Minutes of the AGM of the NASGBI
10th May 2006 – Thistle Hotel Brighton
In attendance 28 members plus 3 Executive Officers.
Apologies were received from Rob Bullock and Steve Cruickshank.
The President chaired the meeting and gave his report :
1.1 After presenting the Council and outlining its role and future membership (a further 3 members next year), he proposed the Council's requested Constitutional changes to facilitate the future management of the affairs of the Society.
There would be a total of six ordinary members of the Council nominated from within, and elected by, full members of the Society. The 3 executive Officers would be nominated and elected from within Council and serve a term of 3 years. The President's term of office would be non-renewable but the Secretary and Treasurer would be able to seek re-election for a second 3 year term. Those eligible for nomination for Secretary and Treasurer will have served on the Council for at least 12 months and those for President at least 3 years. Voting would be by Council members in the case of more than one nomination.
1.2 In order to facilitate these changes, approval was sought from the Membership for interim arrangements for Council, including extension of the term of office of the current President. The interim Council would also continue with its present membership, pending the changes to the constitution. The exact arrangements would be agreed by Council at its next meeting in the Autumn and be dependent upon legal advice. These proposals were carried unanimously.
The terms of reference of the Council were presented to the Membership by hard copy. These were agreed unanimously.
1.3 The Membership was informed that the Council would now make amendments to the Constitution under English law and that the new constitution would be circulated to all members for comment prior to the final draft being agreed. The new constitution will then be enacted, by approval via postal ballot at an EGM or at the next AGM according to legal advice from the Society's solicitors.
2 The Secretary gave his report on membership numbers (274 subscribing) and encouraged those who had not changed to DD from SO to do so as soon as possible by contacting the Specialist Society Secretary, Busola, at the AAGBI. The Secretary said that he had a list of the names of the 70 or so members still to change. He asked Linkmen to ask colleagues to check their payment arrangements.
He underpinned the President's presentation regarding the make up of the Council.
The Membership enquired about the possibility of a Trainee member on the Council. The Secretary agreed to agenda this for discussion at the next Council meeting.
3.1 The Treasurer presented a healthy Society account with a credit balance of £61000. He pointed out that the creation of the Council would increase the Society's running costs by up to £3000 per annum.
3.2 He reminded the Membership that 2 travel grants of £1000 each were available each year to Members and responded to a question from Sue Midgley that applications should be made in writing to the Secretary c/o AAGBI. The Council would then consider the request. Application forms are downloadable from the NASGBI website. Travellers are encouraged to present their experiences at the next ASM.
3.3 It was proposed to marginally increase the subscription fees next year in order to cover the increased running costs of the Society. Another option was to increase subscriptions by a larger amount and offer reduced registration to members attending the ASM. Richard Morgan pointed out that if attendance was charged to Study Leave, then only Trusts and not individuals would benefit. In response, the Officers felt that reducing costs might make the difference between Trusts granting Study Leave with expenses or not doing so. It was important to facilitate the maximum attendance at a specialist society ASM, by whatever means possible.
3.4 The Treasurer continued by outlining the financial policy for the forthcoming year which he had drawn up with advice from the AAGBI investment policy manager. It was important to keep sums equivalent to 2 years worth of running costs immediately available for accessing and for the rest to be invested with mild to moderate risk as advised by professional advisors. The whole package of banking and advice for charities was available from the Charities Aid Foundation Bank and he declared that the Council had agreed that this was a sensible way forward in managing our everyday and investment finances. The Society would therefore be changing banks.
4 The President then addressed the issue of Clinical Excellence Awards. He said that the Society could become a nominating body in its own right, but that our effectiveness will be limited because the number of possible nominations will be small as we are a relatively small Society. Another option is to try and seek to input to the RCA nominations mechanism and he is in correspondence with the RCA on this matter. However, it was pointed out that Trust nominations are by far the greatest influencing factor. The President hoped that the Society would have access to a panel of successful members by next year so that at the very least members can seek assistance in completion of their CEA application. Ed Moss pointed out that RCA recommendations usually came about from individual's involvement on regional committees.
Any other business.
It was reported that NICE were about to address the role of hypothermia in clinical practice and that members could pass comment via the NICE website.
The date of the next AGM was set as Thursday 19th April 2007, at the Radisson Hotel, Edinburgh. An interim EGM may be called to discuss the amended Constitution.
Dr Nigel Huggins Dr Martin Smith
Hon Sec NASGBI President NASGBI 10/05/06