About the AGNC

The Association of Genetic Nurses and Counsellors is an organisation representing genetic counsellors, genetic nurses and non-medical, patient-facing staff working within the discipline of Clinical Genetics, NHS Genomic Medicine Centres and wider healthcare settings in the UK and Ireland.

The AGNC is one of five constituent groups of the BSGM.

There are now 330 AGNC members within the UK (March 2018).         

For more information about AGNC and how to become a member please click here.

The AGNC is now also on Twitter @theAGNC.

Aims

The aims of the association include:

  • to provide support for professionals working in the field 
  • to provide forums for education and scientific meetings
  • to represent the views of the profession
  • to prescribe good standards of clinical practice
  • to liaise and collaborate with other clinical and scientific colleagues in the field
  • to provide channels of communication within the profession

Membership

The membership is open to professionals whose work involves contact with families or individuals affected by or at risk of a genetic condition. Whilst in many cases, members are working within a Regional Genetics Service, increasingly those working in allied areas such as oncology and fetal medicine have found membership of the Association beneficial.

Prospective members will usually have a qualification in nursing or genetic counselling and must be nominated by two members of the AGNC/BSGM.

Members can stay up to date with AGNC issues by following us on Twitter and belonging to the AGNC members Yahoo email account.

In order to join the AGNC you must join the British Society of Genetic Medicine, the umbrella society for the UK Professional Organisations for Human Genetics.  You must be nominated by two members of the AGNC.

Membership is at one of the following levels:

  • Ordinary (including STP trainees)
  • Student
  • Agenda for Change (AfC) band 5 and below
  • AfC band 8d and above
  • Honorary/retired

Membership of the Cancer Genetics Group may also be added.

For information about membership please click here.

There are several awards for which members of the AGNC may apply. These will be awarded through application to the committee.

Minutes

Minutes from AGNC Committee Meetings are also available for members through the Commitee Documents page.

 

AGNC Representatives on BSGM Council

BSGM Council includes representatives from each of the constituent groups. BSGM Council discusses issues relevant to BSGM membership as a whole, e.g. response to requests for information from other organisations such as HGC, do once and share project and plans for future BSGM conferences, and the constituent groups report back to Council.

 

BSGM Book Club 

AGNC members are eligible to use the BSHG Book club with Oxford University Press and Scion Publishing. 

Oxford University press: 20% discount for all members

Scion Publishing: 20% discount for all members

The AGNC mailing list (Yahoo Group)

Firstly, you will need to join the AGNC Yahoo group:

To access Yahoo Groups, you need a Yahoo account.  Either log in with an existing Yahoo account, or create an account by going to www.Yahoo.com and clicking 'Mail'. Follow the prompts to create a new account.  You will need to provide a username and password, which you will use to log in to Yahoo Groups.

Go to www.groups.yahoo.com and search for 'AGNC' in the search box.

On the group page, click the 'Join Group' link.  As the group is restricted, your request will need to be approved before you can join the group (this may take a few days, depending on administrator's availability).  To confirm that you are an AGNC member, please provide your BSHG membership number as we cannot add you to the group if you are not an AGNC member.

Once you're in the group you can access the messages, photos, files, and everything else posted on the group.  To manage how you receive these messages (for example, to have emails sent directly to a work email), click on edit membership and you can change your preferences.

You can also post messages to the group by clicking on the 'new topic' button (on the conversations page).  These will be sent to everyone on the email list.

(e.g. to have the emails sent to a different email address):

You need to log-in with your Yahoo account.  If you've forgotten your password, there is a recover password option.  If you cannot remember your log-in email, you may need to create a new one and start again.   

Go to the AGNC groups page and click on 'Membership' then 'Edit membership'.  You can change your details here.

Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to add a different email address at this point.  If you want the emails sent to a different email address (e.g. your work email), you will need to do the following:

On the Yahoo groups page, click on the settings icon in the top right (looks like a wheel).  Click on 'Account info' and then 'Account security' (you may need to log in again).

Click on 'Email addresses' then on 'Add recovery email address'.  Add your email address and follow the verification procedure

Once the email address has been verified, go back to the AGNC groups page and click on 'Membership' then 'Edit membership'.  Click on the pencil icon beside Identity, and select your email address.

