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What is the British Psychosocial Oncology Society?
The British Psychosocial Oncology Society (BPOS) is a UK professional society, founded in 1983, that works to advance knowledge in psychosocial oncology through education, clinical practice and research. Its members come from a range of disciplines and share an interest in the psychological and social aspects of cancer care. Crucially, the society's scope covers not only people diagnosed with cancer but also their families, friends and the professionals who care for them, across all stages of the care pathway. BPOS is also a member of the International Federation of National Psychosocial Oncology Societies (IPOS), linking its work to the wider international psycho-oncology community.
Who it is for
- Clinicians and practitioners — psychologists, nurses, doctors, allied health professionals and others involved in cancer care who want to connect practice with evidence.
- Researchers and academics — including students and early career researchers, who have a dedicated online event to present work and meet peers.
- Anyone with an interest in the field — the society explicitly welcomes members from across disciplines interested in education and research in psychosocial oncology.
What it actually does
- Conferences — an annual conference with abstract submissions open across the full breadth of psychosocial oncology (the site lists a 2026 conference and a 2027 call for abstracts).
- Early career support — a Student/ECR online event where members can share research or practice, connect with peers and help shape future activities.
- Community and governance — an executive committee with open calls for nominations, and a stated aim of making an impact on practice, policy and patients.
A practical next step
If you are deciding whether to engage, match your goal to the activity: someone with findings to share should look at the conference abstract call or the Student/ECR presenter invitation; someone seeking peers or mentoring should start with the Student/ECR event; someone interested in the society's direction could follow the executive committee nominations. For the broader international picture, International Psycho-Oncology Society is the umbrella body BPOS is affiliated with.
Who can join BPOS and what membership benefits are available?
BPOS is a professional society open to members from across disciplines who share an interest in education and research in psychosocial oncology. Its stated scope covers people working with those diagnosed with cancer, as well as their families, friends and the professionals who care for them across the care pathway. A dedicated Student/Early Career Researcher strand indicates that students and early-career researchers are also welcomed, not just established clinicians.
Practical benefits described on the site
- Education and knowledge exchange: advancing knowledge through education, clinical practice and research is the society's core purpose.
- Conference participation: an annual conference with abstract submissions open across the breadth of psychosocial oncology, giving members a route to present work.
- Student/ECR events: online sessions where students and early-career researchers can share research or practice, meet peers and help shape BPOS activities.
- Governance involvement: the society recruits an Executive Committee through open nominations, so members can contribute to how it is run.
- International connection: membership of the IPOS International Federation of National Psychosocial Oncology Societies links members' work to the wider international psycho-oncology community.
Choosing whether to join
If you are a researcher, clinician, student or early-career practitioner whose work touches the psychological and social dimensions of cancer care, the conference and Student/ECR events are the most concrete reasons to engage. A useful next step is to check the current conference abstract deadlines and the Student/ECR call for presenters, then compare those opportunities with what your own institution or a broader oncology society offers. As general advice, weigh how much you value a discipline-specific, UK-based network against the wider reach of larger international bodies; BPOS's IPOS link partly bridges that gap.
How do I submit an abstract for the BPOS Annual Conference?
Abstract submissions for the BPOS Annual Conference are handled through the dedicated conference website, which the society links from its Recent Highlights section (for the 2027 conference, the site states that abstract submissions are open across the full breadth of psychosocial oncology). Start there, since the submission form, deadlines and formatting rules sit on the conference site rather than the main society page.
What to do next
- Open the conference page via British Psychosocial Oncology Society and look for the "Abstract submissions" link or the conference website button.
- Check the stated deadline and word or character limit before drafting, as these are set per conference and not listed on the society homepage.
- Note whether you must be a BPOS member to submit; the society describes a membership open to disciplines across psychosocial oncology, so joining early avoids a last-minute block.
A practical example
A clinical psychologist with a small qualitative study on distress screening in a chemotherapy day unit would typically prepare a structured abstract with background, methods, findings and implications for practice, then match it to whichever presentation format (oral or poster) the conference call specifies. If the study is early-stage, the Student/ECR stream may be a better fit: BPOS runs a separate online event inviting student and early career researcher members to present research or practice, which is a lower-pressure route to feedback before a full conference submission.
Decision criteria
Choose the main conference abstract if your work is complete enough to report outcomes and you want policy and practice visibility, which the society frames as central to its mission. Choose the Student/ECR event if you are early in your career or your findings are preliminary and you mainly want peer discussion. In either case, confirm eligibility, deadline and format on the official conference pages first, as these details change year to year.
