Constitution and Rules
BRITISH ELBOW AND SHOULDER SOCIETY CONSTITUTION AND RULES: June 2011
ARTICLE 1
NAME OBJECTIVES AND PURPOSES
1.01 Name. The name of the society shall be THE BRITISH ELBOW AND SHOULDER SOCIETY.
1.02 Objectives and purpose. The objectives and purpose of the British Elbow and Shoulder Society (herein after referred to as BESS) shall be: A. To foster and advance the science and practice of elbow and shoulder care through scientific meetings, educational programs and by encouraging research. B. To organise regular interdisciplinary scientific meetings where health professionals interested in the elbow and shoulder can meet, discuss ideas, and present scientific material. C. To strive to standardise assessment, scoring of disability, and nomenclature relevant to the elbow and shoulder. To improve quality of care by encouraging the national collection of scientific data and functional outcomes. D. To function as an educational society to further learning through scientific meetings, educational Fellowships, and both knowledge- based and skills-based educational courses. E. To foster research through scientific meetings, Fellowships and by encouraging research collaboration between members. F. To cultivate international relationships in the field of elbow and shoulder care.
ARTICLE 2
MEMBERSHIP
2.1 There will be two categories of membership. A. HONORARY MEMBERS. This category of membership may be offered by the council to eminent workers in the field who have contributed to the scientific study of the elbow and shoulder. Honorary members will not pay a yearly subscription but will have full voting rights at the AGM
B. ORDINARY MEMBERS. This category of membership will be open to interested medical practitioners and members of allied disciplines. Ordinary members will pay the full subscription and have full voting rights at the AGM
2.2 AHP members will pay a discounted membership as determined at the business meeting (AGM)
2.3 Members are expected to remain active by attendance at one scientific meeting organised by BESS every three years. In the event of a member being unable to attend, he or she should communicate this to the Secretary in advance of the Business Meeting (AGM).
2.4 Failure to fulfil this commitment, without acceptable cause may result in loss of membership.
ARTICLE 3
ELECTION TO MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Application for membership should be submitted to the Honorary Secretary in writing 6 weeks (42 days) before the Annual general meeting and must be supported by an up-to-date curriculum vitae and nominations from two referees, both of whom must be members of the society.
3.2 Applications for membership will be considered after one attendance at a Scientific Meeting of BESS.
3.3 Applicants need to demonstrate commitment to shoulder and elbow surgery
3.4 Election shall be by the vote of the majority of the Council with ratification by a vote of majority at the Business meeting (AGM)
3.5 The ordinary member shall deal with all membership issues. These will include
Responding to all membership queries
Ensuring compliance of the attendance at scientific meetings rule (2.2)
Checking all new membership applications to ensure eligibility
Ratifying new members at the BESS council meeting
Ratifying new members at the AGM
ARTICLE 4
RESIGNATION
4.1 Any member wishing to withdraw from the society should give notice in writing to the Honorary Secretary not less than three months before the end of the society’s financial year.
ARTICLE 5
SUBSCRIPTIONS
5.1 The annual membership subscription is due on the 6 April each year and is paid in advance. Payment by standing order is required.
5.2 The amount of the subscription will be determined by the council and must be approved by two thirds of the membership present at a Business Meeting (AGM).
5.3 Any member who does not pay the subscription within one year, in spite of due notice, shall cease to be a member.
ARTICLE 6
FINANCE
6.1 The society’s financial year shall extend from the 6th April to 5th April the following year inclusive
6.2 The Hon Treasurer shall present accounts on behalf of Council to the AGM for formal adoption. The Hon Treasurer will ensure that the Society and its Council comply with all relevant statuatory accounting practice.
ARTICLE 7
SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
7.1 Scientific meetings shall normally be held at least once every year at times and places to be decided by the vote of a simple majority at a Business Meeting (AGM).
7.2 The organisation and financing of each scientific meeting is the responsibility of the elected Council of BESS and the local organiser/s.
7.3 Scientific meetings should be organised on a self-financing basis, the registration fee being determined by the local organiser in conjunction with the Council of the Society. The AHP members will have a discounted fee set by the council.
7.4 In the event of a financial loss occurring the Society will be responsible providing that the meeting has been organised according to 7.2 and 7.3. Conversely, any financial surplus will accrue to the Society.
7.5 The programme for each meeting will be determined by the Secretary with the assistance of the Ordinary Member and the Vice President. The scientific programme is the responsibility of the BESS council whereas the social programme is determined by the local organisers.
