How can I take part in the BPOS Annual Conference?

You can take part in the BPOS Annual Conference in two main ways: submitting an abstract for consideration and attending the event. The British Psychosocial Oncology Society (BPOS) states that abstract submissions for the BPOS Annual Conference 2027 are now open, with work welcomed across the full breadth of psychosocial oncology, and that submission is handled through the dedicated conference website. Before you act, confirm the current deadline and programme details on that site, since the society's own announcements show dates and calls can change from year to year.

What the conference is for

BPOS was founded in 1983 to advance and promote knowledge in psychosocial oncology through education, clinical practice and research. It is a member of the IPOS International Federation of National Psychosocial Oncology Societies, which connects its work with the wider international psycho-oncology community. The conference is the society's main annual gathering under the banner "Making an impact on practice, policy and patients," and it is aimed at members and others with an interest in education and research in psychosocial oncology.

The society notes that its members work not only with people diagnosed with cancer but also with their families, friends and the professionals who care for them across all stages of the care pathway. That breadth is reflected in the abstract call, which invites work from across psychosocial oncology rather than a single discipline.

Submitting an abstract

The key facts from the BPOS site:

• Status: Abstract submissions for the BPOS Annual Conference 2027 are open.
• Scope: Work is welcomed across the full breadth of psychosocial oncology.
• Route: Submission goes through the conference website, linked from the BPOS homepage ("Go To Conference Website").

A practical sequence:

1. Open the BPOS conference page from the society's website and follow the link to the conference site.
2. Read the abstract guidance there — categories, format and word limits are set by the conference organisers, not by this summary.
3. Prepare your abstract around a clear question, method and implication for practice, policy or patients, matching the society's stated aims.
4. Submit through the conference site and keep the confirmation.
5. Check the site again before the stated deadline; the BPOS news feed shows that calls and dates are announced and updated over time.

Common sticking points: the homepage promotes the 2027 call while news items still reference the 2026 conference and earlier events, so make sure you are on the page for the correct year. Also confirm whether you need to be a BPOS member to present — the site describes members as the core audience but does not state a membership requirement for abstract submission, so ask the organisers directly if this matters to you.

Attending

Attendance details — dates, venue, format and registration — are published by the conference organisers rather than fixed on the BPOS homepage. The society's news archive illustrates how this works in practice: a 17 October 2025 item invited people to the 2026 annual conference, and a 17 October 2024 item announced the 2025 conference for Thursday 27 and Friday 28 March 2025. Use those as evidence of the pattern (announcement roughly the autumn before, event in spring) rather than as confirmed dates for 2027.

To attend:

1. Watch the BPOS "Recent Highlights" and conference pages for the formal announcement.
2. Register through the conference website once registration opens.
3. Check whether attendance is restricted to members or offered at member rates — the site does not publish pricing, so do not assume it is free.
4. Review the programme once published and plan sessions around your interests in practice, policy or research.

Other ways to engage

If a full conference paper is not right for you yet, BPOS also runs a Student/ECR Online Event, described as a chance for students and early career researchers to share research or practice, connect with peers and help shape future BPOS activities. A 2 October 2026 news item carries a call for presenters for that event, open to student and Early Career Researcher members. For anyone building toward a conference abstract, this is a lower-pressure route to present work and get feedback first.

The society also issues calls for nominations to its Executive Committee (a 12 March 2025 item), which is a way to contribute to the society's direction beyond presenting.

Deciding what suits you

Whichever route you choose, treat the BPOS website and the linked conference site as the authoritative source, and verify dates, deadlines and any membership conditions there before committing time or money.