a brief description of WAGE

Object

The Association will concern itself with all aspects of gastroenterology including hepatobiliary and pancreatic disease. The terms "gastroenterology" and "gastrointestinal" herein embody all of these disciplines.The Association's object is to improve the care of patients in Wales with gastrointestinal disorders by:

(i) Facilitating co-operation between physicians, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists and other healthcare professionals caring for patients with gastrointestinal disease.

(ii) Acting as a forum for disseminating advances in the discipline.

(iii) Encouraging higher standards of training, education and skill amongst those involved in the care of patients with gastrointestinal disease.

(iv) Promotion of research into gastrointestinal disease and the audit of clinical outcomes.

(v) Facilitating and agreeing processes for the drawing up of all-Wales guidelines in gastroenterology.

(vi) Drawing the attention of the public and the Welsh Assembly Government to the needs of patients with gastrointestinal disease, establishing where necessary a patient/public interface where uncertainties exist regarding the prioritisation of resources.

(vii) Giving leadership and professional advice in the provision and development of services in gastrointestinal disease in consultation with the Welsh Assembly Government and other bodies.

Membership

(i) Full membership of the Association shall be open to any doctor interested in furthering the objects. Full membership shall be open also to non-medical staff with professional qualifications working primarily in the field of gastroenterology or an allied specialty. All full members must have paid the annual subscription laid down from time to time by the Executive Committee.

(ii) Honorary (non-voting) membership will be open to full members on their retirement, or any other doctor resident in Wales having retired from a career in gastroenterology or allied specialty.

(iii) Associate membership will be open to health care professionals who can demonstrate a substantial contribution to the delivery of gastroenterology in Wales, either in an academic or a clinical context, provided that they pay the annual subscription laid down from time to time by the Executive Committee. The fee for associate membership will be half that of full membership.

(iv) Associate members may include nursing or unqualified staff working in gastroenterology and allied disciplines.

(v) All applications for full membership, be they from medical or non-medical staff, should be vetted by the society's secretary and where doubt exists on relevance of professional qualifications, these membership applications would be discussed at the next Executive meeting. Every Full Member shall have one vote.

(vi) The Executive Committee may by unanimous vote and for good reason terminate the membership of any individual: provided that the individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the Executive Committee, accompanied by a designated representative, before a final decision is made.