7.6 Each meeting will have two invited Guest Speakers. One will be the Presdential Guest Speaker chosen by the incumbent BESS president. The Local Organisers Guest Speaker will be chosen by the local organiser/s in conjunction with the BESS council.
7.7 BESS will pay reasonable travel expenses for the guest speakers.
7.8 Anyone wishing to present a communication should furnish the Honorary Secretary with an abstract at such times to be decided and notified by the Honorary Secretary.
7.9 Communications at scientific meetings will not be restricted to members of the Society, but non-members should be introduced by a member.
7.10 A closed scientific meeting may be held no more than once every three years. Only BESS members will be allowed to attend a closed meeting.
ARTICLE 8
BUSINESS MEETING
8.1 A business Meeting shall normally be held during the course of each scientific meeting and on such other occasions as may be decided by the committee. All members are entitled to attend and to vote at a business meeting. 20 members will constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE 9
OFFICERS
9.1 The officers of the society shall be the President, Immediate Past President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer.
9.2 All the office bearers will be elected at a business meeting from amongst the members. The Secretary is appointed for a period of three years. The other officers are elected for a period of two years.
9.3 At least 28 days prior to a Business Meeting, members will be notified of any posts to be filled and of any nominations received. Further written nominations seconded by two members of the Society should be in the hands of the Honorary Secretary by noon on the day of the Business Meeting. If there is more than one nomination for any vacancy election will be by a majority vote of those attending the meeting.
9.4 The Vice president’s post is only open to members who have completed a term of office on council. All other posts are open to all members of the society.
9.5 The President or the Vice-President shall preside at all Scientific and Business Meetings of the Society. In the event of neither the President nor the Vice-President being in attendance the Committee shall nominate a Chairman from their number ‘pro tem’.
9.6 The Honorary Treasurer shall collect and hold the monies due to the Society and will be authorised to open accounts at an appropriate Bank or Building Society for this purpose. He shall inform each member when the subscription for the forthcoming year is due. He shall present the audited accounts to the Society each year at the Business Meeting.
9.6 A Secretary elect is elected at a business meeting from amongst the members in the penultimate year of a Hon Secretary’s tenure. His/her role is to shadow and assist the Hon Secretary. The secretary elect will not have voting rights at council meetings
ARTICLE 10
COMMITTEES THE COUNCIL
10.1 The Council shall comprise of the officers of the Society and four further members of the Society. The four further members will be the Ordinary member, the Non Orthopaedic Surgical member, the Chair of the Education Committee and the Chair of the Research committee. These nine council members shall have equal voting rights. If the council vote is split the President shall have an extra casting vote.
10.2 The Ordinary Member of the Council shall be elected for a period of two years at a Business Meeting in accordance with Article 9.3.
10.3 The Council should normally include at least one member who is not an orthopaedic surgeon. This person is usually an AHP representative of the Council and shall be elected for a period of three years at a Business Meeting in accordance with Article 9.3.
10.4 The Chairmen of the Educational and Research Committees shall be elected for a period of three years at a Business Meeting in accordance with Article 9.3.
10.5 The Council shall be responsible for the affairs of the Society, its funds and assets. The income of the Society shall be used solely towards the declared aims of the Society and the Council shall have the authority to authorise the repayment of out of pocket expenses properly incurred by a member on behalf of the Society.
10.6 The Education and Research committees shall organise the interviews for all the BESS fellowships during the Annual Scientific Meeting.
10.7 Two BESS Travelling Fellowships are awarded annually to allow a senior trainee or alternatively a recently appointed consultant who are BESS members to undertake a period of
travel and study in the field of shoulder and elbow surgery. The value of each of these fellowships is a maximum of £3,500 per annum. Members wishing to be considered for this award must apply in writing to the Honorary Secretary.
10.8 The BESS Continuing Professional Development Award is awarded annually to enable a BESS member to attend a major international shoulder/elbow scientific or educational meeting. The value of this fellowship is a maximum of £3,000 per annum. Members wishing to be considered for this award must apply in writing to the Honorary Secretary.
10.9 The BESS Allied Health Professionals Travelling Fellowship is awarded annually to a non-orthopaedic surgeon who is a member of BESS to undertake a period of travel and study in the field of shoulder and elbow surgery. The value of this fellowship is a maximum of £2,500 per annum. Members wishing to be considered for this award must apply in writing to the Honorary Secretary.
