Welcome to  The British Society of Audiology Web Site Registered Charity No: 261060

What's New Applied Research Grant ** New ** About the Society Functions of the Society Who's Who Sponsor Members

Joining the Society BSA Code of Conduct Fees Society mailings Careers BAA/BSA Joint Statement

What's New 29th June 2008 - Tender for Audiology Services – North East England County Durham and Darlington PCTs will shortly be issuing a tender for the provision of Audiology Services for localities within their geographical boundaries in the North East of England. Anyone wishing to take part in this tender should contact NHS PROCUREMENT NORTH EAST at the earliest opportunity, to register their interest and obtain a PRE-QUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRE (PQQ). Click here for more information 13th April 2008 - Annual Conference 2008 Venue details, programme and registration forms now available in the Events & Meetings section 30th March 2008 - HEARING & BALANCE DISORDERS Achieving excellence in diagnosis and management Patients with hearing and balance disorders can wait years to be seen by an appropriate specialist, and often remain undiagnosed and inadequately managed, according to this new RCP report. At least half the population suffers hearing and/or balance disorders at some point in their life. The report recommends a reorganised multidisciplinary service model with improved medical support and an increase in the number of audiovestibular physicians and paediatricians. For more information please see attached leaflet and press release: http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/news/news.asp?PR_id=392 30th March 2008 - MSC Newsletter Modernising Scientific Careers News, Volume One, is now available by clicking here  back to top

BSA APPLIED RESEARCH GRANTS In honour of the late Stuart Gatehouse BSA Promotes Research In August 2007 BSA members were sent a postal questionnaire to assess levels of interest, participation and training needs in research. Most of those who responded indicated that they were interested in getting involved in applied research. At the BSA AGM held during the BSA Annual Conference at Aston University on 14th September 2007 it was agreed that an annual fund of £10,000 would be made available by the BSA for research projects involving BSA members with a proposed maximum of £3,000 being awarded per project. The MRC Institute of Hearing Research (IHR) has indicated that it will contribute towards the BSA fund, at least in the first year of the scheme, enabling more grants to be made available. A BSA Research Fund Steering Committee (RFSCo) will be formed to manage the grant procedure. For this year only, application forms must be with the Secretariat by the 30th September 2008 Research Grant Application Form Terms and Conditions for Research Grant Applications will be added to the website shortly Research Grant Acceptance Form Frequently Asked Questions  back to top

About the British Society of Audiology The British Society of Audiology aims to increase knowledge of hearing and balance and to enhance Audiological practice by dissemination and education. It was founded in 1966, has grown steadily since then and is by far the largest Audiology society in Europe. It is multi-disciplinary and has members from all areas of Audiology in the UK and throughout the world. It is open to suitable persons who have demonstrated an interest in Audiology. The Society is a founder member of the Federation of Acoustical Societies of Europe (FASE) and more recently provided the stimulus for the European Federation of Audiological Societies (EFAS). Aims of the Society The Society, through its Constitution, has the following main aims : (i) The furtherance of the science of Audiology, that is the study of hearing and balance, and the diagnosis, alleviation and prevention of hearing and balance impairment. (ii) The advancement of education in Audiology. (iii) The furtherance of research in Audiology and the publication of the results of such research. Origin The Society was formed in 1967. Prior to this there was no national organisation to promote Audiology in Great Britain. British delegates to the 1966 VIII International Congress of Audiology in Mexico agreed that there was a need for such a Society and as a result the British Society of Audiology was formed at a meeting in January 1967. The 1968 IX International Congress of Audiology was held in London with the British Society of Audiology acting as host. Since then, the Society has grown both in size of membership and influence, and is now a leading organisation in the field. Council The governing body of the Society is the Council. This consists of eight elected Full Members, plus four Officers (now Trustees) of the Society who are the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer. Council also comprises up to ten ex-officio members who formally represent special interests and groups within the Society. In addition Council may co-opt individual members for their special knowledge, experience or interests. Committees The Society has four standing committees : (i) Programmes Committee, which arranges the annual programme of scientific meetings, some of which are held jointly with other societies. (ii) Education Committee, which fulfills the Society's role in establishing standards, qualifications and courses in Audiology. (iii) Membership Committee, which considers applications for membership of the Society. (iv) Awards Panel, which advises Council on prospective recipients of the Society's prestigious awards. Council is also able to set up working groups to consider specific issues as they arise.  back to top

