CONSTITUTION OF THE WESSEX INTENSIVE CARE SOCIETY

1. NAME

The name of the Association shall be the WESSEX INTENSIVE CARE SOCIETY (WICS)

2. OBJECTIVE

The objectives of WICS shall be:-
a)  to establish contact with and between those members working within Intensive Care within the Wessex region. All sub-specialties of Intensive Care Medicine are considered as potential members (ie general ICM, Paediatric ICM, cardio-thoracic ITU and neurointensive care).
b)  to encourage links between neighbouring regional, national and international like- minded groups.
c)  to assist in distribution of useful knowledge and developments and thus improve safety, quality and outcomes for all critically ill patients within our working spheres
d)  in pursuit of the above, to arrange and host regular regional meetings and to encourage networks
e)  to provide a forum to share training/standards/pathways for the management of critically ill patients, including those requiring specialist tertiary level care.

The Wessex region is considered to include the following hospitals:
 

• Dorset County Hospital, Dorchester
• Hampshire Hospitals Foundation Trust (incorporating the North Hampshire Hospital, Basingstoke and Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester)
• Poole Hospital
• Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth
• Royal Bournemouth Hospital
• Salisbury District Hospital
• St Mary’s Hospital, Isle of Wight
• St Richards Hospital, Chichester
• University Hospital Southampton

3. MEMBERSHIP
 

Our initial image is non-profit making.
FULL membership of WICS shall be open to the following: a) Consultant or equivalent medical practitioners with a regular commitment to intensive care medical practice. This includes SAS career grade doctors.
TRAINEE membership of WICS shall open to the following: Intensivists in training in Great Britain and Ireland. Those trainees from other specialties are also welcome to attend the WICS annual meeting.
ASSOCIATE membership shall be open to nursing and allied healthcare professionals who are working or have a specific interest in intensive care medicine.
CORPORATE membership shall be open to companies or organisations at the discretion of the WICS executives.

4. SUBSCRIPTION

At present, there are no subscription fees set for the individual membership categories of WICS. Any decision to change to this would need to be discussed at an Annual General Meeting. Corporate membership subscriptions will be determined by the council.

5. THE COUNCIL
 

Chairman
Hon Secretary
Treasurer
IT Officer (co-opted)

6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS

The general membership shall have the right to make nominations for the three ordinary offices on the Council, which, having been proposed and seconded, must reach the Secretary not less than two weeks before the advertised date of the Annual General Meeting. Nominations shall be emailed to the membership not less than one week prior to the AGM, and (electronic) voting will close at midnight on the day before the date of the AGM. Voting shall be by a simple first past the post system. The Chairman does not have a vote in the normal election process, but in the event of a tie has the casting vote

Each office shall be held for 3 years. A post-holder shall be eligible for re-election to that same post only once, for a further period of 3 years. Officers may take other roles on the Council but will be limited to a total of 9 years service on the council.

Any office, which falls vacant unexpectedly, shall be filled by election at the next AGM.

7. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COUNCIL

The general policy of the council shall be to serve the objective and the membership of WICS. Accordingly, the officers shall perform the duties ascribed to them by the full membership.
Subject to the limitation hereinafter mentioned, the Council shall in addition have power to do the following:

a) Co-opt such additional members as it requires to facilitate adequate expertise in appropriate fields of interest to WICS.
b) To appoint such subcommittees as it may from time to time decide and to determine the powers and terms of reference of such subcommittees.
c) To appoint and dismiss paid employees.
 

All such actions of the council must be available for the scrutiny and approval of the full membership at the next meeting of WICS. Approval will be determined by acclaim or by a simple majority vote.

