Updated by SSHA Honorary Secretary April 2003
1. That the Society shall be known as the Society of Sexual Health Advisers Branch 9108 AMICUS.
2. The objectives of the Society shall be:
a) To improve and maintain standards and encourage professional development of Sexual Health Advisers and other members of SSHA who meet the criteria for Membership. These criteria shall be decided by selection and if necessary by interview by the Membership Secretary and ultimately by Council of SSHA if there is any ambiguity in meeting these criteria.
b) To promote, encourage and improve the study and practice of the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections.
c) To improve the public health so far as it is affected by sexually transmitted infections, and to promote and encourage through awareness, the preventative aspects of those infections.
In order to fulfil its objectives the Society may:
d) Establish minimum qualifications necessary for recognition as Sexual Health Advisers and other Members.
e) Seek to negotiate with the appropriate management the duties of Sexual Health Advisers together with a career and salary policy.
f) Hold an Annual Conference and General Meeting of the Society and more frequent Regional meetings where Members of the Society may discuss and debate the Society’s objectives and policy (observers and visitors to such meetings to be in a non-voting capacity). Individuals who are not Members of the Society wishing to attend part or all of the Annual General Meeting and/or Conference may be granted permission to attend at the discretion of Council.
g) Engage in any other activities which, in the opinion of the Society, might further its objectives.
3. The Society shall be composed of Sexual Health Advisers having, wherever practicable, a Registered Nurse qualification, a certificate in Social Work or a degree in a related field acceptable to the Council of the Society. All applicants seeking Membership of the Society must fill in an application form supplied by the Society. The applicant must forward this form to the Membership Secretary. The application will be considered by the Membership Secretary and acted upon and will be ultimately considered by Council (or a nominated sub-committee) in the case of any ambiguity determined by the Membership Secretary of application credentials or existing job role/tasks. After receipt of the application upon acceptance the application form shall be subject to the conditions described in Rule 7 of the AMICUS National Rule Book.
4. Members of the Society elected before the Annual General Meeting 1982 shall remain Members irrespective of their qualifications, provided they remain paid up Members of the Society.
5. Honorary Life Membership of the Society is to be conferred on Members who have made a distinguished contribution and/or given outstanding service to the Society. Council will submit nomination(s) for Honorary Life Membership for consideration by the Annual General Meeting.
6. The Society of Sexual Health Advisers Branch 9108(AMICUS) shall elect annually from within the Society membership the following officers:
• President
• Vice-President
• Honorary National Secretary
• Honorary Treasurer
• British Federation against Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Sex Education Forum Representative
The Council may co-opt any such other Officers as might be determined from time to time by the Society.
These Officers shall be known as national officers of the Society. All national officers must have been a Member for at least two years prior to appointment. The President must have served on SSHA Council for a minimum of one year.
The Council of the Society may in addition nominate annually an Honorary Medical Consultant of the Society. The Honorary Medical Consultant shall have no executive function but may represent the view of the Society in the wider areas of Genito-Urinary Medicine and Health Administration.
The election of President, Vice-President, Honorary National Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and British Federation of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Sex Education Forum Representative shall be by postal ballot and will be returned to the Society’s AMICUS National Officer. A request for nominations shall be made available to all Members at least three months prior to the AGM. Nominations shall be signed by the nominee, a proposer and seconder, all of whom shall be full members of the Society. Such nominations shall normally be sent to the Honorary National Secretary to arrive no later than two months before the AGM. Ballot papers which will include all nominations received under Rule 6, will be circulated as soon after the closing date for nominations as practicable. Such ballot papers will be available to members no later than one month before the AGM.
The President will announce the newly elected Officers at the AGM. All such elected Officers will take up post after the AGM only if the AGM follows the Conference, otherwise they should take up office after the Conference.
7. Regional Representatives and Council
The membership of what shall be known as the Council of the SSHA Branch 9108 (AMICUS) shall be made of elected regional Representatives plus six national officers i.e. President, Vice-President, Honorary National Secretary, Honorary Membership Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and British Federation against Sexually transmitted Diseases and Sex Education Forum Representative. Council will hold a minimum of four meetings during each working year at least one of which will be outside of London.
Elections for regional representatives shall take place annually or more frequently if a vacancy arises. Normally the election at the last Regional meeting prior to the AGM and the results of the election shall be notified to the Honorary National Secretary within two weeks of the election at which they will have assumed office. The number or regional representatives will be based on the number of Society members within the region concerned based on the following scale:
Up to 20 Society members = 1 regional representative
21-40 Society members = 2 regional representatives
41 and more = 3 ore more regional representatives
8. Regional Meetings
Regional meetings, where practicable, should take place at least four times per annum.
9. The Council shall regulate the business of the Society and shall have the direction and management of it funds, subject to the instructions and control of the Annual General Meeting of the Society. Two members of the Society shall be appointed annually by the Annual General Meeting to act as auditors. Audited accounts must be presented annually for inspection at the Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting shall normally be held in the month of March or April each year.
10. AMICUS Subscriptions
The above subscription is payable by direct debit or cash. However, any member who falls more than 4 months behind in contributions shall be disqualified from membership of the Society and AMICUS.
11. A Special General Meeting of the Society may be called at any time by the Council or on request of 10 members of the Society. At least 1 month notice shall be given of the time and purpose of such a meeting.
12. No alterations or additions to these rules shall be made except by a resolution carried by a majority of at least two thirds of the members present and voting at a General Meeting of the Society. In any difference or interpretation of the above Rules and Constitutions, it is recognised that the AMICUS National Rule Book is the over-riding authority in regard to such interpretation.
13. Individual members of the Society will belong to geographical regions designated by Council.
Updated by consensus of membership April 2003