Constitution

1.    The Society shall be called the British Society for Medical Dermatology.

 

2.    Medical Dermatology is defined as the study and care of adult patients with:

• Skin diseases that can have systemic manifestations including connective tissue diseases, vasculitis, sarcoid, graft versus host disease and severe drug reactions.

• Disabling, or potentially fatal, skin diseases often treated with systemic therapy such as severe psoriasis and atopic eczema, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, blistering diseases and serious cutaneous infections.

• Cutaneous manifestations of systemic disease.

• Diseases of the hair, nails and mucous membranes.

 

3.    The purposes of the Society are to promote:

• Academic and clinical interest and understanding of Medical Dermatology.

• Collaboration between Dermatologists and other medical specialists.

• Improved care of patients with Medical Dermatological conditions.

 

4.    In furtherance of these aims, the Society may:

• Promote research and surveys and publish the results thereof.

• Collect and disseminate information on all matters affecting the safe practice of Medical Dermatology and exchange such information with other bodies having similar aims in the UK or abroad.

  • Promote education in Medical Dermatology through meetings and fellowships.

  • Organise scientific meetings to advance knowledge and practice of Medical Dermatology.

• Produce and circulate papers, books, periodicals and electronic or web based resources to disseminate knowledge to further the said objects.

• Do all such other lawful things as are necessary for the attainment of the said objects.

 

President and Committee

5.   The business of the Society shall be conducted by a Committee consisting of an elected President, Secretary, Treasurer and no more than nine other members. At least one member of the Committee will be a Dermatology trainee. The committee may choose to co-opt additional members according to the needs of the committee.

 

6.   (a) The President shall serve (subject to Sub-paragraph (f) below) for a term of office, not exceeding three years. The President shall not be eligible for immediate re-election as President, for one year after the end of their term of office. The President will be invited to remain on the committee as Immediate Past President until the end of the term of the following President.

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• The Secretary shall serve (subject to Sub-paragraph (f) below) for a term of office, not exceeding three years and shall be eligible for re-election at the end of that term, for one further term.

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• The Treasurer shall serve (subject to Sub-paragraph (f) below) for a term of office, not exceeding three years and shall be eligible for re-election at the end of that term, for one further term.

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• Other members of the Committee shall serve (subject to Sub-paragraph (f) below) for a term, not exceeding three years and shall be eligible for re-selection at the end of that term, for one further term.

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• The Dermatology Trainee representative shall serve for a period of two years, or until they acquire their Certificate for the Completion of Training, whichever is the shorter. The Trainee representative will be encouraged to remain on the Committee for a further period of up to six months, after their successor is appointed, to ensure continuity.

           

(f)   A member of the Committee may retire at any time during his or her term of office, by notice in writing to both the President and Secretary.

 

7.   The Secretary, in consultation with the Committee, will prepare the Agendas and minutes for meetings of the Society and additional Committee meetings. Between meetings the Committee will act on behalf of the Society and will report any such actions to the next meeting of the Society.

 

8.  The President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations may be made by the Committee, or by any two ordinary members and shall be sent, together with the written consent of the nominee, to the Secretary, not less than two months before the Annual General Meeting. Such nominations shall be circulated with a notice of that Meeting. Members unable to attend shall be entitled to vote by post. If other nominations are not received for the filling of vacancies, the Committee’s nominees shall be deemed elected. Other members of the Committee may be appointed by the Committee, out with the annual meeting, where their appointment will be subsequently ratified.

 

9.   Any vacancy occurring on the Committee, may be filled by a member to be co-opted by the Committee

 

10.  The Committee may co-opt other members as it sees fit.

 

11.   Committee members planning extended leave from the committee beyond 1 calendar month, who wish to return to the committee should provide 12 weeks notice (or as much as is reasonably possible) of the date they propose to leave the committee. Maternity/paternity leave will be automatically allowed. All other leave will be at the discretion of the committee and put to the vote (barring member in question) with the President’s vote as casting. Committee members returning from leave will provide 3 months notice of the desire to return from leave and will re-join at a future AGM (at their discretion) or sooner if an appropriate vacancy arises

 

Membership

11.   (a) Ordinary Membership shall be available to any Consultant Dermatologist, working in the UK, on the Specialist Register of the General Medical Council, or Ireland, on the Specialist Register of The Medical Council; any UK or Irish Associate Specialist, Staff Grade or Speciality Doctor in Dermatology  and all Dermatology trainees in the UK and Ireland holding a National Training Number.  Ordinary Members will have full voting rights.

