2024 Council Vacancies

The British Society of Abortion Care Providers (BSACP) is pleased to announce exciting opportunities for dedicated members to join our Council. We are seeking passionate and committed individuals to contribute to the leadership and direction of our Society, ensuring the highest standards of abortion care across the United Kingdom and beyond.

About BSACP

The British Society of Abortion Care Providers (BSACP) is a multi-professional organisation formed to promote best practice, education, training and research in abortion care. The aim of the BSACP is to improve the standard of abortion care in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, its Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories. We serve our members by providing a forum for professional development and networking, as well as by raising the profile of the specialty and improving understanding amongst those responsible for abortion-related policy, guidance, commissioning, regulation and training.

Council Vacancies

We are currently inviting applications for multiple positions on our Council. As a Council member, you will play a crucial role in shaping the strategic direction of the BSACP, influencing policy, and driving initiatives that support our mission.

The vacant posts are:

Key Responsibilities

  • Participate in quarterly Council meetings
  • Contribute to the development and implementation of strategic plans
  • Provide guidance and support to BSACP members

Eligibility Criteria

  • To stand or nominate for election you must be a member of BSACP with a current, paid-up membership subscription
  • To stand for election you must have been a member of BSACP for at least a year
  • Demonstrated commitment to the principles and goals of the BSACP
  • Relevant experience in abortion care, reproductive health, or a related field
  • Ability to work collaboratively and constructively within a team

How to Apply

Interested candidates are invited to fill and submit the following nomination form: 2024 BSACP Council Elections Nomination Form

Please send your nomination form to admin@bsacp.org.uk no later than 18:00 on Monday, 23 September 2024.

Contacts

For further information about the vacancies or the application process, please get in touch at admin@bsacp.org.uk

We look forward to welcoming new voices and perspectives to our Council.

Speakers' Bios - 2024 BSACP Conference

Bec McKay

Bec McKay is a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist running the Complex Abortion Network for the Eastern Region. She is also lead for Early pregnancy and Emergency Gynaecology in Peterborough City Hospital. She has worked in the field of Abortion Care within the NHS for 25 years. She is currently the Abortion Module Guardian for the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) for their Abortion Care Specialist Modules and is passionate about education. She is a current doctor member for BSACP and sits on their Education and Training Committee, along with helping to organise the Conference for the past 4 years.

Charlotte Glynn

Photo Credit: RCN/Stuart Fisher

Charlotte is a Lead Nurse for BPAS Telemedical Hub Doncaster. Her background is in sexual health and contraception, and she has been working in abortion care for the last 3 years. Her special interests are early medical abortion, non-medical prescribing, LARC fitting, the role of research and audit in SRH, and the care of vulnerable people and communities. She is a committee member of the RCN Women’s Health Forum Committee and was awarded Forum Member of the Year Award 2024.

Jane Fisher

Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) is a UK charity providing impartial information and support to parents through antenatal screening and its consequences, including specialised support after prenatal diagnosis and through TOPFA. ARC also supports and works collaboratively with health care professionals and runs a well-established training programme for staff working in the field. Jane Fisher joined ARC in 2001 as Support Co-ordinator and became Director in 2004.

As well as managing the charity, Jane is also involved in directly supporting parents, training care health professionals, research, policy and media work. She was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the RCOG in 2023 in recognition of her services to women’s health.

Jayne Kavanagh

Jayne Kavanagh is an Associate Professor at UCL Medical School and a specialty doctor in Homerton Abortion Care Service in East London. She is co-chair of Doctors for Choice UK and co-director of the charity Abortion Talk. 

Jayne is passionate about improving abortion education for healthcare students and about destigmatising abortion.

She produced and co-Directed Kind To Women, a short documentary film about the1967 Abortion Act.

John Reynolds-Wright

John Reynolds-Wright is a CSO/NES Clinical Lecturer in Sexual and Reproductive Health.

He is the research and guidelines team lead at BSACP and is the first person to complete the new FSRH Abortion Care Specialist Modules.

Judith Bowler

Judith is Senior Sister in Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (SRH) with the Hywel Dda University Health Board in West Wales. She has been working in nursing and midwifery since 1984. She is also a Faculty Registered Trainer (FRT) for the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) and Lead for Safeguarding within the Sexual Health Service. Judith’s special interests are women’s health, equality of care and access to Abortion Care services. Judith has been a member of BSACP Council since October 2023, and she is a keen part time livestock farmer.

