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Constitution

Regional Anaesthesia UK (RA-UK) Constitution and Rules

Affiliated to the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy (ESRA)

Previously the ESRA Great Britain & Ireland Zone of the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy (ESRA)

Constitution and Rules


1. NAME

The Name of the Society shall be Regional Anaesthesia UK (RA-UK),and shall be the only ESRA-affiliated regional anaesthesia society in the United Kingdom

2. OBJECT

The object of the Society shall be the advancement of the standards and education in Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Management in the United Kingdom.

In furtherance of this object the Society shall:

  • 2.1. Provide a forum for discussion
  • 2.2. Stimulate research
  • 2.3. Collect relevant information and disseminate it to its members
  • 2.4. Provide expert advice and make recommendations
  • 2.5. Encourage awareness of regional anaesthesia and pain management amongst the hospital and community medical and surgical practice
  • 2.6. Encourage awareness of regional anaesthesia and pain management amongst the general public
  • 2.7. Represent the interests of all members
  • 2.8. Maintain a close relationship with ESRA and support it's objectives.

3. MEMBERSHIP

There shall be five classes of membership: Ordinary Members, Associate Members, International Members, Retired Members and Honorary Members.

3.1 Ordinary Membership shall be open to any medically qualified person who is involved in the practice of anaesthesia and regional anaesthesia in the United Kingdom

3.2 Associate Membership shall be open to registered practitioners and students who are not medically qualified and are involved in clinical patient care Associate members shall not be entitled to vote in Council elections or stand for election to Council.

3.3 International Membership shall be open to any medically qualified per-son who is involved in the practice of anaesthesia and regional anaesthesia outside of the United Kingdom. International members shall not be entitled to vote in Council elections or stand for election to Council.

3.4 Retired Membership shall be open to any retired medical practitioners who, during their anaesthetic career, were involved in the practice of regional anaesthesia. 
 
3.5 Council of the Society may put forward the names of candidates for Honorary Membership and, subject to approval by the members of the Society at an Annual Members' Meeting (AMM), those candidates shall be elected to Honorary Membership. Honorary Members shall usually be individuals at or near retirement from clinical practice who have rendered distinguished service to regional anaesthesia in the UK.

3.6 Council of the Society may expel or suspend the membership of any member whose conduct is such that it may, in its opinion, be injurious to the interests of the Society.

4. MANAGEMENT

The management of the Society shall be vested in a Council.

4.1 The Council shall comprise a President, a President Elect or Immediate Past President, an Honorary Secretary, an Honorary Treasurer and four Elected Council Members.

4.2 The terms of office for all Council Members shall be three years, renewable on re- election for a second period of three years, with the exception of the president whose term of office is fixed to three years (non-renewable)

4.3 A Council member who has served six consecutive years as an Elected Council Member or an Officer may seek re-election to Council after a period of at least one year after standing down from Council.

4.4 Council may co-opt a maximum of two Ordinary Members to the Council for a period of up to two years subject to ratification at an Annual Members' Meeting.

4.5 Council will elect the UK's representative to the European Society of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Therapy (ESRA) Council of Representatives (COR). 
 
4.6 If the UK!s representative to the COR is elected onto the ESRA Executive Board, then a further member of the RA-UK Council will be elected by Council to replace this person on the COR

4.7 Council will also appoint a Chair of the Regional Anaesthesia Re-search Network who will then be co-opted to the RA-UK board. This Chair position is a 3 year term, renewable for a second term if approved by the RA-UK board. The chair will be appointed by the RA-UK board following a call for applications, and a subsequent vote by board members. The Deputy Chair shall be a RA-UK board member, again voted by the board.

4.8 The quorum for Council meetings shall be six persons.

5. ELECTION TO COUNCIL

5.1 All Ordinary Members of the Society who have been members for at least one year shall be eligible for election to Council.

5.2 Ordinary Members standing for election to Council should be proposed and seconded by Ordinary Members of the Society in a manner and at a time determined by the Honorary Secretary, who will give all Ordinary Members at least three months notice of an election.

5.3 A postal or electronic ballot shall be held at least one month before an Annual Members' Meeting, at which the results of the ballot shall be announced.

5.4 In addition one trainee anaesthetist (post fellowship) shall be elected to membership of Council.

6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS

6.1 The Officers of the Society (President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer) shall be elected by Council in a secret ballot held before the Annual Members' Meeting. 
 
7. DUTIES OF OFFICERS

7.1 The President shall usually chair Council meetings, the Annual Members' Meeting and any Extraordinary Meeting convened. He or she shall have the right to membership of all Subcommittees and delegations of the Society.

7.2 The Immediate Past President or President Elect shall fulfil the role of the President in his or her absence.

7.3 The Honorary Secretary shall notify Council Members and Society Members of meetings, shall prepare the agendas and record minutes of all meetings, notify members where appropriate of matters affecting the Society, and conduct ballots as required for the election of Council members and Officers as required under the Constitution.

