BACS
British Association of Cosmetic Surgeons
1 NAME
The name of the Association shall be the British Association of Cosmetic Surgeons (hereinafter called "the Association")
2 OBJECTS
The objects for which the Association is established are -
(a) To teach expound promote and propagate the theory and practice and develop the science of cosmetic surgery for the benefit of the public and the profession as a whole.
(b) To promote proficiency knowledge and skill in any recognised cosmetic surgery discipline and to encourage education study and research into the principles and techniques of cosmetic surgery.
(c) To provide facilities for the inter-change of ideas and social intercourse between Members of the Association and to print publish and distribute literature and publications of all kinds relevant to the activities of the Association and matters allied to or affecting cosmetic surgery.
(d) To provide facilities for the research, study of principles and techniques of cosmetic surgery (including surgical and clinical research) and to arrange promote and encourage lectures and demonstrations.
(e) To amalgamate if deemed expedient in the interests of the Association with any other charitable body having objects similar to those of the Association and prohibiting the payment of a dividend to or the distribution of its assets or profits amongst its Members.
(f) To conduct and participate in the sending of representatives or delegates to meetings and conferences on medical or allied subjects and providing and appointing members of associations committees and other bodies formed for the consideration of such subjects or effectuating any medical or surgical work undertaking or purposes.
(g) Establishing scholarships foundations and lectureships and providing grants and other benefactions either in the United Kingdom or elsewhere which are designed to enhance the learning in and practice of cosmetic surgery or to contribute to its establishment.
(h) To purchase take on lease or in exchange hire or otherwise acquire for the purposes of the Society any real immovable personal or movable property in any part of the world and in particular any lands buildings furniture club household effects utensils books periodicals fittings apparatus appliances conveniences and accommodation and to sell demise let exchange mortgage or dispose of the same.
(i) To receive subscriptions donations and legacies for the purposes of applying the same to any of the objects of the Association and to apply the same accordingly.
(j) To carry out all or any of the above objects in any part of the world.
(k) To do any such things as are incidental or conducive to the attainments of the above objects.
3 MEMBERSHIP
The Society shall consist of -
(A) Full Members
(B) Associate Members
(C) Overseas Members
(D) Honorary Members
(A) FULL MEMBERSHIP
1. Full Membership shall be open to fully registered medical practitioners largely engaged in the practice of Cosmetic Surgery who are -
(a) Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons in the United Kingdom, Fellows of reciprocating colleges or an overseas equivalent; and
(b) Have a proven competence in an approved cosmetic surgery module;
2. For the purposes of the sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) above the Association recognises the following categories of cosmetic surgical work as being approved modules -
(a) Rhinoplasty - Blethroplasty - Facelift - Laser/Chemical peel
(b) Dermatological matters
(c) Abdominoplasty
(d) Liposuction
(e) Hair transplantation
(f) Gender surgery
(g) Aesthetic breast surgery
(B) ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Any medical practitioner who in the opinion of the Council, is in sympathy with the objects of the Association or is engaged in work of interest to the Society, shall be eligible for election as an Associate Member.
(C) OVERSEAS MEMBERS
Any medical practitioner who has appropriate accreditation in his own country and who has proven experience in an approved cosmetic surgery module.
(D) HONORARY MEMBERS
Honorary Membership may be offered by the Council to any medical practitioner who in its opinion has performed notable service to either the Association or the cause and development of cosmetic surgery generally.
4 APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
1. Any Applicant applying for Membership shall be proposed and seconded by two Members of the Association and shall, at the time of the written application for Membership submit full details of all qualifications/training/experience and such further details as the Council may require so as to enable it to reach a decision as to the Applicant's eligibility and suitability for Membership.
2. The names of candidates seeking election shall be submitted to the Membership Committee of the Association for due consideration. A decision as to whether to accept an application shall be determined either at the Annual General Meeting or wherever the full Membership Committee shall meet, whichever is the sooner.
3. The Membership Committee shall comprise three Members of the Association appointed by the Council, two of whom must also be Members of the Council. Decisions as to whether to approve Membership shall be made by unanimous vote.
4. Surgeons who are elected as Associate Members must not advertise promote or disclose to any members of the public that they are Members of the Association.
5. The Association will maintain a register of Members which will be updated at least annually or as and when the Council directs. The register will contain full details of the Members name, address, professional qualifications and in respect of full, overseas, or Honorary Members, the approved cosmetic surgery modules in respect of which the surgeon has been admitted as a Member of the Association.
