1. Name

The Association shall be called the Multidisciplinary Association of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals (MASCIP).

2. Objectives

  1. To provide a national professional community for those employed or engaged in providing care, support or information services for people with spinal cord injury.
  2. To endorse existing committed staff, encourage new professionals and support activities aimed at retaining staff.
  3. To assist those involved in the education and training of professionals to disseminate relevant knowledge to ensure the attainment of high clinical standards in all aspects of practice.
  4. To support and promote the continuing development of Spinal Cord Injury Care Pathways that promote and support the provision of comprehensive Spinal Cord Injury Services within a UK/Irish network of specialist Spinal Cord Injuries Centres and the development of core standards for the support and management of Spinal Cord Injured people outside of such specialist Centres.
  5. To convene an annual, educational and scientific conference that will provide a forum for the exchange, discussion and review of matters relating to the management of spinal cord injuries.
  6. To provide the opportunity for professionals working with people with spinal cord injuries to network and share expertise and experience.
  7. To promote, support, collate and disseminate scientific and clinical information through publications, correspondence, symposia and other seminars.
  8. To develop, maintain and promote high clinical standards of care and ensure that client needs are comprehensively addressed.
  9. To encourage, support and promote research and scientific endeavour related to spinal cord injury.
  10. To foster knowledge on all aspects of spinal cord injury, particularly on physiological, clinical, environmental, social and psychological matters
  11. Guidelines
  12. Educational events
  13. Conference

3. Powers

In furtherance of the said objects but not otherwise the Association may:

  1. Bring together in conference relevant representatives of voluntary organisations, Government departments, statutory authorities and individuals.
  2. Liaise with statutory and voluntary organisations and promote and carry out or assist in promoting and carrying out research, surveys and investigations and publish useful results thereof.
  3. Arrange and provide for or join in arranging and providing for seminars, and training courses.
  4. Collect and disseminate information on all matters affecting the said objects with other such bodies having similar objects whether in this country or overseas.
  6. Cause to be written and printed or otherwise reproduced and circulated, gratuitously or otherwise, such papers, books or periodicals pamphlets or other documents or films or recorded tapes (whether audio or visual or both) as shall further the said objects.
  7. Raise funds and invite and receive contributions from any person or persons who by way of subscriptions and otherwise PROVIDED THAT the Association shall not undertake permanent trading activities in raising funds for the said objects
  8. Invest the moneys of the Association not required immediately for the said objects in or upon such investments, securities or property as may be thought fit, subject nevertheless to such conditions (if any) as any for the time being be imposed or required by law.

4. Executive Committee

  1. Subject as hereinafter mentioned the policy and general management of the affairs of the Association shall be directed by an Executive Committee (hereinafter called the “Committee”) which shall meet not less than 2 times a year and when complete shall consist of not less than 7 or no more than 12 elected members.
  2. The Committee should seek to include members representing all disciplines represented within the field of spinal cord injury and include membership from as wide a number of Spinal Cord Injuries Centres as possible. It should also seek to include representation from organisations outside the NHS, whether statutory or private.
  3. The Committee will be elected at the AGM from the membership of the Association.
  4. The elected members of the Committee shall be appointed in the first instance for three years, but shall be eligible for re-election. Any limits on number of re-elections?
  5. An elected person may resign his/her notice in writing to the Chair and such resignation will take place at the following Committee meeting. The vacancy may be temporarily filled by the Committee until the next AGM.
  6. The elected Committee may co-opt 3 further members. Such co-opted members will have the same voting rights as elected members and will serve until the conclusion of the following AGM, but will be eligible to be co-opted for a further term.
  7. The Spinal Injuries Association may each year nominate a SCI member of their Board of Trustees or operational team to serve on the Committee. Such person will have the same voting rights as the elected members.
  8. At least two thirds of the elected Committee must be working in, or have a close association with, a designated Spinal Cord Injuries Centre.
  9. When formed, the Committee shall elect from within the Committee a Chairperson, Vice Chair,   Membership Secretary, and Treasurer.
  10. No elected Officer of the Committee shall hold the same office for more than 3 consecutive years. They will be eligible for re-election to the same office after a break of one year.
  11. One third of the elected Committee shall retire annually but shall be eligible for reselection, the members so to retire being those who have been the longest in office since the last election. As between members who have been in office the same length of time, those due to retire shall be chosen by lot.
  12. Any casual vacancy in the Committee may be filled by the Committee and any other person appointed to fill such a casual vacancy shall hold office until conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Association and shall be eligible for election at that Meeting.
  14. The Committee may appoint such special or standing Committees as may be deemed necessary by the Committee and shall determine their terms of reference, powers, duration and composition. All acts and proceedings of such special or standing committees shall be reported back to the Committee as soon as possible.
  15. All members of the committee must be aware that they are regarded as Trustees of the Association and must at all times declare any conflict of interest that may occur as a result of any matters being discussed by the Association.
  16. The Committee is delegated all powers of the Association as described in Section 3 of this Constitution.
  17. There is an expectation that Committee members will commit to attendance in person or through virtual means or participatory contribution throughout their term of office. This will usually mean contact for at least 2 committee meetings a year.
  18. Each Spinal Cord Injuries Centre should have a link person to help promote MASCIP and they will be invited to a Committee meeting once a year. The link person will be remunerated for reasonable travel costs on production of a receipt.

5. Membership

Membership will be open to individuals with a professional interest and activity associated with spinal cord injury.

  1. The Committee shall have the right for good and sufficient reason: To approve or refuse applications for membership of any individual or terminate membership of any individual PROVIDED THAT the individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the Committee before a final decision is made.
  2. The Membership Secretary will establish and keep up to date, a register of membership ensuring adherence to legislative requirements with regard to data protection.