7.4 The Honorary Treasurer shall collect subscriptions and issue receipts, record the accounts of the Society, prepare the accounts of the Society, in-cur such expenses and pay such monies as authorised by Council, maintain record of all Ordinary and Associate Members of the Society, and maintain close contact with the administration of the ESRA organisation.

8. FINANCES

8.1 The Society may be financed by funds from commercial sponsorship, members' annual subscriptions and, at the discretion of the Council, by funds from other sources.

8.2 The amounts payable as annual subscriptions shall be determined by Council and announced at Annual Members' Meetings.

8.3 Audited accounts for the preceding year shall be presented by the Honorary Treasurer at the Annual Members' Meeting.

8.4 All monies raised on behalf of the Society shall be applied to further the object of the society and for no other purpose, provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment in good faith of reasonable and proper remuneration to any employee of the Society and fees to professional and technical advisors. 
 
8.5 In the event of the dissolution of the Society, any assets remaining after satisfaction of all debts and liabilities shall not be paid or distributed among the members of the Society, but shall be given or transferred to a recognised charitable organisation(s) having objects similar to those of the Society.

9. MEETINGS

9.1 The Annual Members' Meeting of the Society shall be held each year, either in person or virtually, at a time fixed by the Council to

  • Receive an address from the President
  • Receive a report from the Honorary Secretary on the affairs of the Society since the previous Annual Members' Meeting
  • Receive a statement of accounts from the Honorary Treasurer relating to the period since the previous Annual Members' Meeting
  • Note the annual subscription
  • Consider motions or resolutions duly submitted to the meeting, notice of such having been formally submitted to the Honorary Secretary at least two weeks before the meeting
  • Ratify new members
  • Ratify co-option members of Council. Ratify Council Members as per item 5.

9.2 The Honorary Secretary shall inform members of the date and agenda of the Annual Members' Meeting at least two weeks in advance. He or she shall seek nominations for any elections required under the Constitution at least six weeks in advance of the Annual Members' Meeting. 
 
9.3 In all instances other than those specified in article 10, where voting is required, the results shall be determined by simple majority. In the event of a tie, the Chairman shall have the casting vote.

9.4 An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at the discretion of the Council or on written request of not less than twenty-five Ordinary Members of the Society.

9.5 An Extraordinary General Meeting shall be held not more than four weeks from the date on which the Honorary Secretary is informed of therequest.9.6 At least one Scientific Meeting shall be held each year.

10. ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION

10.1 No new articles or amendment may be made without the consent of two thirds of the members present at an Annual Members' Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting.

10.2 Any motion to change the Constitution must be duly proposed and seconded at least six weeks before an Annual Members' Meeting and circulated to all members two weeks in advance of an Annual Members' Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting.

10.3 For the purposes of this constitution or any amendments to the constitution, the word "charitable” shall mean charitable in terms of both the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Taxes Acts, and any statutory re- enactments or modifications thereof. Any dispute in relation to this constitution or any amendments to the constitution shall be determined in accordance with the law of Scotland.

11. REGIONAL GROUPS 
 
Any Regional Anaesthesia Group whether already in existence or newly formed may apply to become part of Regional Anaesthesia UK (RA-UK).Such applications will be considered by Council. In the event of a Regional Anaesthesia Group being accepted as part of the Society, the following rules shall pertain:

The Regional Anaesthesia Group may elect a member to represent them on the Council of the Regional Anaesthesia UK (RA-UK) if the Group has at least 40 members who are all Ordinary Members of RA-UK.

STANDING REGULATIONS

These regulations pertain to the working of the Society and are to be read in conjunction with the Constitution of the Society. Any standing regulation determined by Council will require ratification at the following Annual Members' Meeting of the Society.

1) A tie for elected council membership Further to item 5.2 relating to the election of Council members it is decided that in the event of a tie for the last available position, the longest standing Society member of the tied candidates will be deemed elected. This will be determined from the date on which membership application was confirmed by Council.

2) Representative role of the Society Further to article 2 and item 2.4 relating to the Society's role in the advancement of standards in Regional Anaesthesia and in providing expert advice regarding Regional Anaesthesia, it is accepted that the Society may make representation on behalf of patient (reimbursement) benefit in Regional Anaesthesia and on behalf of the conditions of service of doctors and other health care workers in Regional Anaesthesia. 

This Constitution was agreed and adopted by the members of the society at an Annual Members’ Meeting at the following location, date and time:

Location: Virtual AGM

Signed by:

President: Dr Alan Macfarlane

Secretary: Dr Nat Haslam

Treasurer: Dr Lloyd Turbitt


 Date Signed: 25/05/2021