 

(b) Honorary Members shall be nominated for outstanding professional eminence, or service to the Society and be ratified at the annual meeting of the Society.

 

(c) Associate Membership shall be available to medical practitioners, nurses, scientists and other professionals whose work is substantially devoted to Medical Dermatology. Associate Members will not have voting rights.

 

(d) The membership of any member of the Society may be terminated by a majority of the voting members of Committee if such member:

• Shall have been found by the Professional Conduct Committee of the General Medical Council to have been convicted in the United Kingdom or any of the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man of a criminal offence or judged by the Professional Conduct Committee of the General Medical Council to have been guilty of serious professional misconduct and in consequence of (i) or (ii) above the General Medical Council shall have directed that the name of such member shall be erased from the Medical Register or that his or her registration shall be suspended

• The Committee may by a two thirds majority of its voting members terminate the membership of any member if it shall have reasonable cause to do so without right of appeal.

• The Committee shall have an absolute discretion as to whether to re-admit to membership of the Society any member who has had membership terminated.

 

(e) All members shall agree to abide by the Association’s Code of Conduct.

 

Subscriptions

12.   Members shall pay an annual subscription, due on 1st January, the amount of such subscriptions being recommended by the Committee and ratified at the Annual General Meeting of the Society. Payment of such subscription shall be administered by the Treasurer, acting on instructions given to the Committee by the Society at its Annual General Meeting, for the furtherance of the purpose of the Society.

 

Meetings

13.   The Annual General Meeting of the Society shall be held at a place and time decided by the Committee. The Secretary shall circulate the agenda to all members at least one week before the meeting.

 

14.   A scientific meeting relating to the objects of the Society shall be arranged at least once a year by the Executive Committee. One such meeting shall be held in association with the Annual General Meeting.

 

Guests

15.   One or more official guests may be invited to attend scientific meetings of the Society.

 

16.   Members wishing to invite visitors to scientific meetings must notify the Secretary.

 

Alteration of Constitution

17.   Any alteration to this constitution must receive the assent of not less than two-thirds of the membership of the Society who are present and voting, or whose representative is present and voting at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting, provided that notice of any such alteration shall have been received by the Secretary in writing not less than 21 days before the meeting at which the alteration is to be proposed. Members who are not present at the aforementioned meeting may nominate the Secretary, or other ordinary member, as their representative by completion and signature of a proxy voting form, indicating their voting intentions and the name of  the nominated representative, which must be produced at the meeting.  At least 14 days notice in writing of such a meeting, setting forth the terms of the alteration, shall be sent by the Secretary to each member of the Society, together with proxy voting forms.

                             

18.  An instrument appointing a proxy shall be in the following form, or as near thereto as circumstances will permit: 

“I ___________________ of ________________________ an ordinary member of the British Society for Medical Dermatology (herein called "the Society") am entitled to one vote, hereby appoint ____________________  of ______________________ another ordinary member of the Society, and failing him/her _____________of  ______________________ another ordinary member of the  Society to vote on my behalf at the General Meeting of the Society to be held on ________ day of ____________ and at any adjournment thereof. As witness my hand this _______ day of _____ 20__"

                        

19.  If the Committee by a simple majority decide at any time that on the ground of expense or otherwise, it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Society, it shall call a meeting of all members of the Society who have the power to vote, of which meeting not less than 21 days notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed there at) shall be given. If such decision shall be confirmed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at such meeting, the Committee shall have power to dispose of any assets held by, or on behalf of the Society. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any debts and liabilities shall be given or  transferred to such other charitable institution, or institutions, having objects similar to those of the Society as the Committee may determine and if and in so far as effect cannot be given to this provision, then to some other charitable purpose.

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