…a trade union
We provide collective representation of the profession in its dealings with governments and employing authorities.
…a professional organisation
We promote policies which benefit dental practice and dental care, and champion higher standards.
…a lobbying organisation
We lobby politicians on legislation affecting dentists as business people and clinicians, and on issues such as dental student debt, care for special needs patients and commisioning and contract arrangements. In Europe we lobby the commission and the European parliament, and our influence extends throughout the world. Our current work.
…a scientific society
We publish the British Dental Journal and promote the role of evidence-based dental care. Our expert opinion is often cited in the media.
About us
The British Dental Association (BDA) is the professional association and trade union for dentists in the United Kingdom and was founded in 1880. As an organisation that is owned entirely by its members and with no external shareholders, the BDA is able to focus solely on its mission to promote the interests of its members; advance the science, arts and ethics of dentistry, and improve the nation’s oral health.
As a membership organisation the BDA is dependent upon members’ subscriptions and the strength of its membership.
Services to members include the following:
Detailed advice on NHS rules and regulations
Help with individual problems including representation at a national or international level in contractual disputes with employers and with NHS Trusts
Help and information on practice management, scientific and clinical topics
Guidance on employment law, health and safety and ethics
Access to a vast back of dental literature, Medline searches, videos and study packs
Meeting other colleagues at national and local BDA meetings and the annual conference
Excellent free advisory publications and up-to-date information on the latest issues in dentistry via the British Dental Journal and BDA News.
The Irish Association of Plastic Surgeons (IAPS) is the Voice of Plastic Surgery in Ireland. It is the only body of plastic surgeons recognized by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), and The Medical Council. IAPS aims to promote awareness and understanding of the work done by plastic surgeons, and with the RCSI, is responsible for training future plastic surgeons.
ESCP (European Society of Coloproctology) is dedicated to promoting and advancing the science, knowledge and practice of coloproctology in Europe. Our work focuses on:
-Training, standards and accreditation – working closely with the UEMS Division of Coloproctology
-Scientific meetings – high quality multi-disciplinary clinical events
-Member services – including web-based networking and support to national chapters
We are a not-for-profit membership organisation, with an elected Council and Board of Trustees.
ESCP was formed in 2005 from a merger of EACP (European Association of Coloproctology) and ECCP (European Council of Coloproctology). It is registered in Scotland under the UK Companies Act 1985, as a company limited by guarantee with charitable status, and not having a share capital.
The Irish Association for Cancer Research is an All Ireland non-profit organisation for cancer researchers in the Irish biomedical community.
Our aim is to bring researchers from different disciplines together to share their expertise, latest information to help promote greater understanding about cancer to ultimately help reduce the burden of cancer.
We believe that only by working together across all disciplines and centres can we hope to generate a world class environment for cancer research in Ireland.
The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) represents innovative research-based biopharmaceutical companies, large, medium and small, leading an exciting new era of biosciences in the UK.
Our industry, a major contributor to the economy of the UK, brings life-saving and life-enhancing medicines to patients. Our members supply 90 per cent of all medicines used by the NHS, and are researching and developing over two-thirds of the current medicines pipeline, ensuring that the UK remains at the forefront of helping patients prevent and overcome diseases.
The ABPI is recognised by government as the industry body negotiating on behalf of the branded pharmaceutical industry for statutory consultation requirements including the pricing scheme for medicines in the UK.
The Society is an innovative and progressive institution, firmly established at the forefront of modern-day medicine and a leading player in the advancement of medical research and knowledge.
We occupy a unique position within the medical profession, offering education and recognised qualifications in vital areas of medical practice that are not provided elsewhere. It is the examining body for eight different Diplomas:
• Diploma in Medical Jurisprudence (for forensic pathologists)
• Diploma in Forensic Medical Sciences
• Diploma in the Forensic and Clinical Aspects of Sexual Assault
• Diploma in Genitourinary Medicine
• Diploma in HIV Medicine
• Diploma in the Medical Care of Catastrophes (also examined in the USA and the Netherlands)
• Diploma in the History of Medicine
• Diploma in the Philosophy of Medicine
Our extensive archives are an important international research resource for doctoral, postgraduate and undergraduate students.