Katie Morris

Professor Katie Morris, Professor Maternal and Fetal Health, University of Birmingham, Director Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit. Her research aims to improve the care for women with multiple pregnancies, fetal anomalies, growth restriction, reducing infection in maternity and prevention of preterm birth, employing prognostic and diagnostic research, modelling, systematic reviews and clinical trials. She has received research funding from the HTA, RfPB, MRC and charities. She sits on the RCOG Research Committee and Scientific Advisory Committee, RfPB West Midlands Panel, Wellbeing of Women Scientific Advisory Committee,  British Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society Executive Committee as President  and is Clinical Speciality Lead for Reproductive Health and Childbirth for the West Midlands.

Her clinical practice is at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust where she cares for women with complex pregnancies including maternal cardiac disease, fetal growth restriction and multiple pregnancies including providing fetal therapy. She is lead for the Women’s and Children’s Health theme of Birmingham Health Partners.

Lesley Carline

Lesley Carline BSc (Hons) Midwifery, Bereavement Specialist Midwife.

I have worked in the NHS for 31 years, training as a general nurse in my local hospitals in the North East in 1993, moving on to acute medicine at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield once qualified. I moved to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading in 1997 and started midwifery training there in 2000. After a brief foray onto the antenatal and postnatal wards after qualification, I returned to intrapartum care and never left. I was a Delivery Suite co-ordinator for several years, always with a special interest in bereavement care, and was appointed as the bereavement midwife in 2007. After developing the existing service for 4 years, I moved to East Anglia in 2011 and took up the role again but this time in a newly created post at Peterborough City Hospital. Caring for women experiencing perinatal loss from the beginning of their journey through to the postnatal period and beyond remains the main focus of my role. Midwifery is a diverse art, encompassing care of women during some of the best and worst experiences of the pregnancy journey and I wholeheartedly believe in compassion, support and advocacy that is tailored to each individual woman and her supporters as the framework for this in every setting that we provide that care. Being married to a former serviceman for the last 27 years plus caring for a series of boxer dogs, reptiles and chickens over that time has kept me sane, although there are many who would disagree with that statement!

Lydia Kingsley

Dr Lydia Kingsley, MBChB, FFSRH.  Interim Medical Director, National Unplanned Pregnancy Advisory Service (NUPAS).

Lydia’s background is in Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (SRH).  She completed her SRH training in Manchester, and was the Senior Doctor at Brook in Manchester in the early 2000’s.  She then became the Clinical Director of the SRH services in Halton, St Helens and Knowsley (Cheshire and Merseyside), overseeing their eventual integration with the GUM service.  Lydia left the NHS in 2013 to become a Regional Clinical Director at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), where training was part of her portfolio, and she was the FSRH General Training Programme Director for BPAS’ peripatetic training programme.  Lydia is the Deputy Module Guardian for the new FSRH Abortion Care Specialist Modules (ACSM), which is the only multidisciplinary training route for abortion skills in the UK, accessible to doctors, nurses and midwives.  BPAS was heavily involved in the pilot of the FSRH ACSM, providing training for doctors in modules 4-6 under Lydia’s leadership.

Lydia was appointed Interim Medical Director at NUPAS in April 2024.

Namita Kumar

Professor Namita Kumar, MBChB MD MMEd FRCP FAcadMEd, Postgraduate Dean, Consultant Rheumatologist. Involvement in medical education started when Namita was a doctor in training. In 2003 Namita was appointed as a board member of the Postgraduate Medical and Education Training Board, the first UK regulator of Postgraduate Medical Education. In 2010 she was appointed as Foundation School director for Northern Deanery, in 2013 to the post of Postgraduate dean for HEE NE and in 2019 Regional Postgraduate Dean for HEE North East and Yorkshire. She was made an Honorary Clinical Professor by Durham University in 2014, Newcastle and Sunderland Universities, as well as UCLAN in 2017. She was a council member of the Academy of Medical Educators 2014-2017, and a Councillor then Trustee Councillor of Royal college of Physicians from 2017-2022. She was appointed as a trustee for NCEPOD in January 2022, and has been the Co-chair of HEE Postgraduate Deans since 2020. Namita was appointed to the new role of National Dean in Dec 2023.

Patricia A. Lohr

Patricia trained in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles followed by a Fellowship in Family Planning & Contraceptive Research and Master’s Degree in Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh. She is the Director of Research and Innovation of British Pregnancy Advisory Service. Patricia is widely published and has contributed to evidence-based guidance produced by the RCOG, FSRH, NICE, and Society of Family Planning. She serves as an expert advisor to NICE, Associate Editor for the journal BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, Chair of the BSACP Education and Training Committee, and on the Advisory Group for the charity Abortion Talk.

Pippa Clayton-Smith

Pippa is Lead Sonographer at MSI Reproductive Choices. She has worked as both a nurse and a sonographer across a variety of areas of women’s health including termination of pregnancy, early pregnancy, acute gynaecology, and fertility. She is passionate about the education of nurses and midwives in ultrasound and the provision of safe and effective abortion care.