Functions of the Society Scientific Meetings Throughout the year the Society holds regular scientific, clinical and technical meetings with a wide range of invited and contributed papers. Local branches and groups of the Society can also arrange meetings of their choice. From time to time the Society organises joint meetings with the British Tinnitus Association, Soundseekers (formerly the Commonwealth Society for the Deaf), Institute of Acoustics, Royal Society of Medicine and many other societies. In addition to annual conferences, the Society holds major national or international conferences covering aspects of Audiology. Advisory Role The Society is able to call on the resources of its membership to provide authoritative advice on Audiological matters to Government and other organisations. It provides a headquarters for the United Kingdom Federation of Professionals in Hearing and Balance (ex NCPA) - a forum for discussion between representatives of other Audiological associations. Educational Role The Society organises and advises on training courses for many different aspects of Audiology. These include hearing aid dispensing, the examination and teaching of industrial audiometricians, hearing screening and short courses on many other topics. The Society also produces a series of recommended procedures on Audiological techniques and is actively involved in the production of relevant national and international standards. Mailing Every two months members receive a mailing containing advance notice of Society meetings, details of job opportunities within Audiology and general information about the Society's activities. Also included may be the meeting notices of other societies and product details from manufacturers, etc. Newsletter The BSA NEWS is sent to members with alternate mailings. The Newsletter provides an information service on Audiological matters as well as a useful forum for readers' letters. Abstracts of some papers presented at Society meetings are also published in the Newsletter. Groups and Branches Current Groups of the Society are Balance Interest Group (BIG); Paediatric Audiology Interest Group (PAIG); Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). Groups can be set up to facilitate interests within Audiology. Branches of the Society are active in the North of England, Scotland and in London, and others can be set up to represent geographical interests of the Society as required. Local branch meetings are accommodated within the calendar of meetings of the main Society. Journal The International Journal of Audiology is the official Journal of the Society and is published twelve times per year. It is owned by the merging of the Journals from the British Society of Audiology, International Society of Audiology and Scandinavian Audiology. It has an international reputation and is recognised as a valuable part of the world-wide academic library on Audiology. The Editor welcomes contributions for publication from both members and non-members. The Journal is mailed directly to members under separate cover. Hearing Aid Museum The Society maintains a collection of hearing aids and other Audiological memorabilia. The collection has now been transferred to the Thackray Museum in Leeds. Awards/Prizes As a result of the generous gift to the Society by the organising committee of the IX International Congress on Audiology (London 1968), a lectureship and prize fund was set up, in honour of the late Dr Thomas Simm Littler, a pioneer in British Audiology. (i) The Thomas Simm Littler Lecture is delivered every two years, during a conference of the Society. The Lectureship carries an honorarium and a memorial scroll. Click Here for a list of winners (ii) The Thomas Simm Littler Prize is awarded annually to the best academic contribution to Audiology. Preference is given to candidates below the age of thirty-five. The prize carries an honorarium together with a memorial scroll. Click Here for a list of winners (iii) Thomas Simm Littler Bursary One or more grants of up to £300 per year can be awarded to a member or members of the Society to assist in achieving training or related professional goals. Examples of uses to which the awards could be put are:- to help with travel costs to enable the results of a research project to be presented at an academic meeting; or to help with accommodation costs so that attendance at a conference can be extended to include a visit to another department. Further information can be obtained from the Secretariat. (iv) Ruth Spencer Prize The prize fund was established to honour the memory of Ruth Spencer who until her death in 1974, was an Audiology technician at the University of Southampton. The prize is awarded annually to the best contribution to Audiology by a Member of the Society. Click Here for a list of winners (v) Jos Millar Award Jos Millar, Chief Audiologist at the Waveney Hospital, Ballymena, retired after many happy years spent in audiological practise. Jos has commemorated these happy years by making an award to the BSA in the form of a shield. The award is presented annually for the best article to be published in the BSA News. Click Here for a list of winners (vi) George Harris Award This award was set up in 2006 as a result of a sum of £1,000 bequeathed by the late George Harris. The money is awarded to any individual(s) making a notable contribution to Hearing Aid Audiology in any one year, such amount to be paid to such individuals at such time as the Society shall think fit. Click Here for a list of winners These awards honour former members of our profession, who in their own different ways, made a significant contribution to Audiology. Through these awards, we are now able to honour our contemporaries who have done valuable work in the field of Audiology. The Awards are open to the membership for names of members to be nominated for the Thomas Simm Littler Prize, the Ruth Spencer Prize and the Jos Millar Shield. Please send your nominations to the BSA Secretariat no later than 31st May in any year. These should be accompanied by a short paragraph (about 50 words) giving the reason for your choice, e.g. for specific work or project. Please note that nominees must be members of BSA. Council will continue to make nominations for the Thomas Simm Littler Lecture.  back to top

