1. Contractual Status of Fellows

An award will normally be administered through a fixed term contract of employment between the fellow and the host centre.

Where fellows are to admitted to the superannuation scheme appropriate to employees of the host centre then the full cost to the employer of superannuation provision will be reimbursed by the British Transplantation Society. The British Transplantation Society accepts no responsibility for claims under the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 and/or subsequent employment legislation, nor will it indemnify the host centre against claims for compensation or against other claims for which the centre may be liable as an employer.

2. Salaries

Salaries are assessed in accordance with the standard practice of the host centre. They are normally within an NHS salary scale. They will not exceed the maximum of these scales. For fellows on NHS scales it should be assumed that NHS procedures regarding grading and assimilation will be followed with scale points merely being used to give annual incrementation on a date line with the Fellow's previous appointment or the starting date of the award.

3. Other Awards

Fellowships are awarded for full time training and the Society's approval must be sought before any other work is carried out within normal working hours. Fellows must notify the Society of any earnings from extra work within normal working hours. This does not apply to remuneration received from up to 6 hours a week spent on teaching, NHS clinical sessions or demonstrating on agreement with a supervisor.

4. Holidays

Fellows must take holidays in accordance with the conditions of service of the host centre up to a maximum of 6 weeks during a complete year. The date and duration of any holiday proposed beyond this period should be reported to the Society.

5. Sick Leave and Maternity Cover

Fellows will be subject to the normal conditions of service of the host centre so far as sick leave is concerned, but the Society should be notified if a fellow is likely to be away through illness for more than one month. Fellows will be subject to the normal conditions of service of the host centre for maternity cover. The Society should be notified in writing if maternity leave is required. At its discretion the Society may agree to extend the research period by 6 months but will make no supplementary financial payments over and above that originally agreed.

6. Honorary Clinical Contracts

Fellows who undertake, as part of their research programme, work concerned with the care of patients are reminded that they should be in possession of any honorary clinical contract form the appropriate health authority. Responsibility of seeking such a contract will lie with the head of department in which the fellow is working. Should any difficulty be encountered the Society should be informed.

7. Medical Defence Cover

It is the responsibility of each fellow to ensure that he or she holds adequate cover with a professional defence organisation for any activities undertaken which are not covered by NHS indemnity arrangements or by an additional provision which may be made by the host centre. The cost of any such cover will not be met by the Society.

8. Change of Project of Supervisor

Any changes in a fellow's training programme or supervisor from those originally approved will require the Society's prior consent. Failure to notify the Society of such a change may lead to a termination of the project at the discretion of the Society.

9. Interim and Final Reports

Fellows are required to submit a report to the Society (via the Secretary of the Society) at 6 months and one year following the start date of their fellowship.

10. Publications and Presentations

Preliminary findings and results of the Fellow's work may be published in the usual way at the discretion of the supervisor or head of department. The society must be acknowledged as the source of funds in any publication dealing with the work.

11. Claims for Reimbursement

Claims for reimbursement of salary should be certified by the finance officer or other appropriate official of the host centre and sent to the treasurer of the British Transplantation Society.

12. Human Research Subjects

Approval is required from the local research ethics committee for such medical research that includes clinical trials and other research which involves human subjects (whether patients or healthy volunteers). If approval has not been granted at the time of submission, you should indicate when the decision is expected and approval should be forwarded to the Society upon receipt.

13. Use of Foetal Material

Fellows whose projects involve the use of the pre-viable foetus, the whole dead foetus, foetal tissues such as the lungs or liver, or foetal material, i.e. the placenta, fluids or membranes, must obtain a letter of approval from the Local Research Ethics Committee and forward it with their applications. Fellows are expected to follow the Code of Practice recommended in the Peel Report (Report of the Advisory Group on the Use of Foetuses and Foetal Material of Research, HMSO 1972)

14. Human Pituitaries

Fellows should note that if their proposal involves work on products from human pituitaries they must obtain clearance from the Department of Health (DoH). Enquires should be addressed to the Secretary of the National Pituitary Collection, DoH, Hannibal House, Elephant and Castle, London, SE1 6TE

15. Removal of Human Tissue

Any training programme which involves procedures of the removal of human tissue at post-mortem examination, (Human Tissue act, 1961) must be carried out in accordance with the guidance issued by the Health Department/ Local Health Authority.

16. Genetic Manipulation

Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 1992 require notification to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Detailed guidelines for work involving genetic manipulation have been drawn up by the former Genetic Manipulation Advisory Board (GMAB) and its successor body, the Advisory Committee on General Manipulation (ACGM). It is most important that applicants should read the Health and Safety Regulations and the guidelines issued by the ACGM and, if necessary, seek advice from the ACGM (HSE, Health Policy Directorate, Rose Court, 2 Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HS) from whom forms for notification of work involving genetic manipulation can be obtained.

17. Use of Radioactive Substances in Man

Fellows whose project requires the use of radioactive substances should seek advice of the Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee (ARSAC) by applying to the ARSAC Secretariat, Department of Health, Room 515, Eileen House, 80-94 Newington Causeway, Elephant and Castle, London SE1 6EF (020 7 972 2718). Guidance on the procedure for obtaining the Committee's approval is set out in DHSS Notice HN (84)5 which may be obtained form the ARSAC Secretariat.

18. Neutron Activation Analysis

Fellows who intend to conduct in vivo neutron activation analysis should obtain approval of the Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee (address in point 17). Application to this Committee for approval does not rule out the need for a separate approach to be made in appropriate cases to the Local Research Ethics Committee.

19. Medical Records

Where a research programme involves the use of confidential medical records, the fellow must act in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1984. It is the responsibility of the head of department in which the fellowship is held to obtain from the fellow an undertaking to maintain the confidentiality of any records being used in the course of the research programme.

20. Dangerous Pathogens

Departments accommodating projects involving the use of dangerous pathogens must comply with the safeguards recommended by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (Categorisation of Pathogens According to Hazard and Categories of Containment, HMSO Second Edition 1990).

21. Home office Licences

Application for a Home Office Licence to use one or more of the drugs controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1985 must be made to the Home Office through the normal channels of the fellow's host centre. (Licences for work with animals see point 23).

22. Experimental Animals

Fellows are expected, wherever possible, to adopt procedures and techniques which avoid the use of animals, and where this is not possible, to use the minimum number of animals consistent with achieving a valid result in any experiments (this may involve the use of animals of higher quality).

23. Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986

Where the work is subject to regulation by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, the provision of that Act must be observed and project and personal licences quoted. The Society's support for a particular training proposal does not absolve the fellow or supervisor from personal responsibility in the regard; applications for all licences and certificates required under the Act must be made to the Home Office directly through the host centre's normal channels. The Society does not insist that the Home Office approval of any particular project be sought in advance of the applications for a fellowship, but any award made in response to such an application will be in the absolute condition that no work which is controlled by the Act will begin until the necessary licences and certificates have been obtained. Any fees levied under the Act are the responsibility of the host centre and cannot be provided under the fellowship.