5 TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
1. A Member shall cease to be a Member of the Association in the case set out in sub-paragraph
(i) below and at the discretion of and after proper consideration by the Council in the case set out in paragraph (ii) below.
(i) If by notice in writing to the Secretary of the Association he or she resigns.
(ii) If he or she fails to pay any entrance fee or annual subscription within three months of the due date despite having received notice from the Secretary to pay the same within thirty days from the posting of such notice.
2. If a Member is deemed to have breached the code of conduct or has conducted himself/herself in a manner which is prejudicial to the Association then pursuant to disciplinary proceedings set out in regulations established hereunder, he or she may be required to resign from the membership of the Association or otherwise be subject to any remedy or sanction set out in such regulations.
3. For the purpose of disciplinary proceedings referred to in paragraph (b) above a Conduct Committee shall be established and shall consist of five members, the Chairman of which shall be the then Chairman of the Association. One such Member shall be a lay Member with appropriate qualifications and professional standing. The Council shall nominate a sufficient number of Members and/or one lay Member for election to the Committee. In addition any two Members may propose any other candidates by notice in writing to the Secretary to be received not later than 28 days before the date of the Annual Conference. Balloting and election shall be conducted in accordance with Rule [to be inserted]. Upon the conclusion of the second Annual Conference following the election of the first Committee Members and thereafter upon the conclusion of the Annual Conference Meeting in each year one Member of the Committee (other than the Chairman) shall retire namely those who have been longest in office since their last election, but as between those who became Members on the same day those to retire shall, unless they otherwise agree among themselves, be determined by lot.
A retiring Committee Member shall be eligible for re-election. Casual vacancies may be filled by the Council and persons so appointed shall hold office until the conclusion of the next Annual Conference.
A decision to expel a Member shall be by unanimous vote. A quorum shall consist of four Members, one of whom shall be the lay person.
4. Upon retiring or ceasing to be a Member of the Association, such person shall forfeit all right to and claim upon the Association and its property and funds and shall thereupon cease to hold any office in the Association.
6 SUBSCRIPTION
1. The Annual subscription shall be £200 or such other sum as the Association shall in general meeting determine. A Member whose subscription is 12 months in arrears, and who has failed to pay the subscription in accordance with paragraph 5(a)(ii) herein, shall cease to be a Member of the Association. Reinstatement shall only be made after formal application by the Member and the payment of all arrears have been made and shall be subject to the approval of the Council.
2. The Association's financial year shall run from the fifth day of April in each year to the subsequent fourth day of April.
7 OFFICERS
1. The Officers of the Association shall be a President, a Vice President, an Honorary Secretary, an Honorary Treasurer and an Honorary Editor.
2. The President of the Association shall hold office for one year and the remaining Officers of the Association shall hold office for a period of two years commencing on the 1st day of January next following their election at the Annual General Meeting.
3. All Officers of the Association shall be proposed and seconded by two Members and such nomination shall be in writing and accompanied by the written consent of the nominee to hold office and shall be submitted to the Honorary Secretary of the Association not less than two months prior to the Annual General Meeting next thereafter ensuing.
4. Any Officer of the Association shall be eligible for re-election either to the office from which he is due to retire or to any other office.
8 THE COUNCIL
1. The affairs of the Association shall be managed by a Council (or any Committee or sub-Committee) established or provided for under the terms herein.
2. Three Members of the Council, other than Officers, shall retire annually be seniority of election unless the Council shall otherwise decide. No retiring Member shall be eligible for re-election until one year has elapsed from the date of his retirement.
3. Any casual vacancy occurring in the office of Officer or of the Council may be filled by the Council but any persons so chosen shall retain office so long only as the vacating Member in whose place he is appointed would have retained the same if no vacancy had occurred.
4. The Council may from time to time -
(i) co-opt additional Members of the Council for such periods and upon such terms as it may see fit and
(ii) appoint for such purposes as the Council sees fit sub-committees with or without power to add to their number and unless specific power to act is given by the Council the decision of the sub-committee shall require the sanction of the Council.
5. The Council shall submit to each Annual General Meeting nominations for each of the Officers and Council who are due to retire. All nominations whether by the Council or by individual Members of the Association shall be printed on the notice convening the Annual General Meeting.
9 MEETINGS
1. There shall be an Annual General Meeting held once in every calendar year and unless otherwise determined every Annual General Meeting shall be held in June at which a report of the proceedings since the preceding Annual General Meeting shall be presented and the Officers of the Association and other Members of the Council and of the Association shall be elected. The Honorary Treasurer and the Honorary Secretary shall present a report of the financial and general position of the Association respectively. The Council or the Honorary Secretary within one from the receipt by him of the requisition signed by not less than three Members may convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Association at which not less than two days notice specifying the place, day and hour of the meeting and the business to be transacted shall be given.