Who's Who in the Society Administrative Staff Jan Deevey Ellen Godden Ann Allen Catherine Ward Council Members (P=Member of Programmes Committee, C=Member of Council) Chairman of Council: Professor Adrian Davis (P/C) Vice-Chairman: Dr Rosalyn Davies Honorary Secretary: Dr Sally Hind (P/C) Honorary Treasurer: Dr Peter West (P/C) Former Chairman: Mr Graham Frost Elected Full Members Professor Basil Al-Shihabi (P/C) Dr Ansar Ahmmed (C) Dr Doris-Eva Bamiou (P/C) Mr Justin Day (C) Ms Rosie Hayes (C) Ex-Officio Members Mr Paul Radomskij (P/C) (Chairman - Balance Interest Group) Mrs Christine de Placido (P/C) (Chairman – Scottish Branch) Dr Sarita Fonseca (P/C) (Chairman – Paediatric Audiology Interest Group) Mrs Christine De Placido and Melanie Ferguson (C) (Editor BSA News) Dr Sally Hind (P/C) (Chairman - Auditory Processing Disorder Group) Mr Nigel Partington (C) (Welsh representative) Dr David Reed (C) (Chairman - Education Committee) Ms Jacqueline Sheldrake (C) (Chairman - Membership Committee) Mr Paul Turner (P/C) (Chairman - Programmes Committee)  back to top

Sponsor members This Microsoft Word document holds a full list of the current Sponsor Members of BSA  back to top

Joining the Society Membership is open to all people with an interest in Audiology. Experts include Audiology technicians, otologists, hearing aid dispensers, speech scientists, psychologists, speech and hearing therapists, teachers of the deaf, social workers, engineers, Audiological scientists and physicians, general medical practitioners, research workers as well as hard of hearing people and parents of deaf children. Members' interests cover all aspects of Audiology from electrophysiology to rehabilitation and include scientific, psychological, medical, prosthetic and sociological aspects of hearing impairment, hearing screening of neonates, industrial audiometry, and courses on many other topics. Noise, speech and vestibular function are also included in the diverse interests of members. Click here for an application form, here for a copy of the BSA Code of Conduct and here for the BSA Constitution  back to top

BSA Code of Conduct The Trustees and Council decided it would benefit BSA members if they drew up a Code of Conduct. This document comes into effect from 1 JUNE 2008. Click here for a copy  back to top

Fees 2008/2009 Revised Membership fees become applicable on 1 June 2008 Annual Membership Fees Member Type Rate Full Membership £53 Associate Membership £53 Student Membership £20 Affiliate Membership £130 Sponsor Membership £445 Retired/Reduced Rate Membership without journal £20 Retired/Reduced Rate Membership with journal £33 Overseas and Airmail The following costs should be added to the above subscriptions : Airmail (excluding Europe) £20.50 Airmail (in Europe) £11.50 Overseas surface mail (excluding Europe) £8.50 This covers regular mailings but does not include postage of the International Journal of Audiology. Meetings - Central Charges Organizers should allow for the following charges which cover the cost of administration and mailing when meetings are run through BSA secretariat. Members £20 per registrant Non-members £25 per registrant Exhibition Fees (charges below are a guideline only and will vary depending on the venue) Sponsors £220 +VAT per two metre stand per day (minimum) Non-sponsors £440 +VAT per two metre stand per day (minimum) NB: An additional charge of £20 +VAT will be added to cover administration costs Subscription and Meeting Charges The membership year starts on the lst June. Members elected after the lst January pay half the subscription for that year. The Society aims to keep subscription rates as low as possible and to run meetings economically.  back to top