The Society has two Faculties:
• History and Philosophy of Medicine and Pharmacy
• Conflict and Catastrophe Medicine
Between them, they run an active programme of lectures and courses for members, Fellows and members of the public.
Charitable activities
We support a student from every medical school and some schools of pharmacy. We also support a student at the Guildhall School of Music and offer prizes at the London medical schools, Christ’s Hospital School and the City of London Academy, Southwark.
Other minor grants are given to City of London, medical and children’s charities.
Supporting the Lord Mayor and City of London
The Society’s Liverymen form part of the franchise for the election of the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs and the Society supports the activities of the Lord Mayor and Corporation.
We also have affiliated links with HMS SOMERSET, 256 (City of London) Field Hospital RAMC(V), the Middlesex and North West London ACF, 201 RAMC (Harrow) detachment ACF, and 4626 (County of Wiltshire) Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron RAuxAF.
The Society frequently lets its Hall to other City of London Livery Companies, legal organisations, the City of London police, City institutions, charities, and commercial organisations.
The Ulster Medical Society is a general medical society based in Northern Ireland. Full membership is open to all medical practitioners who are registered or eligibile to be registered, student membership is open to medical students, and associate membership is available to other health professionals such as nurses who are registered or eligible to be registered.
The objects of the Society are to improve the care of the sick and to promote and advance health and medical science by widening, improving and developing the education and knowledge of all concerned in medical matters.
The Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (ACB) was founded in 1953, and is one of the oldest such Associations in the world. Based in the United Kingdom, it is a professional body dedicated to the practice and promotion of clinical science. The Association has medical and non-medical members in all major UK healthcare laboratories, in many university departments and in several commercial companies involved in healthcare. The links with its Corporate Members lead to a fruitful relationship with the clinical diagnostics industry.
The Association for Clinical Scientists in Immunology (ACSI) disbanded to merge with the ACB in 2007 and the Association of Clinical Microbiologists (ACM) similarly disbanded and merged in 2010.
Therefore the ACB now forms the major body for clinical biochemistry, immunology and microbiology in the UK; providing training, professional leadership, best practices and guidance to the profession, governments, public and media .
The Association liaises with, and is consulted by, many national and international organisations on issues relating to these branches of clinical science.
Membership is open to all health professionals with an interest in laboratory medicine.
Through its Federation of Clinical Scientists arm, the ACB provides the only trade union support for clinical scientists run by clinical scientists.
RSTMH promotes and advances the study, control and prevention of disease in humans and other animals in the tropics and plays a leading role in increasing awareness throughout the world of tropical medicine and international health issues.
Through our international network of Fellows we facilitate training, education and exchange of information between clinicians, health-related scientists, to nongovernmental development organisations and students across all disciplines in the fields of tropical medicine and international health.
The Royal Society of Medicine is an independent, apolitical organisation, founded over 200 years ago.
We are one of the largest providers of continuing medical education in the UK.
We provide accredited courses for continuing professional development, which is so vital in allowing doctors, dentists, veterinary surgeons and other healthcare professionals their continuing freedom to practise.
Our aims are:
to provide a broad range of educational activities and opportunities for doctors, dentists and veterinary surgeons, including students of these disciplines, and for allied healthcare professionals.
to promote an exchange of information and ideas on the science, practice and organisation of medicine, both within the health professions and with responsible and informed public opinion.
We receive no state funding to carry out our core work and are dependent on generous donations and legacies.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society is the professional body for pharmacists and pharmacy in England, Scotland and Wales.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain was founded on April 15 1841 by a group of leading London chemists and druggists. Our face may have changed a bit over the years, but our core values remain the same.
We put our members at the heart of everything we do, working collaboratively with stakeholders across the profession to enhance the reputation and develop the role of pharmacy and through this, meet the needs of our members.
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is a professional membership organisation and registered charity, which exists to advance surgical standards and improve patient care. We support 20,000 members in the UK and internationally by improving their skills and knowledge, developing policy and guidance, and carrying out projects to improve surgical care.
With a full programme of exams and courses, we equip surgeons with the skills they need throughout their careers. High-quality patient care is at the heart of our work, and we also maintain an innovative research programme through donations and legacies.
