The Society shall be known as the British Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society. Hereafter in the document it will be referred to as "The Society".
Aims
The Society aims to provide a forum where issues of relevance to Obstetricians and other professionals involved in pregnancy care are discussed. In particular, the Society seeks to
- Disseminate knowledge
- Promote research and audit
- Encourage the interface with industry to promote technological advances
- Establish good quality training programmes
- Encourage development of clinical guidelines.
The ultimate goal is to encourage improved standards of pregnancy care.
The Society will provide a Maternal and Fetal Medicine input to relevant Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) committees and provide advice on Maternal and Fetal Medicine training to the RCOG. The Society will also make representation to other Colleges and other national bodies/organisations when appropriate.
The Society will develop links to other similar societies based in different geographical locations.
Membership
Membership is open to any professional involved in pregnancy care. There will be no limit to the size of membership. To become a member, a completed application form must be submitted to the Society's Administrator, along with the appropriate annual subscription fee. Subscription rates are set by the Society and revised periodically. Concessionary membership rates will be available for non-clinicians. Continued membership involves the payment of the annual subscription fee. Membership will be ended if there is failure to pay the annual subscription. The Executive Committee has the right to end membership under exceptional circumstances.
Society Officers and Committee structure
Roles of Officers
The President will:
- Be the principal spokesperson for the Society
- Be the named stakeholder when the Society registers involvement in discussions with other Societies or bodies
- Chair the Executive and Organising Committee meetings
- Chair the Annual General Meeting
- Be responsible for the accuracy of the minutes of meetings.
The Secretary will:
- Be responsible for coordinating the activities of the Executive Committee
- Be responsible for the production of the minutes of Executive and Annual General Meetings
- Collaborate closely with the Conference Organisers
- Act as deputy to the President in Annual General, Executive and Committees.
The Treasurer will:
- Be responsible for the Society's finances and producing an annual audit of accounts at the Annual General Meetings
- Advise the Executive and Organising Committee about financial issues e.g., when subscription rates need to be raised
- Advise about the registration fee or any surcharge necessary for Annual Meetings of the Society, to ensure that these Meetings do not run at a financial loss and generate some income for the Society
The Education Officer will:
- Chair the Education and Training Group
- Be responsible for liasing with the RCOG and other bodies regarding training and education in maternal and fetal medicine.
The Executive Committee will comprise the Society's officers and representatives drawn from the Organising Committee (see below)
- President*
- Secretary*
- Treasurer*
- Education Officer*
- Scientific representative*
- Trainee representative*
- District Hospital representative
- Fetal Medicine representative
- Maternal Medicine representative
- Labour & Delivery representative
- Pregnancy Outcome representative
(* Permanent members of the committee)
A meeting shall be a quorate if there are 6 out of 11 members, with at least 2 of the 4 officers.
The Executive Committee will meet several times during the year, as necessary to fulfil its functions. The functions of the Executive Committee are:
- Overseeing the aims and activities of the Society
- Developing of Maternal and Fetal Medicine special interest and subspecialty training
- Identification and provision of BMFMS representatives for RCOG committees
- Proposing BMFMS representatives for additional activities or consultations with other societies or bodies.
The Organising Committee will comprise the following members, drawn as widely as possible from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- President
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Scientific representative
- Abstract co-ordinator
- Conference Organiser
- 2 Trainee representatives
- 2 District Hospital representatives
- 2 Fetal Medicine co-ordinators
- 2 Maternal Medicine co-ordinators
- 2 Labour & Delivery co-ordinators
- 2 Pregnancy Outcome co-ordinators
- Prize co-ordinator
Other members will be co-opted as appropriate.
The representative from the Organising Committee who serves on the Executive Committee will usually be the more long-standing of the two section co-ordinators or other representatives. If he or she is unable to attend, then the other section co-ordinator or representative may deputise.
The Organising Committee will meet several times each year, as necessary to fulfil its functions:
- To organise the Annual Meeting of the Society
- To consider, make recommendations and organise ad hoc Joint Meetings with other Societies/Groups.
Appointment of committee members
- Notification of vacancies on /new appointments to the committee will be circulated to Society members (by email or web posting).
- Candidates (whose agreement must be obtained before nomination) have to be nominated by 2 Society members (by signed postal return or email).
- A voting paper with details of candidates will be circulated (by email or web posting).
- Votes will be registered by return of a signed ballot paper or email to the BMFMS office.
- Each member can only vote once for each vacancy advertised.
The Society's Officers and Committee members will be elected by the membership of the Society for a term of three years. The President may only be elected for one term, but other Officers and Committee members may be re-elected for a second three-year term. In exceptional circumstances a willing person can serve a third term, if no other candidates come forward for election. The Executive Committee reserves the right to allow flexibility in the timing of appointments, to ensure continuity within the Committees. It is anticipated that no more than four committee members will change in one year.
Working Groups
The Executive Committee may draw up small Working Groups, usually chaired by a Committee Member, where an issue is identified needing consultation and discussion. Members of these Groups will be co-opted from the Society’s wider membership. These Groups will report to the Executive Committee and their continued existence will be reviewed on an annual basis.
Society Administrator
The Society will employ an Administrator whose functions will be:
- Keeping the Society database up-to-date
- Collecting the annual subscriptions
- Keeping a permanent record of the Minutes of all Society Meetings
- Keeping on file copies of all correspondence from the Committees
- Communicating with the Society’s members via mail, website posting or email when there are items of news to be disseminated from the Officers or Committees, or where the members’ views need to be canvassed about a subject.
- Maintaining an up-to-date Society website, in liaison with any persons or company employed for that purpose
- Keeping basic accounts, dealing with invoices and liasing with the accountant who produces yearly accounts
- Dealing with correspondence and enquiries directed to the Society via post, email or telephone.
The Society Administrator will usually be present at Committee meetings.
Conference Organisers
The Executive Committee will appoint Conference Organisers to deal with the practical arrangements of their Annual Meeting (selecting conference venues, negotiating rates of hire, identifying suitable accommodation, publicity, registration, trade exhibitions etc). The Executive Committee will review contracts periodically.
The Conference Organisers will arrange, and take Minutes at Organising Committee meetings.
Change in Constitution
- Any change in the Constitution must be proposed at least 2 months in advance of the Annual General Meeting to the Executive Committee and have a seconder who must also be a Member of the Society.
- The decision on the proposal will be on the basis of a straight majority vote of those attending the Annual General Meeting.
