Stephen O’Neill
Clinical Director for Nephrology & Transplantation, Belfast City Hospital
Chair
Ailish Nimmo
Consultant Nephrologist
Vice Chair
Overview
The British Transplantation Society Standards and Guidelines Committee is responsible for commissioning and writing new standards and guidelines in transplantation, reviewing existing standards/guidelines and working with experts in the field.
Roles and responsibilities
- Establishing a review process for existing BTS standards
- Identifying areas of transplantation where standards are required
- Commissioning/writing of new standards
- Agreeing, method to methods and base to bases
- Collaborating with relevant experts and partner organisations
- Producing a rolling work plan
- Ensuring BTS executive sign off of all guideline documents
- Working with the executive, secretariat and web manager to agree a publication strategy
Membership
The Chair and Vice Chair of the committee will be appointed by Council and will not be included in the election process. The tenure of the Chair and Vice Chair shall be four years. The posts will be reviewed at alternate two-yearly intervals to allow for continuity of service. The Chair and Vice Chair of the committee shall be eligible for re-appointment for a further four year term. The Chair and Vice Chair of the committee shall not, in addition, be members of the Executive of the BTS.
Reflecting the sensitive work of the committee, candidates appointed to the post of Chair or Vice Chair must:
- Have been members of the BTS for at least three years by the date of appointment
- Include a Full Declaration of Competing Interests, in a form determined by the Executive of the BTS
- Not hold paid advisory positions which might be perceived to represent conflicts of interest with the work of the committee
- Be approved by the Executive of the BTS prior to putting their names forward to Council
The Chair and Vice Chair shall have the power to co-opt up to 3 other members as appropriate from the BTS membership. These may be generalist members to assist with the day-to-day work of the committee, or specialist members co-opted for the production of specific guidelines. If the committee wishes to co-opt more than three other members, this should first be approved by Council.
All members will be required to complete an annual Declaration of Interests.
The committee will conduct its activities either by email or in person and report on its activities to the Executive and Council of the BTS through the chair. A written report should be produced for each meeting of Council. These terms of reference shall be reviewed after three years.