Rebecca Blaylock

Rebecca is an interdisciplinary researcher working primarily on abortion care. She draws on critical public health, epidemiology, sociology, and anthropology, amongst other disciplines and methods.

Rebecca has been the Research & Engagement Lead at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) since 2018- a post she now shares. In September 2023, she joined the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) to undertake an NIHR/Wellbeing of Women Doctoral Fellowship. During her fellowship she will be exploring how the introduction of telemedicine has impacted the accessibility and equity of abortion services in England and Wales. She has an MPH from Imperial College London and an undergraduate degree in anthropology from the University of Cambridge.

Samuel Yosef

Sam is a Doctoral Student at King’s College London in the Cultural Competency Unit and the Operations Manager for the British Society of Abortion Care Providers.

His PhD project is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) through the London Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (LISS-DTP) and is focused on understanding and addressing the influence of colonialism on postgraduate specialty training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the UK through Participatory Action Research (PAR).

He received an MA in European Studies (Cum Laude) from the University of Groningen, an MA in Languages Cultures and Society from the University of Strasbourg and a BA in International Cooperation and Development from the University of Rome – Sapienza.

Sam has worked in medical education for the past 4 years in various roles with different organisations including the General Medical Council (GMC) and the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH). He is the current Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Reproductive Justice Initiative (RJI).

Sue Mann

Sue Mann is the National Clinical Director in Women’s Health.  Jointly trained in Public Health and Women’s Health, she is also Consultant and Lead for Women’s Health In City and Hackney North East London.  She is committed to the delivery of population and system level change for the delivery of better access, improved outcomes and reduced inequalities in women’s health

Yvonne Neubauer

Dr Yvonne Neubauer is an Associate Clinical Director at MSI Reproductive Choices UK (formerly Marie Stopes), a Specialist in Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare at North Bristol Trust and a member of the Advisory Group for Abortion Talk. She is passionate about education, and has established a successful training program where NHS doctors can gain the surgical abortion skills to maintain a sustainable abortion care workforce.

2024 Conference - Discount Codes for BSACP Members

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Operations Manager Vacancy

BSACP is recruiting an Operations Manager to support and manage work of the society. Please see the full job description and person specification here: 202406 Operations Manager Job Description and Person Specification

The deadline for applications is Friday, 21 June 2024.

Please submit your CV and cover letter to admin@bsacp.org.uk

Administrator Vacancy

BSACP is recruiting an Administrator to support the Operations Manager and the ongoing work of the society. Please see the full job description and person specification here: 202406 Administrator Job Description and Person Specification

The deadline for applications is Friday, 21 June 2024.

Please submit your CV and cover letter to admin@bsacp.org.uk

Review and Revision of BSACP Manual Vacuum Aspiration Course Materials

The British Society of Abortion Care Providers (BSACP) is seeking experienced professionals or teams to undertake a comprehensive review of our Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) Training Course slide decks. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the advancement of Abortion care and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) education. We invite experts in medical research and education within these fields to apply and help us ensure our training materials are accurate, clear, and up-to-date.

Deadline for submissions: Friday, 21 June 2024

This is a paid opportunity, for more details, please see the full call here: Review and Revision of BSACP Manual Vacuum Aspiration Course Materials

Interested parties should submit a detailed proposal and project plan, CV, and a relevant writing example to admin@bsacp.org.uk

Nominations Invited for BSACP Officer Positions – Deadline 6.00pm Friday 29 September 2023

The BSACP council is inviting nominations for the roles of two officers ahead of the AGM on 10th November 2023:

  1. Treasurer
  2. Membership Officer

Please submit the nomination form with two proposers who are current, paid-up members of BSACP before the 29th September 2023 via e-mail to admin@bsacp.org.uk.

Here are the links to the role description:

Notes

  1. To stand or nominate for an officer position you must be a member of BSACP with a current, paid-up membership subscription.
  2. Two members of BSACP must support the nomination of a candidate for an Officer position. A member cannot nominate themselves.
  3. A member who has previously been appointed as an Officer can stand again provided at least 2 years have passed since they finished being an Officer.

Nominations Invited for Positions on BSACP Council – Deadline 6.00pm Friday 16 September 2022

26 August 2022

The following positions on BSACP Council are open for nominations:

  • Treasurer (3-year term)
  • Trainee Representative (2-year term proposed form October 2022)
  • Nurse/Midwife Member (3-year term)
  • Nurse/Midwife Representative – National Health Service (NHS) (3-year term)
  • Nurse/Midwife Representative – Independent Sector Provider (ISP) (3-year term)

All nominations should be submitted on the approved nomination form (BSACP Council Elections 2022 nomination form final 26082022), with two proposers who are current, paid-up members of BSACP.