What is the BPOS Student/ECR Online Event and how can early career researchers get involved?
The BPOS Student/ECR Online Event is an online gathering run by the British Psychosocial Oncology Society for its student and early career researcher (ECR) members. According to the society, its purpose is to let participants share their research or practice, connect with peers, and help shape future BPOS activities. It is a presentation-and-networking opportunity rather than a formal conference.
Getting involved
- Join BPOS first if you are not already a member. The call for presenters is addressed specifically to student and ECR members, so membership is the practical entry point. The site has a "Join BPOS" route alongside its About section.
- Respond to the call for presenters. The society has invited student and ECR members to present their research or practice at the event. Prepare a short, clear summary of your work and what you want from feedback.
- Attend without presenting. If your work is not ready, joining as an audience member still delivers the stated benefits: peer connection and a say in future BPOS activities.
Who it suits
This is aimed at people in psychosocial oncology — the psychological and social aspects of cancer care — who are early in their research or clinical careers. BPOS describes its wider membership as spanning disciplines and working with people diagnosed with cancer, their families and friends, and the professionals who care for them. If your interest is in that space, the event is a low-pressure way to test your work in front of a sympathetic audience.
A practical next step
Check the event page for the current call for presenters and any deadline, then decide whether to submit an abstract or simply register to attend. For broader context on the field, the society notes it is a member of the International Psycho-Oncology Society, IPOS, whose resources can help you frame a presentation for an international audience.
How can I nominate someone for the BPOS Executive Committee?
The nomination route is not spelled out on the BPOS homepage; the site only announces that a call for nominations for the Executive Committee opened on 12 March 2025. To act on it, open that news item on British Psychosocial Oncology Society and follow the instructions in the full announcement, which should name the deadline, the nominator and seconder requirements, and where to send the paperwork.
What to prepare before you submit
- Confirm the person is willing to stand and understands the time commitment of committee work alongside their clinical, teaching or research role.
- Check eligibility against the announcement's wording, since societies often require current membership and sometimes a specific discipline or career stage.
- Draft a short statement of why they are suited: contributions to psychosocial oncology education, practice or research, and what they would bring to policy and patient-facing work.
- Line up a seconder if the call requires one, and gather their membership details in advance.
A practical scenario
A senior oncology nurse wants to put forward a colleague who has led a distress-screening improvement project. She reads the call, confirms the colleague is a paid-up member and willing to serve, writes two paragraphs linking the project to BPOS's aims in practice and policy, and asks a fellow member to second the nomination before the closing date. That sequence—verify, consent, evidence, second—covers most of what such calls ask for.
If the 2025 deadline has passed, the same page's news section is where the next call will appear; joining the society's mailing list or watching the highlights feed is the simplest way to catch it early.
What does BPOS do to influence practice, policy and patient care in psychosocial oncology?
BPOS describes its purpose as advancing and promoting knowledge in psychosocial oncology through education, clinical practice and research, with the stated aim of making an impact on practice, policy and patients. Its influence runs mainly through professional channels rather than direct patient services: an annual conference with abstract submissions across the breadth of psychosocial oncology, online events for students and early-career researchers to present work and shape future activities, and an executive committee that members can be nominated to join. Membership is open to people across disciplines with an interest in education and research, including those working with families, friends and the professionals caring for patients along the care pathway. BPOS is also a member of the International Federation of National Psychosocial Oncology Societies, which links its work to the wider international psycho-oncology community.
How the different activities contribute
| Activity | Main audience | Contribution to practice, policy or care |
|---|---|---|
| Annual conference | Researchers, clinicians, students | Shares research and practice findings; abstracts cover the full breadth of the field |
| Student/ECR online events | Students, early-career researchers | Gives newer entrants a route to present work and influence BPOS's direction |
| Executive committee nominations | Members across disciplines | Lets members take part in governing the society and setting its priorities |
| International federation membership | The society and its members | Connects UK work with international psychosocial oncology practice and policy |
A practical next step depends on your role. If you are a clinician or researcher with findings relevant to patient experience or service delivery, the conference abstract route is the most direct way to put work in front of the field. If you are a student or early-career researcher, the dedicated online event offers a lower-pressure setting to present and meet peers. If you want a say in priorities rather than just attending, consider standing for the executive committee. For a broader view of the discipline, the international federation is represented at International Psycho-Oncology Society.
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