Guidelines - Hosting the Nordic Congresses of General Practice


General organization

The Nordic Federation of General Practice ApS (NFGP ApS) is the umbrella organization of the Nordic Congresses of General Practice (NCGP) and based on its By-laws § 2, Section 3. Decisions on the main organizational procedures of the NCGPs are taken by the NFGP Executive Board (NFGP EB). At present the NCGP are held biannually and rotating between the Nordic countries. The schedule for hosting country is decided by the NFGP EB ten years ahead. Changes from this general rule can, however, be made by the NFGP EB.

Quality - general guidelines

The NCGPs are held according to the Vision and Mission of the NFGP as well as the Vision and Mission of the Nordic congress themselves. Furthermore, the Core Values and Principles of the Nordic countries shall be given high priority when shaping the quality and standard of the NCGP. The NFGP EB points out a working group for “the Nordic Congress Committee (NCC) according to the By-laws § 15, Section 2 to support with proposals and ideas for the NCGP, and to obtain a logistic experience of the congresses to be passed on to the next hosts. Log-books and evaluation reports from past congresses have been of great value in this connection. The tasks of the NCC are further described in the Terms and references chapter – Congress committee paragraph.

 

Hosting the congresses

Main host

The main host of each congress is the national college.

Committees

According to the NFGPs By-laws § 14, Section 2, the national college is responsible for creating an organizing committee and a scientific committee, and to select the chairs of these committees. The chair of the organizing committee is usually the same person participating in the NCC. The chair of the scientific committee also participates as the second representative from the host country in the NCC. The host college can create more working groups or committees for national purposes. The national college will, together with the committees, discuss and decide the frame and content for the coming congress. Pre-congress representatives are discussed below.

Town, venue, time of year, and ECTS credits

The colleges of upcoming congresses will, by some years ahead, suggest which town will be suitable host town of the congress, having in mind all transport possibilities, venue, accommodation etc. The final decision regarding host town is to be taken in co-operation with NFGP. Furthermore, the time of year and overall schedule of the congress (estimated in European credit transfers (ECTS credits) shall be introduced, discussed, and endorsed by NCC.

Nordic Young General Practitioners (NYGP)
The NYGP union is under the umbrella of NFGP and participates in its annual meetings. NFGP supports NYGP with an annual amount, decided at our annual NFGP meetings, aiming to support co-operation of common activities and meetings.

 

Pre-congress (NYGP pre-congresses)

The Pre-congresses, arranged by NYGPs, are now considered as a part of the Nordic Congresses and are financed by the host country.

As mentioned above, NYGP representatives also participate in the NFGP annual meetings. Two NYGP members from the host country for upcoming Nordic Congress chair the NYGP each time and are thereby responsible for the arrangement of the Pre-congress. It is recommended by the NFGP that the National College of the host country or its committees select one or more of the young doctors to be included in their national committees, i.e. the organization and/or the scientific committees of the NCGP.

If possible, it is desirable that the chair of NFGP and some representatives from the national host country address the NYGP pre-congress at its opening session. 

 

Economy

The host country/college is responsible for expenses and income of the congress. The congress fees and the venue suggested by host organizers shall be introduced and discussed within the NCC and NFGP.
All expenses in the planning phase must be covered by the host country/college.

Furthermore, it is the host country college who decides remunerating committee members or not, and if so, how.

Reduced congress fee

NYGP defines by itself what a young doctor is and who are eligible for being member of NYGP.

In relation to the Nordic Congresses there shall be a special fee for students and a special fee for doctors in training to specialization. Regarding definition of these 2 categories:

- you are a student until graduation from university

- you are a doctor in training to specialization until the day you acquire specialization.

Invited guests/Who?

The host country/college decides who will be invited as guests free of charge for the entire congress. By tradition, the chair of NFGP will be invited to participate at the congress for free, but chairs of the 5 national colleges will sign up and pay for the conference as other delegates. In order to keep costs down, a solution can be to invite relevant (local/national) guests for the opening ceremony and reception only.

Stand/and or Exhibition area for NFGP and upcoming congress

NFGP will negotiate with the host country´s organizing committee on how NFGP can be visible at that particular congress and advocate for its activities such as upcoming congresses, vision and mission etc.



Opening and closing ceremonies

Furthermore, the host organizing committee of NCGP and NFGP co-operate on the opening and closing ceremony of the Nordic Congresses. Following guidelines illustrate the general agreement regarding this co-operation. They are mostly based on our experience and traditions of these events the last decades.

Opening Ceremony

The Host organizing committee has the main responsibility to organize the opening ceremony.

The main content of the opening ceremony will include some cultural events, welcome addresses, plenary lecture (giving the “key–note” of the scientific part of the congress), and possibly other academic events, as well as housekeeping information. Of importance is that the opening ceremony is “setting the scene” illustrating an exciting and enjoyable academic event of high quality.

Welcome

  • A representative from the host country is the first person to address the audience and wish them welcome. The host country can decide if this person is the chairman/president of the organizing committee, the chair of the scientific committee or the chair of the National College of the host country. In some cases, the chair of more than one of these committees or the college can be the same person: All these chairs including chairs of the Pre-congress should be addressed or be visible on the scene.
  • A housekeeper or the face of the congress shall be introduced and visible in an early phase of the opening ceremony.
  • Host country decides if a spokesman from an academic unit/university, politician, healthcare stakeholder/opinion leader, colleague, or lay person addresses the audience.
  • Greetings from NYGPs if possible.
  • Furthermore, in case one of our Nordic colleagues represents the Executive board of WONCA World, WONCA Europe, WHO or similar association/organisation, it will be honoured if that colleague addresses the congress.  
  • Chair of the NFGP addresses the audience.

Scientific session starts

Plenary speaker introduces and starts the scientific session. The plenary speaker should explore and reflect on the theme of the congress.

Closing ceremony

The Host organizing committee has the main responsibility to organize the closing ceremony.

It is up to the host country to decide if there will be a plenary lecture, which belongs to this session. In that case, it would be appreciated to have a summing up lecture in accordance with the main theme of the congress.

Otherwise, the overall content of the Closing Ceremony includes:

  • Cultural events.
  • Chair of NFGP thanks the host country, the college, and organizers.
  • Presentation of statement from and/or legacy of the congress.
  • Representatives from the college hosting the upcoming congress introduce the next congress, country, town, date and year and the frame of the scientific and cultural events.
  • Chair of the host national college thanks all committees and participants for pleasant co-operation and enjoyable time.

 

 

 

Accepted at the NFGP Executive Board, 24 March 2023

Revised after NFGP Executive Board meeting, 23’rd August 2023.
Visit the websites of the five Nordic Colleges of General Practitioners

Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland:



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