6. Meetings of the Association

  1. The General Meeting of the Association shall be held once in each year at the Annual General Meeting of the Association At least 21 days clear notice shall be given in writing by the Secretary to each member. At such Annual General Meeting the business shall include the election of full members to serve the Committee; the consideration of an Annual Report of the work done by or under the auspices of the Committee and of the audited accounts; and the transaction of such other matters as may from time to time be necessary.
  2. The Chair of the Committee may at any time at their discretion and the Secretary shall within 21 days of receiving a written request to do so, signed by not less than 8 full members, whether individual or representative, and giving reasons for the request, call a special General Meeting of the Association.
  3. An annual scientific meeting of the members shall be held for the purpose of continuing education. This meeting shall be known as the Scientific Conference. During the Scientific Conference, the Association’s Annual General Meeting will be conducted. The Scientific Conference will be the responsibility of the Executive Committee who shall appoint a sub-committee to organise the Scientific Conference. At the Scientific Conference, members of the Association shall have the opportunity to present papers. Members shall forward abstracts of papers to be presented by an agreed date. The final selection of papers to be presented shall be agreed by members of the organising sub-committee (Scientific Committee). The Scientific Committee shall consist of the Chair, Committee Nominee and the SIA representative.

7. Rules of procedure at all meetings

  1. Quorum The quorum at a meeting of the Association should be ten members and a quorum of the Committee should be members of which one should be an officer of the Association or such number as the Association may in General Meeting from time to time determine.
  2. Voting Save as otherwise herein provided, all questions arising at any meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote there at. Arrangements for proxy voting may from time to time be made by the Committee PROVIDED ALWAYS THAT no such arrangements shall be made with regard to clauses 10 and 11 hereof. No person shall exercise more than one vote notwithstanding that he or she may have been appointed to represent two or more interests, but in the case of an equality of votes the chair of the meetings shall have a second or casting vote.
  3. Minutes Minutes shall be kept by the Committee and all other Committees, and the appropriate secretary shall record all proceedings and resolutions.
  4. Standing Orders and Rules. The Committee shall have the power to adopt and issue Standing Orders and/or Rules for the Association. Such Standing Orders and/or Rules shall come into operation immediately PROVIDED ALWAYS that they shall be subject to review by the Association in General Meeting and shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this constitution.
  5. Records of meetings. Records of issues discussed and decisions taken considered of interest to the membership shall be posted on the MASCIP website within 30 days of each meeting.

8. Finance

  1. All money raised by or on behalf of the Association shall be applied to farther the object of the Association 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 Association or the repayment to Members of the Committee of reasonable out of pocket expenses.
  2. The Honorary Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the Association.
  4. An audited statement of the accounts for the last financial year shall be submitted by the Committee to the Annual General Meeting as aforesaid
  5. A bank account shall be held in the name of the Association with such bank as the Committee shall from time to time decide. The Committee shall authorise in writing the Treasurer, the Chair of the Association and two members of the Committee to sign cheques on behalf of the Association. All cheques must be signed by not less than two of the four authorised signatories.

9. Trust Property

The title to all real or personal property which may be acquired by or on behalf of the Association shall be vested in a trust corporation lawfully entitled to act as Custodian Trustees or in three individual persons (not being members of the Committee).

10. Alterations to the Constitution

Any alterations to this constitution shall receive the assent of not less than two thirds of the full membership of the Association for the time being whether individual or representative present and voting at a meeting specially called for the purpose PROVIDED THAT notice of any such alteration shall have been received by the Secretary in writing not less than 21 clear days before the meetings, setting forth the terms of the alteration, shall be sent by the Secretary to each member of the Association PROVIDED THAT no alteration shall be made which would have the effect of causing the Association to cease being.

11. Dissolution

If the Committee by a single majority decide at any time that on the ground of expense or otherwise it is necessary or advisable to dissolve the Association, it shall call a meeting of all members of the Association, who have the power to vote, of which meeting not less than 21 days’ notice (stating terms of the Resolution to be proposed threat) shall be given. If such decision shall be confirmed by a simple (two thirds) majority of those present and voting at such meeting the Committee shall have the power to dispose of any assets by or on behalf of the Association. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to the Association’s the Committee may determine.

12. Address

The address for correspondence shall be that of the current Secretary.

13. Notices

  1. A notice may be given by the Association to any member either personally, electronically by email or by sending it by post in a prepaid envelope addressed to such member at his or her registered address or by leaving it at that address. A member whose registered address is not within the United Kingdom and who gives to the Association an address within the United Kingdom at which notices may be given to him or her shall be entitled to have notices given to him or her at that address, any such member who has given an email address to which such notices may be given shall be entitled to receive such notices electronically, but otherwise no such member shall be entitled to receive any notice from the Association
  2. A member present in person at any meeting of the Association shall be deemed to have received notice of the meeting and, where necessary, of the purposes for which it was called
  3. Where a notice is sent by post, proof that an envelope containing a notice was properly addressed, prepaid and posted shall be conclusive evidence that the notice was given. A notice shall be deemed to be given at the expiration of five clear working days after the envelope containing it was posted
  4. Where a notice is sent electronically by email, proof that such an email containing a notice was properly sent and posted shall be conclusive evidence that the notice was given. A notice shall be deemed to be given after the expiration of 48 hours by which no electronic notification had been received back to the sending server of the failure to deliver such notice to the email address given

14. Interpretation

For the interpretation of this constitution, the Interpretation Act 1978, shall apply as it applies to the interpretation of an act of parliament.


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