeks before an intimated meeting, with later items being at the discretion of the Chair.
    • the Agenda will be issued at least 1 week before the meeting.
    • there will be no side-discussions at the meeting.
    • known absence from meeting shall be notified to the Chair in advance of the meeting wherever possible.
    • the Chair of a meeting will be exempted from taking the minute.
  • Personal views should be clearly distinguished from collective decisions of a committee or group.
  • All contributions will be valued.
  • Any Member or attendee at a Society meeting or event who does not understand the purpose and emphasis of these ground rules shall be expected to seek clarification
  • Expenses shall be payable to Members acting on legitimate Board or subcommittee business within the rates set out and only when receipts are presented

Termination of membership

In the event of perceived misconduct of a member, the Board will follow the GMC principles of Good medical practice.

Membership of the society shall cease :
 
  • in the event of a member failing to pay the appropriate subscription in full within 3 months of the due date, that membership shall expire with immediate effect. Thereafter, a new formal application for membership would need to be submitted for readmission to the Society.
  • where professional registration is suspended by the General Medical Council or equivalent regulatory body for Affiliate members.
  • when a letter of resignation is sent to the secretary of the Society.