The British Neuropsychological Society (BNS) was formed in 1989 as a result of the joining together of two former groups: the Neuropsychology Interest Group (NIG) and the Cognitive Neuropsychology Group (COGNIG). The purpose of the amalgamation was to bring together those interested in clinical and cognitive neuropsychology.
The majority of the current members are psychologists but other health and academic professions are also represented.
According to the Society’s Constitution, membership shall be open to anyone who can demonstrate a commitment to Neuropsychology,
normally indicated by one of three routes:
- Clinical Neuropsychology - having a clinical psychology qualification and subsequent work in the field of clinical neuropsychology
- Research Neuropsychology - having a postgraduate qualification in an area of neuropsychological interest and publication(s) in the field of neuropsychology
- Other
cognate discipline - having a clinical or postgraduate qualification
and subsequent clinical or research experience in any area related to
neuropsychology (e.g. psychiatry, neurology, speech and language
therapy, neuroscience, occupational therapy).
Associate
membership is open to those with an interest in Neuropsychology who do
not meet the criteria for membership (e.g. research assistants,
assistant psychologists, therapists). Associate members may attend
meetings, including the AGM, but do not have voting rights. Associate
membership is available for a maximum of six years during which time it
is expected that associate members will become eligible for full
membership.
The
aims of the BNS are "the furtherance of scientific enquiry within the
field of Neuropsychology and cognate subjects, by holding periodical
meetings at which papers may be read and discussions held, to enhance
communication among those scientific disciplines which can contribute
to the understanding of brain-behaviour relationships and
neuropsychological disorders in particular...."
The society
meets twice a year, traditionally holding two day meetings in the
Spring and Autumn. The Spring meeting
includes the President’s Invited Lecture, Elizabeth Warrington Prize Lecture and the Annual General
Meeting, and the Autumn meeting includes the Freda Newcombe Lecture. In addition, each meeting usually consists of two symposia and various paper presentations.
Meeting costs are kept low, typically £5 per day. They are most frequently held at the National Hospital, Queen Square, London. However, the Autumn 1996 meeting was held in Birmingham, the Autumn 1998 meeting in Manchester and the Autumn 2000 and Spring 2007 meeting in Nottingham. Joint meetings are held with other groups, such as the Dutch Neuropsychological Society (1997), the British Neuropsychiatric Society (1996), the Association of British Neurologists (1995) and the Societa Italiana di Neuropsicologia (2001).