Terms and conditions

Introduction

Association of Anaesthetists is the brand name used to refer to both the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain & Ireland and its related charity, AAGBI Foundation.

This text sets out the terms and conditions of membership of the Association of Anaesthetists (‘the Association’), and the terms and conditions of participation in events organised by the Association.

They should be read in conjunction with the ‘Articles of Association’ and ‘Regulations’ of both organisations, which are available on request by writing to Association of Anaesthetists, 21 Portland Place, London, W1B 1PY.

These terms and conditions are subject to variations from time to time. These variations will be noted in relevant Association communications and on our website.

Website

We’ve taken every care to ensure that the information on our website is accurate and up to date. However if you come across something you believe is inaccurate please contact us [email protected].

The Association endeavours to deliver products and services as described on the website, however changes or improvements may be necessary at times and we reserve the right to make changes to those products and services.

While the Association uses reasonable endeavours to ensure that the website is secure and free of errors, viruses and other malware, it gives no warranty in that regard and all users take responsibility for their own security, that of their personal details and their computers.

External links

This site is linked to third party sites and the Association does not take responsibility for the content of external sites that we link to and does not necessarily imply that we endorse them. They are provided in good faith for your convenience and as another avenue of information that you might find useful.

Copyright and trademark

Unless otherwise stated, the Association maintains copyright on the information published on this site. The design of the website is owned by the Association and we own or have license to use the images used.

Prohibited use

You may not use the website for any of the following purposes:

• In any way which causes or may cause damage to the website or interferes with any other person’s use or enjoyment of the website;
• In any way which is harmful, unlawful, illegal, abusive, harassing, threatening or otherwise objectionable or in breach of any applicable law or regulation
• Making, transmitting or storing electronic copies of content protected by copyright without the permission of the owner.

Membership terms and conditions

Membership Contract

When you submit your membership application you are making an offer to subscribe as a member of the Association, which, if accepted, will result in a legally binding contract.

These terms and conditions form the basis of that contract through which the Association will deliver a product or service(s) to you as a member of the Association.

On becoming a member of the Association you are automatically agreeing to these terms and conditions and the terms in our Privacy Policy.

Membership categories

The Association provides different categories of membership to reflect the differing needs of its members. At present, the following categories of membership are available:

• Full member (formerly known as Ordinary member)
• Trainee member
• SAS (UK) / NCHD (Republic of Ireland) member
• International member (formerly known as Overseas member)
• Retired member
• Honorary member
• Associate member
• Medical Student

A full definition of each membership category is given on the membership categories and rates page.

When you apply for membership we will check your registration against the General Medical Council (GMC) or Irish Medical Council (IMC), or request evidence of your employment or student status.

Memberships are not transferable.

The membership year

The Association operates a fixed year membership scheme. The membership year runs from 1 July to 30 June. You can become a member at any time of the year, but your membership will renew each year on 1 July.

The 'Membership fees' section below provides more information on how subscriptions fees are calculated. 

New members joining outside of the fixed year membership dates shall pay a pro-rated membership fee appropriate to the date of joining.

Minimum membership period

To allow the Association to plan its resources effectively, all members must maintain their membership to 30 June in the current membership year. This is known as the ‘minimum membership period’.

Your membership will be renewed on 1 July unless you notify us that you wish to cancel.

Cancellations will take effect from the next renewal date. Refunds will not be given for payments that have already been processed. See more about cancelling your membership in ‘Membership cancellation’.

Membership fees

On acceptance of membership, members shall pay the annual subscription fee either as a full, single payment, or by four quarterly direct debit instalments (UK only).

Fees for all membership categories are published on the website membership categories and rates page.

Membership fees vary depending on the membership category, payment method, and eligibility for any concessionary rates that may be available from time to time. Membership fees are reviewed annually and you will be notified of any fee changes in writing via your subscription renewal notice.

Please note your membership will be lapsed if you fail to make payment after one month from the payment due date. 