10.10 The Senior’s Travelling Fellowship is awarded annually to a member of the Society who has been a consultant surgeon for more than five years to undertake a period of travel and study in the field of shoulder and elbow surgery. The value of the fellowships is a maximum of £3,500 per annum. Members wishing to be considered for this award must apply in writing to the Honorary Secretary.
10.11 The BESS Mayo Travelling Fellowship is awarded annually to an orthopaedic surgeon who is a BESS member to attend the annual Elbow Instructional Course at the Mayo clinic. The value of the fellowships is a maximum of £3,500 per annum. Members wishing to be considered for this award must apply in writing to the Honorary Secretary.
10.12 The Prizes awarded by the society at each scientific meeting are: listed below. They are all valued
The Lipmann Kessel Prize to be awarded to the presenter of the best paper read at the annual scientific meeting. The value of the award is £250. All presenters (other than poster presentations) eligible.
The Ian Kelly prize to be awarded to the presenter of the second highest scoring paper read at the annual scientific meeting. The value of the award is £250. All doctors/medical students (other than poster presentations) to be eligible.
The BESS Poster Prize is awarded annually for the best poster at the annual scientific meeting. The value of the award is £250
The BESS AHP prize to be awarded to the presenter of the best AHP read paper at the annual scientific meeting (or the second best should the Lipmann Kessel prize be awarded to an AHP). . The value of the award is £250.
The Paul Calvert Endeavour prize to be awarded to the presenter of the best paper from either a small institution or one with no established shoulder fellow. (Or to the highest paper in this category not having already been awarded any of the prizes above).The value of the award is £250
The BESS Case Report prize to be awarded to the presenter of a notable, novel and educational ly valuable case report. This prize will only be awarded for an exceptional case report presentation. The prize may only be awarded once per year. The prize will not be awarded in the absence af a suitably meritorious presentation
10.13 No one individual to be eligible for more than one award in any one year.
10.14 The council has the right to alter the amount awarded for all fellowships and prizes talking into account the finances of the society until the change is ratified by the AGM
ARTICLE 11
SUB-COMMITTEES
11.1 Sub-committees shall be formed for the following purposes Education and Research.
11.2 THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
The function of the Education Committee is to further the aims of article 1.02(D). That is. To act as an educational body by fostering learning through Scientific Meetings, Educational Fellowships, and by encouraging both knowledge based and skills based educational courses.
11.3 The Education Committee should encourage knowledge based and skills based educational courses on the elbow and shoulder.
11.4 The Education Committee will be chaired by an elected member of BESS. The chairman should be a senior shoulder or elbow surgeon who has experience of education matters and has personally run courses. The other members will be junior or senior members of the Society who put their names forward and are selected at the Annual Business Meeting. Members will serve for a period of three years with the potential for a second term. The President or his representative is invited to attend the Education Committee meetings.
11.5 THE RESEARCH COMMITTEE The function of the Research Committee shall be to further the aims of article 1.02(Cand E). That is C. To standardise assessment, scoring of disability, and nomenclature relevant to the elbow and shoulder. To improve quality of care by encouraging the national collection of scientific data and functional outcomes. E. To foster research through scientific meetings, Fellowships and by encouraging research collaboration between members The role of the Research Subcommittee should be to dispense the research budget of the
society; to provide the infrastructure to co-ordinate multi-centre trials; to assist members in getting grants for research in the UK.
11.6 The Research Committee will be chaired by an elected member of the Society. The chairman should be a senior member of the society who has experience of research matters and is personally involved in active research. The other members will be members of the Society who put their names forward and are selected at the Annual Scientific Meeting. It is expected that at least one member of the sub-committee should not be a surgeon. Members will serve for a period of three years with the potential for a second term. The President or his representative is invited to attend the Research Committee meetings.
11.7 The BESS Research Grant is a pump-priming grant valued at £3,000 and will be granted by the research sub-committee to suitable applicants at the Annual Scientific Meeting. The council has the right to withhold grants depending on the finances of the society.
ARTICLE 12
ALTERATIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION AND RULES.
12.1 The Constitution and Rules may be altered only by the vote of at least two thirds of those members of the Society present at a Business Meeting. Details of each proposed alteration shall be sent to each member not less than 28 days before the date of the meeting.
12.2 In the event of dissolution of the Society any property or monies remaining after the satisfaction of debts and liabilities should be transferred to some charitable institution(s) concerned with the advancement of medical science, such as determined by the members of the Society at or before the time of dissolution.