BSACP members who wish to stand for one of these Council positions must submit a completed nomination form to admin@bsacp.org.uk by 6.00pm on Friday 16 September 2022. A ballot will be organised for those positions that have more than one nomination.

Job descriptions are available for two roles: Treasurer (BSACP Treasurer Job Description 01122017) and Trainee Representative (BSACP Trainee Representative Job Description 27032018).

Notes

  • Members can apply for a position on Council after they have been a member for a minimum of 1 year. An individual may only apply for one Council position at each Election.
  • The position of Chair/Co-Chair should be filled by an individual who has already served on BSACP Council.
  • Nominated individuals for Regional Representative positions must work within the relevant regional boundary. Regional Representatives may be appointed according to voting from members working within the relevant regional boundaries.

Caroline Scherf (BSACP Secretary)

 

 

 

Joint BSACP/RSM Hybrid Conference on ‘Abortion Care: Focusing on the Future’ on Friday 7 October 2022 at the RSM in London

22 August 2022

BSACP/RSM Online Conference Registration

Registration for this year’s conference jointly organised by the British Society of Abortion Care Providers (BSACP) and the RSM’s Sexuality & Sexual Health Section is open, with ‘early-bird’ registration fees available until Thursday 25 August.

This year’s conference provides the opportunity for healthcare professionals working in the field of abortion care to once again meet together face-to-face as a supportive community. The conference will facilitate networking and improve participants’ knowledge of new styles of abortion provision. It will look to the future in providing patient-centred care in an inclusive way. A ‘novel’ feature of this year’s conference will be a facilitated ‘book club’ discussion about a book on an abortion-related theme to be held during the lunch break.

The conference will offer an exciting programme whose aims are two-fold: (1) to provide information about maximising the role of nurses and midwives in abortion care, together with a contraceptive update and (2) to update abortion providers on providing inclusive abortion care in the context of an evolving abortion landscape.

The programme has been conceived to appeal to a broad range of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, midwives, and those whose focus is abortion care provision.

We hope that most participants will decide to attend this event in person, and thus benefit from the opportunities for face-to-face networking with colleagues throughout the day. These activities include viewing the posters describing new research, browsing the commercial display stands, watching a topical documentary film or participating in a lively book club discussion, and socialising during the refreshment breaks and while partaking of a delicious hot buffet luncheon.

Programme: BSACP RSM 2022 Conference Programme dated 17062022    RSM promotional flyer: Abortion Care – Focusing on the Future – SER01 Conference Flyer 29.06.22

View the conference programme and register at: https://www.rsm.ac.uk/events/sexuality-and-sexual-health/2022-23/ser01/

***BSACP members qualify for preferential discounted rates, and ‘early bird’ registration fees are available to everyone until 25 August.***

To join BSACP, go to https://bsacp.org.uk/about-bsacp/membership/ and complete an online membership application form. BSACP members should register for the conference on the RSM event webpage by clicking on the ‘Non-Member’ tab in the first instance.

Abstracts Invited for Free Communications and Poster Presentations

This year we are once again inviting poster submissions, from which four will be chosen to give 10-minute oral presentations at the conference, with a prize awarded for the best presentation. This is a great way to share ideas and/or showcase the work and achievements of your unit/team.  We aren’t expecting every submission to be a rigorous academic piece of research – so do please consider submitting! It just needs to be original, contemporary (within the last 3 years) and related to abortion care and provision.  See abstract preparation/submission guidelines: BSACP RSM 2022 Conference Abstracts for Free Communications Guidelines 17062022

The abstract submission deadline is 11.59pm on Thursday 1 September 2022.

 

Joint RCOG/BSACP Manual Vacuum Aspiration Training Course, Tuesday 6 September 2022 at RCOG, London

22 August 2022

This one-day, hands-on and theoretical training course focuses on the outpatient management of miscarriage and abortion using manual vacuum aspiration.

Manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) is an alternative to electric suction or dilatation and curettage for evacuation of the uterine contents. The MVA procedure is performed with a hand-operated vacuum syringe, typically under local anaesthetic, in a treatment room.

With the high safety profile of this procedure and the increasing potential for the delivery of uterine evacuation outside of theatre, there is a need to improve access to MVA in the UK. In addition to providing grounding in the MVA procedure, this course covers the equipment, staffing, analgesia and other requirements for surgical uterine evacuation in the outpatient setting.

Book early to avoid disappointment as there are only 30 places available.

Programme/registration: https://rcog.eventsair.com/mva-sept2022