Members are not entitled to any services or benefits associated with membership until the appropriate membership fees have been paid.

Fee payment schedule

Existing members

Existing members will pay the annual subscription fee on or about 1 July each year, either as a full single payment, or by four quarterly direct debit instalments (UK only). See ‘Membership renewals’ for more information.

New members

New members joining on 1 July will pay the annual subscription fee either as a full, single payment, or by four quarterly direct debit instalments (UK only). New members joining outside of the fixed year membership dates shall pay a pro-rated membership fee appropriate to the date of joining.

Concessionary rates and eligibility criteria

The Association may, at its discretion, make concessionary rates of membership available from time to time. Assessment of eligibility for concessionary rates is based solely on the discretion of the Association and the Association’s decision in this matter is final. We reserve the right to request documentary evidence if necessary in order to make this assessment.

Eligibility for concession in one membership year does not necessarily imply continuing eligibility for future membership years.

If your grade of membership changes during the membership year, it is your responsibility to inform the Association and change to the relevant grade which will take effect from the date of renewal i.e. 1 July.

Membership offers

From time to time the Association may make special offers to encourage member recruitment. These offers may include incentives that vary the terms and conditions as laid out here for those eligible for and who accept such offers (‘eligible acceptances’).

These terms and conditions will be varied only as regards the eligible acceptances and only to the extent specified in the material accompanying the membership offer in question. All other aspects of these terms and conditions remain in force as regards all members (including eligible acceptances) unless otherwise notified.

Claiming tax relief

The Association is an Inland Revenue approved (list 3) professional body. If you are a UK tax payer, your membership fee may be tax deductible (eligible for tax relief). If in any doubt, you should contact your tax advisor.

Membership payment methods

You can pay for your membership by direct debit, credit card or debit card.

If you pay by direct debit you can pay a year’s fees in full, or by quarterly instalments (UK direct debit only). Direct debit allows membership to be renewed automatically at the relevant rate at the membership renewal date i.e. 1 July.

If you are paying by credit or debit card or SEPA (Irish) direct debit you must pay your membership fee in a single instalment.

If you are not using your own credit or debit card to pay for your membership subscription you must ask the permission of the credit or debit card holder before entering the payment details. When you apply for membership you confirm that you have obtained the express prior permission of the credit or debit card holder.

If you already have a UK direct debit setup, you can update your account details at any time under your membership details via the 'My Profile' area of the website.

Payment in Euros

Euro payments are only available for Irish memberships.

You will not be able to pay in Euros if you wish to set up a quarterly direct debit.

Unpaid membership fees

Unpaid membership fees impact directly on our ability to plan and provide the benefits and services for members. Therefore, the Association reserves the right to take necessary steps to recover unpaid membership fees, including legal action where necessary.

In any circumstances where the membership fees remain unpaid following the due date for payment, the Association specifically reserves the following rights:

• To demand immediate payment of any outstanding sums due
• To withdraw the facility to make membership payments by instalment
• To charge an administration fee of £25 plus any costs of recovery
• To add interest to any outstanding amounts of 4% above the Bank of England base rate

Please note your membership will be lapsed if you fail to make payment one month after the payment due date. 

Issues with payment

If you anticipate any issues or problems with the payment of your membership fees, please contact the membership team straight away to discuss.

If you have asked us to collect from a specific account and our request is returned by your bank as ‘unpaid’ on more than two occasions, then we will ask you for full and immediate payment by card for the membership year that this applies to.

You agree that any outstanding amount on your membership account must be cleared on termination (and for the avoidance of doubt) before you can be readmitted to membership of the Association.

Moving from one membership package to another

You may transfer from one category of membership to another category provided you meet the criteria of the membership category applied for and your minimum membership period for the original membership category has elapsed.

The point of transfer can only take place at the renewal of the fixed membership year (1 July). At the point of transfer a new minimum membership period will begin and the new membership package will be available

For re-grades (changing between membership categories) please get in touch with the membership team.