8. GENERAL MEETINGS

General meetings shall be convened by the Secretary for the attendance of the full members only. Other than in exceptional circumstances meetings will occur yearly and will directly precede or follow educational and or scientific meetings and consider all matters deemed relevant by full members or officers of WICS. The first general meeting each year shall be the Annual General Meeting, at which the full members will be entitled to attend for the following additional purposes:-

a) Receiving the annual report of the council. b) Receiving the annual audited statement of accounts, and (where applicable) to fix the amount of the subscription for full and other members. c) Appointing an auditor(s). d) Accepting resignations from officers, and nominations for replacements.

9. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS

The Chairman or Secretary may at any time at their discretion within 21 days of a request to do so, supported by not less than 25% of the membership (or more than 30 full members) having the power to vote and giving reasons for the request, call a special general meeting of the Society.

10. CONDUCT OF MEETINGS

Subject to the provisions of paragraph 16 regarding alterations to the Constitution, all questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote, excluding the Chairman, or, in his/her absence, excluding whichever officer is acting as Chairman. In the case of any equality of votes the Chairman or officer acting as Chairman shall have the casting vote.

Minute documents and attendance records shall be kept by the Council and all subcommittees of WICS, and the appropriate secretary shall enter therein a record of all proceedings and resolutions.

11. STANDING ORDERS

The Council shall have power to adopt and issue standing orders and/or rules, which shall go into operation immediately after approval has been given by a simple majority of members at the next General Meeting. In exceptional circumstances, standing orders may become operational before approvals of the general membership has been given provided that the entire Council is unanimous in its recommendation and provided that the standing orders are consistent with the provision of the Constitution.

12. FINANCES

All monies raised by and on behalf of WICS shall be applied to further the objectives of WICS and for no other purpose.

The Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of WICS. The accounts shall be audited at least once a year by an Auditor(s) who shall be appointed at the annual general meeting.
The audited statement of accounts for the last financial year shall be submitted to the full members of the annual general meeting. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the accounts of all monies accruing to WICS, whether they are subscriptions, grants, donations, bequests, loans or from any other source whatsoever. Debts will be the responsibility of council as a whole.

13. WICS MEETINGS

WICS will hold an annual scientific meeting each summer, which will rotate through the departments in the region. A separate terms of agreement document will be drawn up between the WICS Council and the hosting department that defines the responsibilities of each party and the split of risk and any surplus generated.

The annual scientific meetings will be open to all Consultant, trainee and allied health care professionals interested in Intensive Care Medicine. The meeting is an opportunity to encourage trainees to showcase their work. Each meeting will aim to include:

• A trainee presentation section. For the winning platform oral presentation, the SCOTT prize will be awarded in memory of Dr Andrew Scott.
• The BRUCE lecture. This will be delivered, in memory of Dr Rob Bruce. WICS will plan to hold a winter meeting annually for permanent members of medical staff. WICS Council will make the arrangements for this meeting.

 14. WICS WEBSITE

The WICS website www.wessexics.com has been set up as a forum for dissemination of news, guidelines, research/audits and training resources. This resource will continue to be developed by the co-opted webmaster with content to be approved by the Council officers. WICS will bear the costs of setting up and administering the website.
 

15. DISSOLUTION

If the Council decides by a simple majority that there are grounds for the dissolution of WICS then it shall give notice that such a resolution is to be put before the full membership by means of a ballot. If such a decision is then confirmed by a simple majority vote of full members, then all debts and liabilities will be settled at the earliest opportunity. Any residual assets shall be transferred to such charitable purposes as is near as possible to the objectives of WICS as the full members may determine.
 

16. ALTERATION TO THE CONSTITUTION

Any proposal to alter this Constitution must be delivered in writing to the Chairman or Secretary of WICS. A proposal should be accompanied by a petition of support signed by not less than fifteen full members. Upon receipt of such a proposal, the Officers of WICS shall organise a ballot of the membership to the registered address within the next 28 days. An alteration will require the approval of a two-thirds majority of members responding to the ballot within a further 28 days. No alteration can be made to this Constitution which would be incompatible with paragraph 2 (Objectives) or which would prejudice the status of WICS.