BBTS Membership Terms and Conditions
These terms and conditions form the basis of the contract through which the British Blood Transfusion Society (“BBTS”, “we” or “us”) will deliver a service to you as a BBTS Member (“you” or “the member”). On becoming a member of BBTS you are automatically agreeing to these terms and conditions. We shall collect and process your personal information in accordance with data protection legislation, the BBTS Data Protection Policy, and the BBTS Privacy Notice (which can be viewed on the BBTS website – www.bbts.org.uk).1. Membership Applications
a. Applications for membership will be considered by BBTS who have the right to refuse applications.b. By submitting an application form online, the Member is deemed to have signed the application form and agreed to the terms and conditions of membership.
c. All information provided by you to us must be true and accurate at the point of applying. In the event of a change of circumstances such as moving jobs, or change of contact details, you must notify BBTS by email or in writing so that our records are up to date.
d. The reduced, late joining membership rate will apply from 1st October onwards and is only open to brand new members of the BBTS, and not to members who have let their membership lapse for any period of time.
2. Membership Payments, Renewals and Cancellations
a. Membership is fixed for a period from 1st April to the following 31st March regardless of when the member joined the BBTS within that period. Membership will be activated at point of approval of the application and only once payment has been received.
b. The first membership subscription payment must be made in full by credit/ debit card, or by cheque. Subsequent subscription payments can be made by credit/ debit card, cheque, BACS or Direct Debit. If membership payment remains outstanding we will notify you by telephone, email or letter.
c. At the point of renewal of your membership, your renewal payment is confirmation of the continued acceptance of these terms and conditions. You may not transfer any of your rights and obligations under these terms and conditions to another person or organisation.
d. We reserve the right to increase the price of the membership subscription on an annual basis. You will be informed of any fee increase within your renewal letter.
e. It is the member's responsibility to advise BBTS of their intention not to renew. Subscription payments not received within two months of becoming due will result in the membership being considered lapsed and all services will be suspended pending payment.
f. To cancel your membership, in accordance with the Rules of the Society, you will need to notify us in writing or by email at least three months prior to the next renewal date, stating a reason which will be recorded for internal use. Refunds will not be given for cancelled memberships if payment has already been made, and pro rata refunds will not be given if a member cancels their subscription part way through the membership year.
3. Membership Types
a. Individual Membership
i. This includes all membership types other than Corporate Membership groups.
ii. Individual membership belongs to the individual and not to their organisation or employer regardless of who pays for the membership. Any dispute arising from this must be resolved by the member and their organisation or employer. You will be issued with a membership number which you should use when contacting us to help identify you quickly.
iii. It is the individual Member's responsibility to keep their membership number, and BBTS website username and password confidential.
iv. Concessionary Membership
1. Concessionary Membership is open to any individual member in the UK or Ireland whose salary is at AFC Band 5 or below or the equivalent. Concessionary members may include newly qualified staff, part-time staff, unemployed members and retired or semi-retired members.
2. Those applying for Concessionary Membership must provide documented evidence of their eligibility for this reduced rate, which will take the form of the Concessionary Membership Certificate. This Certificate must be renewed on an annual basis, and if not provided when requested, Concessionary Membership may be withdrawn without refund of any subscription paid.
3. It is the member’s responsibility to advise the BBTS of a change in their circumstances that may make them eligible or ineligible for the Concessionary Membership rate.
v. Overseas Membership
1. Overseas Membership applies to individuals outside of the UK and Ireland and who have a permanent address abroad. You will be issued with a membership number which you should use when calling us to help identify you quickly.
2. Any extra costs incurred by usage of the benefits package are the responsibility of the Overseas Member and will not be paid by BBTS. For example, costs incurred to attend a conference or examination in the UK.
vi. Senior Membership
1. Senior Membership is offered at the discretion of the BBTS and can apply to any long-standing member of the BBTS who has fully retired from employment.
2. Senior Members will be entitled to continued membership of the Society by paying the Senior membership fee as set by Council, and will have voting rights.
3. The benefits of Senior Membership may be limited relative to other categories of individual membership, and so any retired member who wishes to retain all benefits of individual membership can do so by continuing as any other applicable membership type, and paying the according membership fee.
b. Corporate Membership
i. Corporate membership is intended for companies and a limited number of their employees. Parent or other related companies are expected to join in their own right if employees of those companies wish to receive member benefits, unless otherwise agreed with BBTS.
ii. Corporate Members require a named Corporate Member Representative in order to receive all benefits of the membership package. Corporate membership can be transferred to a different representative within the organisation, but BBTS must be informed of the new representative's contact details.
iii. The individual named as the Corporate Member Representative should have authorisation to apply for BBTS corporate membership. Any disputes regarding this must be settled by the organisation. You will be issued with a membership number which you should use when contacting us to help identify you quickly.
iv. It is the Corporate Member Representative's responsibility to ensure that details of BBTS Membership and its benefits are disseminated throughout the membership organisation.
v. BBTS reserves the right to withdraw membership from Corporate Members if the work of the organisation is no longer compatible with that of BBTS.
4. Membership Benefits
a. Member benefits are only available if subscription payments are up to date. This is true of all benefits and for the entire duration if a benefit is offered over a period of time, such as an enrolment on an education programme, subscription to a publication, or event booking.
b. Member benefits may change at any time and without notice.
c. We will deliver correspondence and publications to the postal and/ or email addresses you notify to us when you first become a member of BBTS. You agree that we will not be responsible for failure to deliver correspondence and publications if you have supplied us with an incorrect postal or email address or have failed to notify us, in writing, of a postal or email address, or of any changes to your postal or email address. We reserve the right to dispose of incorrectly addressed envelopes and their contents without an obligation to refund your membership fee if they are returned to us.
d. BBTS publications supplied as part of an individual membership are for personal use only and must not be stocked in a library or information resource, or systematically distributed throughout an organisation.
e. If you do not receive a publication to which you are entitled as part of your member benefits it is your responsibility to inform us directly as soon as possible as it is not always possible to retrospectively provide publications.
f. Any external providers of a benefit included within your membership package will have absolute discretion in relation to the provision of services, and membership of BBTS does not guarantee that the external provider will accept an application from a member for the provision of services.
5. Terminating Membership and code of conduct
a. BBTS reserves the right to expect its members to maintain high professional standards and also reserves the right to withdraw membership or to prevent any member from renewing membership if the member puts the BBTS into disrepute.
b. BBTS reserves the right to withdraw membership or to prevent any member from renewing if the member is misusing the membership benefits (for example, allowing someone else to use the benefits of their membership package).
c. Members are not permitted to use BBTS's logo and/or name for the purposes of self-promotion on any of their organisational materials, including website, without written permission.
d. Members are not permitted to use their membership status with BBTS for self-promotion.
e. If a member is found to have contravened the terms and conditions stated in 5c and 5d above membership may be terminated by BBTS without prior warning.
6. Variation of Terms & Conditions
a. These terms and conditions may be revised from time to time. If they are revised, we will post or email the revised version to you or publicise any changes in BBTS publications and electronic communications. It will be your responsibility to keep up-to date with all such changes and your continued membership shall be deemed acceptance of any changes to these terms and conditions.
British Blood Transfusion Society – July 2018