Membership renewals

Your membership will automatically renew every year on 1 July unless a written cancellation (via email or letter) is received by the membership team, or your membership has been terminated in accordance with the ‘Termination of membership’ rules.

The amount due from you for the next membership year will be included in your renewals notice prior to the membership renewal date. If you pay by direct debit, fees will be taken at the new rate unless we receive notice of change of membership or cancellation.

If you choose to pay by credit or debit card you can renew your membership from the 'My membership' section on the website in the 'My Profile' area of the site or by contacting the membership team. 

At the point of renewal, checks against the GMC, the IMC, or other appropriate authority will be carried out to ensure there are no changes to your registration. However, it is your responsibility to inform us of any change in your professional status with the GMC or IMC, your professional role and/or your circumstances that may affect your membership or the information we hold for you.

At the point of membership renewal, successful payment is confirmation of the continued acceptance of these terms and conditions.

Payment for renewed membership

If you pay your membership fee by credit or debit card your payment must reach the Association within one month of the membership renewal date i.e. by 31 July for 1 July renewal. This will ensure your membership is not cancelled by default.

For your convenience, UK and Irish members will be offered the option to pay by direct debit. This has the advantage that your membership can be renewed automatically each year without the need for you to take any further action.

If you already pay by direct debit we will endeavour to collect your membership fees for each year from the account notified and you will receive advanced notification of the collection.

Right to refuse membership applications

We reserve the right not to fulfil, or to cancel, your application if we are unable to obtain payment authorisation from the issuer of your credit/debit card or payment by other means.

If your individual membership application is accepted, but we subsequently discover that any or all of the information provided by you was misleading or false, we reserve the right to revoke your membership with immediate effect, without the right of appeal.

Membership cancellation

Membership will be continued annually on the renewal date (1 July) unless a written cancellation (via email or letter) is received by the membership team.

The Association requires at least one month’s notice for membership cancellations. The notice period will be calculated from the point of receipt of the cancellation instruction by the membership team. The Association aims to acknowledge membership cancellations within one week of receipt of notice. If you have not received a response within two weeks of your written cancellation, you should contact the membership team to ensure your cancellation has been received.

If you pay for your membership by annual or quarterly direct debit payments and you wish to cancel your membership, you must cancel the direct debit instruction and the instruction will be cancelled from the effective date of the expiry of the contract term and no further payments will be taken, providing that no outstanding amounts were owed.

You can cancel your direct debit at any time by contacting your bank or building society. However, cancelling your direct debit does not end any contract with us.

If you decide to cancel your membership by cancelling your direct debit instruction (UK and Ireland only), please contact the membership team as soon as possible so we are aware of the cancellation.

If you decide to leave the Association we would appreciate it if you tell us why. The membership team may ask you to complete a short survey, which will help us improve our services and better meet your needs in the future.

On cancellation the benefits/services of the membership package will cease. You will not be entitled to the benefits of any part of the package to be provided or fulfilled after the date of cancellation.

Termination of membership

The Association may terminate your membership according to the Articles of Association if:

• The Chief Executive Officer resolves that your removal is in the interests of the Association, after inviting the view of the members concerned and considering the matter in the light of such views (and subject to any right of appeal to the Board against such a decision)
• You are erased from the register of the regulatory body with which you are registered
• You fail to make payment after one month from the payment due date. 

If membership is terminated by expulsion, no refund of membership subscriptions will be made and any balance due for the minimum membership period shall remain due and payable.

On termination taking effect, the benefits/services of the membership package will cease. You will not be entitled to the benefit of any part of the package to be provided or fulfilled after the date of termination.

Refunds

You do not have the right to be paid a refund of all or part of your subscription payment if your membership is terminated, suspended, relinquished by permanent or temporary resignation, or if you re-grade from one membership category to another.

