Club Campaign Requirements
Rotary Bowelscan -
Requirements of a Club to Conduct a Bowelscan Program
A Club needs to have:
- Commitment to the conduct of an annual program;
- Personnel to organise and control the program;
- An understanding of materials, procedures and costs involved;
- A commitment to follow the National Bowelscan Committee protocols;
- A strong and focused publicity campaign;
- The complete support of all members in all aspects of the program;
- A recognition that Bowelscan is a community service program, not a fundraising project;
- An acceptance that up to six months is required to plan a program for the first time.
The Length of the program and the Hours of Sales
One week is generally adequate and hours of sales depend on location - 9.00 am to 5.00 pm is appropriate in most locations but when sale centres are in shopping centres, longer hours may be desirable. To a degree, hours of sales depend on availability of personnel to staff, the issuing centre and the volume of sales.
Generally people come looking for kits days after selling has ceased. It is advisable to make provision for this.
How Long Should Participants have to Return Kits?
Each Club show allow a month for the return and collection of kits but should emphasise the need for people to return kits as soon as possible after use.
Costs
Purchase prices to be the public must be kept as low as possible. As our target group is the "over forties", including pensioners and retirees, we would not wish anyone to be deterred from taking the test because of cost.
As at 2003, the average price to the public was $6
Bowelscan is GST free with clubs remitting invoiced accounts to the National Committee which pays the Tax Invoice including GST and obtains the refund.
- Approved registration forms must be used. This form has been developed over a period of time and the information requested is essential to the program. The form is not attached to the kit.
- Test kits approved by the National Committee must be used as the screening agent.
- The Club must undertake to mount the campaign on a yearly basis.
- The Club must be responsible for the collection and testing of kits. In making these arrangements, degradation of the kits by undue delay must be avoided.
- The completed test kits should be read by a pathologist or a suitably trained technician.
- The Medical Coordinator will be responsible for notifying all positive people of their results
- Basic statistics such as:
- number of kits issued
- number of kits tested
- number of positive results.Progressive annual statistics should be available to the District Committee. It is also important to obtain results of the investigation of people with positive results.
- Rotary is to be clearly identified with the issuing centre.
- This is a Rotary project which requires strict supervision by Rotarians.
- Using non-Rotarians in a Rotary approved issuing centre is acceptable.
Personnel
The responsibility for the organisation of the program comes under the auspices of the Community Service Committee, but it may be desirable to delegate the responsibility to a committee comprising the members most suited to the task. Some continuity in this committee is essential.
If your Club is participating in a program with a number of other Clubs in a provincial city or suburban area, you may need a combined Management Committee.
Medical Coordinator
If you have a doctor in your Club, he/she is an obvious choice; otherwise, seek the services of a local doctor. No decision about any medical aspect of the program should be made without consultation with the Medical Coordinator.
The specific role of the Medical Coordinator includes:
- Close liaison with those responsible for testing the completed kits:
- pathology department of local hospital, or
- private pathology service (if it has been contracted to do the testing).
- Ensuring confidentiality with regard to the information in registration forms and, in particular, those with positive results.
- Notification of positive results. Personal letters sent to the participant and to the nominated family physician.
- Community support and recognition of the program's value by medical colleagues are greatly enhanced if statistical analysis is available to provide a valuable epidemiological study of large bowel disease in the community.
General Coordinator
- To ensure that all aspects of the program are planned in adequate detail
- To liaise with other members of the committee concerning implementation of planning decisions
- To maintain an overview of the total program.
Treasurer
His/her task is:
- the program budget, including costs of printing of registration forms, instruction sheets, publicity and processing of forms;
- the receipt and banking of all moneys associated with the program, eg sales of kits, donations;
- the payment of accounts, including the National Bowelscan Committee levy.
Note: Accounts are paid through the National Committee to gain GST free payments.
Publicity Coordinator
The success of each Club's program will depend upon effective publicity. Interviews on television and radio, press releases, "scatter ads" and reports on the program generally and specific details relating to their particular campaign.
Essential Features for a Rotary Bowelscan Campaign
Approved registration forms must be used. This form has been developed over a period of time and the information requested is essential to the program. The form is not attached to the kit.