Constitution

BAPU Constitution

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1. NAME

The association will be called the British Association of Paediatric Urologists

2. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Association are:

  • To foster professional relationships between paediatric urologists in the British Isles.
  • To advance study, practice and research in paediatric urology
  • To support training in paediatric urology
  • To organize a regular course in paediatric urology for trainees in paediatric urology, paediatric surgery and adult urology.
  • To represent the view of the membership of Paediatric Urologists on matters of standards and ethics

3. COMITTEE

There will be a committee consisting of a President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. Following election, the president elect will join the committee until graduation to the presidency.

(see ‘Officers’ below).

Members of relevant SACs, ESPU or other bodies may be co-opted as non-voting members as required.

If a vote is required and tied, the President shall have an overriding vote.

4. MEMBERSHIP

There will be three categories of membership.

Full Members

  1. A Consultant Surgeon with a practice that is predominantly (more than 75%) Paediatric Urology. Membership will be confirmed by the committee upon appointment to their post.
  2. Specialty Doctors with a practice that is predominantly (more than 75%) Paediatric Urology. Membership will be proposed to the committee by a full member. and decided by a show of hands at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Associate Member

A Consultant Surgeon or specialty doctor with an interest in Paediatric Urology,
OR a surgical trainee who intends to pursue a career in Paediatric Urology.
Membership will be proposed to the committee by a full member and ratified by the AGM. 

Senior Members

Former Full or Associate members, who have retired from hospital practice. They are not expected to pay the annual subscription fee, and may attend the AGM and annual dinner on the same basis as full members.

Honorary Members

Individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Association or Paediatric Urology. The will be proposed to the AGM  by the committee. These members will be invited as guests to the Annual /general Meeting and Annual Dinner ( Bob Whitaker, Philip Ransley, David Frank, Tony Rickwood)

New members of all categories will be announced by the Secretary at the Annual General Meeting and ratified by a simple majority vote (show of hands) of Full members in attendance. (The membership will usually be notified in advance of the AGM of potential new members)

5. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION

Full and associate members will be expected to pay an annual subscription of an amount decided at the annual general meeting; Honorary and Senior members will be exempt from paying a subscription. The subscription for associate members will be 50% of full membership fee. The Members who fail to pay their subscription for 2 consecutive years will have their membership reviewed by the committee.

6. OFFICERS

The three officers of the Association form the committee and are president, treasurer and secretary, who are full members of the Association

The President’s duties are:

  1. To represent the views of the Association and to lead the Association
  2. To organize the annual Cambridge BAPU Annual General Meeting
  3. To organize the annual Cambridge BAPU Course
  4. To represent BAPU on the Executive of the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons
  5. To represent BAPU when required
  6. To assist the other office holders in their duties as required.

The term of Office will be three years, commencing the day after the AGM  following election and until the end of the holder’s 3rd AGM in post. In the period following announcement of the result of the election and taking up post, the president-elect will join the Committee

Secretary

  1. To manage membership issues
  2. To circulate Minutes of the Association Annual General Meeting to BAPS, BRITSPAG and other interested parties.
  3. To produce a regular Newsletter
  4. To organize the annual Cambridge BAPU Course
  5. To represent BAPU when required.

To assist the other office holders in their duties as required.

Elected for a term of 3 years in office.

Treasurer

  1. To manage the finances of the Association
  2. To organize the annual Cambridge BAPU Course
  3. To represent BAPU when required.
  4. To assist the other office holders in their duties as required.

To assist the other office holders

Elected for a term of 3 years in office.

30% of the Association are needed to call an extraordinary meeting or election

7. ELECTION PROCEDURES

Similar for all officers:

Invitations to stand for Office will be formally requested before the AGM. Nominations with a named  proposers,  who is a full members of the Association must be received by the secretary before 1st November; this is to be accompanied by a ‘manifesto’ of no more than 200 words. The secretary will circulate the names together with the manifestos before 1st December, even if only one candidate is standing; if no one is proposed the current office holder will be invited to continue in post until a replacement can be elected. Voting will be by single transferable votes. Completed voting papers are to reach the President before 1st January and the announcement of the successful candidate(s) will be before 1st February.

8. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

To occur in September unless otherwise agreed by the AGM

To include:

  1. Minutes of previous AGM
  2. President’s Report
  3. Secretary’s report; membership changes
  4. Treasurer’s Report
    1. Course accounts
    2. Association Accounts
  5. Clinical Audit reports
  6. SAC reports 

Only Full members will have voting rights; associate members, senior and honorary are encouraged to attend and play an active part in the AGM.

Observers (non-voting) will be invited from relevant bodies including BAPUN and Trainees in paediatric Urology, and other appropriate bodies (e.g. RCPCH, BAPN, SACs in paediatric surgery or urology, ESPU, BAPS  etc…)

9. RELATIONSHIPS

a) GROUPS AFFILIATED to BAPU

The Paediatric Urology Nurses Special Interest Group (PUNSIG) /  British Association of Pediatric Urology Nurses (BAPUN).

Representative(s) are invited to the AGM as observers and the general session will be open to all BAPUN members.

The organization of the BAPU and BAPUN courses are combined

BAPU will provide financial support to BAPUN as agreed by the AGM

The BAPU website and discussion group will offer access to BAPUN members

b) The association will actively communicate with, and where appropriate, play an active role in:

British Association of Paediatric Surgeons

British Association of Urological Surgeons

SAC in Paediatric Surgery

SAC in (Adult) Urology

BRITSPAG

ESPU

Royal Colleges and other relevant bodies

c) The official Journal of the association will be the Journal of Pediatric Urology

10. COMMUNICATION

The main means of communication will be by the Secretary and by email. All members are expected to keep the Secretary informed of their current email address.

The secretary will also use the web-site and regular Newsletters for more general communication.

References

  1. Current application form for membership
  2. BAPU membership Rules pre 2005