Access to online ‘My Profile’ area

You must register on the Association website before you can access the 'My Profile' area. You will need to register an account to apply for membership or book an event. It is your responsibility to keep your contact details updated and to ensure your login credentials are not shared with or exposed to anyone else. You must notify the Association in writing/email as soon as you become aware of any unauthorised use of your user account login or password.

All members are granted access to the secure 'My Profile' area on the Association website. Here you can access all the available member benefits you are entitled to as part of your membership package and manage your membership and events bookings, as well as update your contact preferences.

Force majeure

Neither party shall be liable to the other for any delay or non-performance of its obligations by reason of matters beyond its control. This includes but is not limited to; any act of terrorism; war; riot; civil commotion; compliance with any law or government order; fire, flood or storm; strikes or any other industrial dispute; delay in transit; power failure; postal delay; or any event that cannot reasonably be planned for or avoided. In which case we will deliver as soon as it is reasonably possible.

Liability

We will not be liable to you in respect of any losses arising out of events beyond our reasonable control. Our liability to you will not extend to any membership related benefits or services provided by an external provider. We specifically exclude liability for any loss or damage suffered by you as a result of your involvement in whatever manner with an external provider.

Feedback and complaints procedure

The Association welcomes feedback of all types. We always welcome positive comments about our services and staff but occasionally, there may be times when you feel we haven’t given the high level of service that we continually strive to achieve. Listening to our members allows us to keep doing the things we do well, improve on where we may not have got it quite right, and learn lessons to ensure we deliver a high quality service. We are constantly striving to improve our services so if you would like to provide feedback please email [email protected]

You can read about our feedback and complaints procedure here.

Informal feedback or complaints

If you have any comments or complaints about any of our services, which could include positive comments or concerns/considerations for improvement we would ideally discuss these with you on an informal basis first. You can discuss these with the manager of that area of service delivery who will deal with the matter as quickly as possible and determine what action, if any, is needed. Please contact the governance team via [email protected] who will direct you to the relevant manager.

If the matter is a complaint and cannot be resolved informally, the formal complaints procedure may be followed. 

Formal feedback and complaints

A formal comment or complaint should be made in writing, by letter or email. Ideally, it should be addressed within one month of the date it arose.

The comment or complaint should identify:

• The nature of the comment or complaint
• Who has been involved so far
• What the suggested resolution has been, or outcome reached
• If you are not satisfied with the outcome, why not
• If necessary, how you would like to see the matter taken forward.

Timeline for response

The Association will always acknowledge a comment or complaint within a maximum of three working days.

 

If there is an issue, it will be investigated. Informal complaints will normally be resolved within five working days.

 

Formal complaints are likely to take longer. We expect to respond to a formal complaint within one month of the initial correspondence. If, in exceptional circumstances, the Association cannot meet the deadline of one month, a letter or email will be sent explaining why and will give a new deadline for the response.

 

Record keeping

A central register of formal comments and complaints will be maintained by the Chief Executive Officer detailing the nature of the correspondence and the outcome. The register will be reviewed on a periodic basis by the Association Board. Documents relating to any complaint will be kept for three years.

It is not the Association’s policy to deliver refunds for any complaints about an event.

How we communicate with you

We will contact you from time to time, primarily by email, with information related to services, products and events which we believe will be of interest to you. This is part of our service and your membership benefit. You can manage your communication preferences and what you would like to hear about at any time in your ‘ My Profile’ area or by contacting our membership team. You can unsubscribe from email communications by following the link in the email or updating your preferences, however there are some mandatory communications that we will still need to send to you. You can manage your notifications for our online member Community platform through ‘Preferences’ in your Community profile.

When you provide your personal details to us we use your information for our legitimate business interests to carry out our work to promote and advance education, safety and research in anaesthesia, as well as the professional aspects of the specialty and the wellbeing of individual anaesthetists. We use your details to tailor the content we share with you, to ensure you get the information and updates that are most relevant to you.