2. Any Member of the Association who wishes to move a formal resolution shall give notice of such resolution in writing to the Honorary Secretary and shall submit a copy of such resolution not less than twenty one days before the date of the Annual General Meeting and not less than seven days before the date of any other meeting.
10 QUORA
1. The quorum for a Council meeting shall be three Members present in person.
2. The quorum for a general meeting of the Association shall be five Members present in person.
11 VOTING
1. At any meeting of the Council of the Association a resolution put to a vote of such meeting shall be decided on a show of hands.
2. At any general meeting of the Association a resolution put to the vote of such meeting shall be decided on a show of hands unless a poll is (before or on the declaration of the result of a show of hands) demanded -
(i) by the Chairman or
(ii) by at least three Members in person
3. A poll shall be taken in such manner and at such time as the President or in his absence the Chairman for the time being of the meeting may with the approval of the Council direct.
4. At any general meeting of the Association every full Member shall have a vote.
5. A Member entitled to vote shall not be entitled to appoint a proxy except with the leave of the Council.
12 TRUSTEES
The Council shall appoint two Trustees of the Association and the property of the Association shall if and so far as the Council may think expedient be vested in such Trustees for the time being who if called upon to do so shall execute a Declaration of Trust to the effect that they hold such property as Trustees upon trust for the Association and the objects and purposes hereby declared.
13 THE PRESIDENT
The President, or in his absence the Vice President or in his absence a Member of the Council elected by the meeting, shall preside at all general and Council meetings. The person so presiding shall have a casting vote which shall be exercisable in all cases where the number of votes cast in favour of any proposal is equal to the number of votes cast against any such proposal and whether such vote shall have been case on a show of hands or on a poll.
14 THE HONORARY TREASURER
The Honorary Treasurer shall receive subscriptions, pay all bills and present the accounts annually to the Council and to the Annual General Meeting.
15 THE HONORARY SECRETARY
The Honorary Secretary or in the event of his incapacity a Member of the Council nominated by the President shall summon all meetings shall prepare agenda and shall keep minutes of the proceedings.
16 PROPERTY
The income and property of the Association shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Association set forth in this Constitution and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit to the Members of the Association and no Member of the Council of the Association shall be appointed to any office of the Association paid by salary or fees or receive any remuneration or other benefit in money or money's worth from the Association. Provided that nothing shall prevent the payment in good faith of a reasonable and proper remuneration and out of pocket expenses to any Officer or servant of the Association or to any Member of the Association (not being a Member of the Council of the Association) in return for any services rendered to the Association nor prevent the payment of interest at a rate not exceeding the Bank of England minimum lending rate for the time being in force on money lent or a reasonable and property rent for premises let to the Association by any Member thereof nor prevent the payment to any Member of its Council of our of pocket expenses.
17 BYLAWS
Without prejudice to the generality of the powers of the Council hereinbefore contained the Council shall have power to make vary and repeal byelaws and regulations as to the conduct of the general affairs of the Association its Officers and servants and for the dispatch of the business of the Association but so that full notice of any proposal to make vary or repeal any byelaw or regulation shall be given to each Member of the Council at least fourteen days before the meeting at which the proposal is to be considered any resolution of the Council in connection with the making varying or repeal of any byelaw or regulation shall be void and of no effect unless passed by a majority of not less than three-quarters of the Members of the Council present at such meeting.
18 CONSTITUTION
This Constitution may be added to, repealed or amended by Resolution at the Annual Conference provided that no such resolution shall be proposed or submitted unless there be then present not less than ten ordinary Members and no resolution shall be deemed to have been passed unless it is carried by a majority of at least two-thirds of the full Members voting thereon whether in person or by proxy.
19 DISSOLUTION
The Association may at any time by a resolution passed in general meeting be wound up and dissolved an in that event the books and records of the Association shall be disposed of in accordance with the directions of the Council and all other property of the Association shall be transferred to such charitable body or bodies whether incorporated or not as shall be specified by the resolution for winding up provided that such body or bodies is specified by the resolution then the said property of the Association shall be transferred to such body or bodies as may be determined by a Judge of the High Court of Justice having jurisdiction in regard to charitable funds and if and so far as effect cannot be given to such provision then some charitable object.
20 RIGHTS PERSONAL
The right of Members shall be personal and not transferable and shall cease on death.