Society Mailings Advertisements Equipment or services advertised in BSA News:   Sponsors Non-sponsors Half A4 page     Black and white £110 £220 Colour £275 £550 Full A4 page     Black and white £150 £255 Colour £440 £880 Advertisements included in the Society's mailing: Insertion (copy supplied) £275 per A4 sheet Insertion (copy not supplied) £355 per A4 sheet The Society has revised ways of advertising career opportunities and plans to advertise career opportunities on the Web site. As not all members have access to the Web site, it is proposed to continue to include advertisements in our bi-monthly mailings. Career opportunities can be advertised in one of three ways : 1. a package of printing/mailing and advertising on the Web site for £415 plus VAT. (per A4 sheet - plain paper, one colour) 2. printing and mailing - £355 plus VAT (per A4 sheet - plain paper, one colour) 3. Web site only - £385 plus VAT Career opportunities on the Web site will be displayed until the closing date and can be found under the heading "Open Job Postings" Mailing Schedules 2008 BSA News Article Copy Date Advertisement BSA News Copy Date Insert (not supplied) Copy Date Insert Supplied to BSA Office Date BSA News/Mailing Dispatch Date 31st January 15th February 25th March 18th April 25th April*     2nd June 20th June 27th June 30th April 30th May 14th July 1st August 8th August*     8th September 26th September 3rd October 7th September 26th September 17th November 5th December 12th December* * denotes BSA Newsletter to be included Articles for publication should be with the Editor by these dates, but send your copy as soon as possible The Society reserves the right to refuse to circulate advertisements, without having to state a reason. It is possible that should the mailing schedules not fit in with specific requirements, special mailings can be undertaken at the secretariat’s discretion. Costs: £770 plus VAT for single A4 sheet; shared mailings £495 plus VAT. Please contact the Secretariat for details. Enquiries and advertising copy should be sent to the Secretariat: British Society of Audiology 80 Brighton Road Reading RG6 1PS Tel: 0118 966 0622 Fax: 0118 935 1915 Email bsa@thebsa.org.uk (An answering service operates when the office is closed)  back to top

Careers www.dmu.ac.uk/Subjects/Db/coursePage2.php?courseID=2574 Looking for a change, a new career in a vocational specialist caring profession working with people from the very young to the elderly who experience hearing and balance disorders, or to develop yourself, we can offer a number of different Audiology programmes, whether it’s a BSc, MSc or Taught Doctorate   Factsheet for students : Click here for important information for those considering working in the independent sector   The following article appeared in a recent edition of one of the Independent's magazines : Get Wired for Sound   Click here for current information on the BSc courses   Please note: The last revision of the Careers Brochure was in 1998 and some of the information is now out of date. The Brochure is currently being revised and it is hoped that the new edition will be ready for publication on the web site by the end of the year. An announcement will be made in the BSA News when the revision has been completed. Click here for careers brochure   For helpful advice on careers, please visit the following. British Academy of Audiology website NHS Careers  back to top

British Academy of Audiology & The British Society of Audiology Joint Statement Representatives of BAA and the BSA met recently to discuss the relationship between the two organisations and how they may best develop their relationship and cooperation in the future. The BSA welcomes the formation of BAA as a unified professional group of practitioners in Audiology and recognises and endorses its role. The role and constitution of the BSA is currently under review and the two organisations will liaise closely to ensure that their mutual roles are clear and for the future benefit of Audiology in the UK. BAA fully acknowledge the strong developing role of the BSA in providing a forum for liaison and discussion within the broader Audiology community, special interest groups, academic discussion and the publication of its International Journal of Audiology. BAA will set standards for its professions and accredit courses that lead to membership and registration. The vision of BAA is set out on the website (www.baaudiology.org) Jonathan Parsons, Clive Sparkes, Graham Sutton (BAA); Graham Frost, Peggy Fossey-Chalmers, Deepak Prasher, Ewa Raglan (BSA) October 2003  back to top