Further details are available in our Privacy Policy.

We will also hold information about you so that we can respect your preferences for being contacted by us.

Data protection

We respect the privacy of our members and visitors to our website. We take our duty to process your personal data, in compliance with data protection law, very seriously. We have developed and implemented processes and procedures to help us process personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), The Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and Privacy and Electronic Communication Regulations (PECR).

When you become a registered user on our website and when you join as a member you provide us with your personal details. We require this data to process your event bookings and membership application and manage your membership and events bookings and create a profile on our online member community platform. Our legal basis for processing this data, in accordance with data protection law, is for the performance of a contract. 

As a registered user or a member we ask you to provide data which we require to implement our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity policy. You can choose whether or not to provide this data. You can also choose whether we can use the data that you provide to identify content, information and updates that are likely to be most relevant and of interest to you.

You can read more in our Privacy Policy.

Education and events

The Association offers high quality anaesthesia education and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) events. These include seminars, webinars, core topics courses, and conferences.

Events are open to medical professionals. Members of the Association receive special booking rates on all Association events, depending on the category of membership. See the membership categories and rate page for more information.

The following organisations also benefit from member discounted rates at select Association events (to qualify for these rates, please contact the events team).

• Australian Society of Anaesthesiologists
• American Society of Anaesthesiologists
• Canadian Anaesthesiologists’ Society
• New Zealand Society of Anaesthetists
• South African Society of Anaesthesiologists

Non-members are welcome to attend all Association events. You will need to register for an account on the website to allow secure booking. Registering for an account on the Association’s website is free and easy to do and allows us to communicate with you about your booking(s).

Events listings and availability

You can find out what events are planned and whether there are places available in the events listing section of the website.

Waiting lists

In some cases, if an event is fully booked, we will open a waiting list. You can add your name to this waiting list, and if places become available we will let you know in order of position on the waiting list.

Booking events

All events can be booked online via the Association’s website. You will need your login details to do this. If you forget your login username or password, you can request a reminder of your username and/or a link to reset your password to be sent to your registered preferred email address. Once you have completed your booking, we will send you a confirmation email. Your receipt is also a confirmation of your booking which you can access under the ‘My payments’ section in your  'My Profile’ area .

You will receive an email with further information on the event approximately one week before the date of the event.

Event fees

Fees for members and non-members are stated on the individual event pages. Members of the Association receive special members-only booking rates. Event registration fees may be subject to change from 1 April each year.

Membership rates for events are available to members at the point of purchase. If you cancel your membership, or your membership is terminated before the event, you will be expected to pay the non-member rate.

Payment must be made at the time of booking unless otherwise stated. If payment has not been made for the delegate place, the Association reserves the right to refuse admission to the event.

Transfers

All requests to transfer bookings between events are at the discretion of the Association. If you are unable to attend an event you have booked and paid for, please email our events team no less than 10 working days before the start date of the original event.

A transfer may be made to another Association event taking place within 12 months from the date of the original event.

If the fee for the event the delegate wishes to transfer to is greater than the original cost, the delegate must pay the difference to complete the transfer and confirm their place. If the fee is less, a refund of the difference in cost will be issued as per the conditions outlined below minus the administration fee.

Cancellations and refunds

Postponement or cancellation of an event by the Association

If an event is postponed or cancelled we will notify delegates by email as soon as possible. The original booking will remain valid if an event is rescheduled. Should you be unable to attend the rescheduled event or it is cancelled, you can transfer to an alternative event or receive a refund without incurring an administration fee. The Association will not be liable for any personal arrangements including travel or accommodation relating to the event that have been arranged by you.

Cancellation by a delegate (seminars, webinars, core topics events)

Any delegate wishing to cancel their place on an Association event must submit their cancellation in writing by email to [email protected]. Cancellations received in writing more than 10 working days in advance of the event will be refunded subject to an administration fee of £25.