The College, set up by Royal Charter in 1800, has a unique heritage, with the publically accessible Hunterian Museum in London.
College Mission Statement
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is committed to enabling
surgeons to achieve and maintain the highest standards of surgical
practice and patient care.
The role of The Royal College of Radiologists is to advance the science and practice of radiology and oncology, further public education and promote study and research through setting professional standards of practice. The College is a charity registered with the Charity Commission (no. 211540).
The College is responsible for setting the curriculum for its two specialties to ensure that high educational standards are met in the interests of safe and responsible practice, assessment of schemes for training in the specialties of clinical radiology and clinical oncology and defining and monitoring programmes of education and training for clinical radiologists and clinical oncologists at all stages of their careers.
Other activities include encouraging members to keep up to date in advances in their specialty by organising programmes of continuing professional development (CPD), awarding prizes and scholarships, and funding travelling professorships and lectureships and acting as a provider of education for clinical radiologists and clinical oncologists through lectures, conferences and seminars.
The College has over 9,000 members and Fellows worldwide representing the disciplines of clinical oncology and clinical radiology. All members and Fellows of the College are registered medical or dental practitioners.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists is an independent professional membership organisation and registered charity representing over 15,000 psychiatrists in the UK and Internationally. The core purposes of the Royal College of Psychiatrists are to:
Set standards and promote excellence in psychiatry and mental healthcare
Lead, represent and support psychiatrists
Work with patients, service users, carers and other organisations interested in delivering high quality mental health services
We support our fellows and members during every stage of their career and thus improve the quality of patient care. By setting and monitoring the standards of medical training, we ensure that patients are seen by fully trained, capable doctors.
Our evidence-based guidelines and audits support our fellows and members in improving and scrutinising clinical care. Our education programmes provide physicians with the knowledge and skills they need for high performance. We also take a wide role in the public health arena through campaigning for change, advising government, and taking part in national debates on medical, clinical and public health issues.
Pathology is the science at the heart of modern medicine and our members are vital to the diagnosis and clinical management of disease. Pathologists explain why and how people fall ill and reveal the targets for their treatment. We define, with lab tests, the success or failure of both the progress and the final outcome of that treatment.
The College aims to advance the science and practice of pathology, to provide public education, to promote research in pathology and to disseminate the results.
The College is a professional membership organisation committed to setting and maintaining professional standards and to promoting excellence in the teaching and practice of pathology. It is a registered charity and is not a trade union. We have over 10,000 members working in hospital laboratories, universities and industry worldwide. We are the only medical college that includes scientists as equal and full members.
Dr Archie Prentice
President
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health is responsible for training and examining paediatricians in the UK. The College has over 13,500 members in the UK and abroad and sets standards for professional and postgraduate medical education.
The RCOG encourages the study and advancement of the science and practice of obstetrics and gynaecology. We do this through postgraduate medical education and training development, and the publication of clinical guidelines and reports on aspects of the specialty and service provision. The RCOG Global Health Unit works with other international organisations to help lower maternal morbidity and mortality in under-resourced countries.
The RCN represents nurses and nursing, promotes excellence in practice and shapes health policies.
To deliver our mission we aim to:
Represent
the interests of nurses and nursing and be their voice locally, nationally and internationally.
Influence
and lobby governments and others to develop and implement policy that improves the quality of patient care, and builds on the importance of nurses, health care assistants and nursing students to health outcomes.
Support and protect
the value of nurses and nursing staff in all their diversity
their terms and conditions of employment in all employment sectors
the interests of nurses professionally.
Develop
and educate nurses professionally and academically, building our resource of professional expertise and leadership
the science and art of nursing and its professional practice.
Build
a sustainable, member led, organisation with the capacity to deliver our mission effectively, efficiently and in accordance with our values
the systems, attitudes and resources to offer the best possible support and development to our staff.
We are the professional membership body and guardian of standards for family doctors in the UK, working to promote excellence in primary healthcare.
Anaesthesia is the largest single hospital specialty in the NHS. The Royal College of Anaesthetists is the professional body responsible for the specialty throughout the UK, and it ensures the quality of patient care through the maintenance of standards in anaesthesia, critical care and pain medicine.