If you're having difficulties, please contact Nicki Taverner (tavernern@cardiff.ac.uk).

AGNC Travel Awards

During the COVID19 epidemic the AGNC can help you to maintain your CPD. We are offering £50 conference awards to allow you to attend training and conferences virtually. Please use the below travel award application form to apply, send to agnccommittee@gmail.com.

AGNC Expenses

It is necessary to establish a time limit on AGNC expense claims. As of 1st September 2009, all claims forms must be received by the AGNC treasurer within 6 months of the date on the receipt. Those claim forms received after 6 months will not be reimbursed unless previously agreed with the treasurer. Any question, please contact the AGNC teasurer or a committee member.

The following guidelines for reimbursement of expenses were agreed by the AGNC membership at the AGM on 25/09/2002. These guidelines are intended for use by the AGNC Committee, Working Parties convened by the AGNC and any AGNC member undertaking work on behalf of the AGNC.

Click Here for AGNC Expenses Claim Form

Procurement Policy

Meeting Venue

Consideration should be given to the venue of meetings. London may not always be the cheapest or most convenient place to meet. It may be possible to meet at a department that does not have representation on the group.

Length of Meeting

What length of meeting is appropriate? Groups may wish to schedule an all day meeting occasionally if this is felt to be more productive than a half-day

Expense Claims

(Updated following agreement at AGNC Committee Meeting 11/02/2014)

1. A maximum limit of £250 applies for travel and accommodation expenses(inclusive) for an individual to attend any meetings.

2. Receipts must be submitted with all expenses. 

Unfortunately no receipt = no money.

3. An attempt is made wherever possible to travel by the cheapest means. This may require forward planning, suggestions include:

- Booking train tickets as soon as possible to take advantage of reduced fares i.e. saver/apex tickets

- Explore travelling off-peak if possible/convenient

- Travel by a budget airline (this may require catching a train from the airport to the meeting venue).

4. When travelling by car, mileage will be reimbursed in keeping with the NHS Term & Conditions (last updated November 2014).

Up to 3,500 miles per year.

Flat rate of 45p per mile.

 5. If an overnight stay is required because of the timing of the meeting: -

· Subsistence will be paid up to £75 for overnight accommodation for one night
· Subsistence will be paid up to £20 for an evening meal

6. Reimbursement is given for the cost of the food provided during the meeting i.e. lunch. No other subsistence will be paid for without prior agreement.

7. Any expense claims received which are not covered by the above may not be paid without prior discussion with the Treasurer/Committee.

Administrative Bursary

The setting up of the administrative bursary was agreed by the AGNC membership at the AGM 25/09/2002

Guidelines for application

1. The administrative bursary is for one-off, non-recurrent expenses. 

2. Payment will be made to individuals who are not AGNC members. This will be in recompense for work that is felt to be over and above the accepted work load undertaken by an AGNC member standing on a Working Party or committee.

3. A sum of £100 will be set aside annually for each of the following groups

· Training and Education Working Party

· Career Structure and Salary Working Party

· Committee

4. If a group does not apply for the full sum of £100 within the financial year, the balance will be lost.

5. The same conditions will apply when any new Working Parties are convened.

6. All applications must be made in advance of the work being carried out to ensure members are not left out of pocket.

7. All applications should be made to a committee member.

8. Payment of applications is at the discretion of the AGNC committee.

9. Payments made for committee business must be agreed by a majority vote of the committee and clearly minuted.

Business Guidelines for AGNC Working Parties

1. Each Working Party nominates a liaison person who will:-

· Provide minutes to the committee after each meeting

· Inform the Chairperson and Treasurer of the date of the next meeting

2. All Working Parties will provide feedback to the membership at the AGM outlining the work completed in the last year and the work plan for the coming year.

3. The liaison person will discuss with the Treasurer how many meetings the Working Party anticipate will be required to fulfil their work plan. The Working Party will then be allocated a nominal budget based on the number of meetings required and the average cost of a meeting for that Working Party.

4. The liaison person will be kept informed of the expense budget by the Treasurer.

5. If the Working Party decides that extra meetings are required to fulfil their work plan, this will be discussed with the Treasurer & Committee prior to them taking place.