Delegates cancelling within 10 working days of the start date of the event will be liable to pay the full cost of the event unless the Association considers there to be an exceptional circumstance that would warrant a refund.

Cancellation by a delegate (conferences)

Cancellation requests received in writing from a delegate by the date specified on the conference listing will be eligible for a full refund minus a £25 administration fee. Delegates cancelling after this date will be liable to pay the full cost of the event unless the Association considers there to be an exceptional circumstance that would warrant a refund.

All decisions with regards to refunds are at the discretion of the Association.

Data protection - delegates

Delegate personal data will be stored and used according to the Association’s Privacy Policy.

In order to provide services to you at our events we may share some personal data that you submit when registering. For example:

• Dietary/access requirements with the venue and caterer
• Name, hospital and email address with the supplier of our badging solution
• Name and email address with the supplier of our event app so that you can create an account on the app and personalise your app content
• A list of delegate names and contact details to the venue including locations where the delegates are arriving from and/or quarantine details.
• If we run an event in partnership with other named organisations your details may need to be shared. If you attend an event that is sponsored by named organisations, we may share your name and hospital (data that is already in the public domain) with these sponsor organisations. We may share your contact details only with your explicit consent. We will be very clear what will happen to your data when you register and you can choose to opt out at any time.
• When you register to attend one of our events or courses, we may ask you to provide data which we require to implement our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity policy You can choose whether or not to provide this data. You can also choose whether we can use the data that you provide to identify what content, information and updates you are likely to be most relevant and of interest to you.

At the event

By purchasing a place at an Association event you accept that:

Recording attendance

At the event your badge will contain a barcode that will be scanned on entry to provide a record of attendance for each day. Where scanning is not available you will be asked to sign in. This is for health and safety purposes and to provide CPD certification. The data is not divulged to any other third parties at any time.

Exhibitors at conferences will have the opportunity to hire scanners for data capture which will provide them with your email and hospital name. If you do not want the exhibitor to scan your badge you can decline their request.

Venues – security and accessibility

Venues will conduct security searches to ensure the safety of all attendees.

The venue and the Association will not under any circumstances accept responsibility for or any liability in respect of damage or loss of any goods or articles of any kind brought onto or left at the property by you.

The Association wants to ensure that its events are accessible for everyone. Please provide details of any access or dietary requirements when registering and at least 10 working days before the start of the event. Requests and changes within 10 working days of the event cannot be guaranteed. Dietary requirements will be passed onto the venue and caterer, however we are unable to guarantee that food will be prepared in an allergen free environment.

Wellness register

For the health and wellbeing of our colleagues and delegates, we reserve the right to maintain a ‘wellness register’ onsite at our events. Activities involved in creating a wellness register may include (but are not limited to): asking attendees to self-identify as non-contagious ahead of the event; submission of a negative COVID-19 test and or proof of vaccination; temperature checks for all attendees on arrival; submission of delegate names and contact details to the venue including locations from where the delegates are arriving from and/or quarantine details; securely storing collected data for 28 days post-event in order to identify risks; and contacting attendees post-event if there appears to have been a viable risk of transmission of infectious diseases.

Photography and video

You may be photographed or filmed while attending our event. This material may be used for promotional purposes. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please make yourself known to a member of the events team at the start of the event.

Event content

Speakers and programmes are correct at the time of publishing. There may be occasions when substitutions, alterations or cancellations are necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the Association. The Association reserves the right to make such changes without liability. Any changes will be published as soon as possible on the website or event app where applicable.

Certificate of attendance

Certificates will be made available through the  'My Profile’ area on the website after the event.

Event evaluations

We strive to continuously improve our educational events and will email delegates to complete an online evaluation after the event. Your feedback is important to us.

Updates to our terms and conditions

These terms and conditions will be updated regularly and we will communicate these changes to you in a timely and transparent manner. This document is version 1.4 and was updated on 16 September 2024.