CONSTITUTION OF THE BRITISH SOCIETY FOR THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE

[As amended 1988, 2001, 2006, 2016, 2017]

Name

The name of the Society shall be The British Society for the History of Medicine (hereafter referred to as “the Society”).

Objects

The principal object of the Society is to represent nationally the various societies and groups active in the history of medicine and allied subjects within the British Isles. This representation includes the International Society for the History of Medicine (hereafter referred to as “the ISHM”).

The Society is a national body concerned with the history of medicine. It shall promote, organise, or sponsor, when desirable, functions and meetings and  co-operate with other bodies with related interests. The Society shall seek representation on any international bodies or committees where its interests may be involved, and on national committees appointed to consider matters touching on study, teaching or research in the history of medicine.

Membership

Membership of the Society shall be on a corporate basis and on an individual basis. Corporate membership shall be open to any society, association, museum or like body whose aims include the study of or promotion of the history of medicine. Individual membership shall be open to any individual with a declared interest in the history of medicine and who is not a member of a constituent society.

Governance

The day to day affairs of the Society shall be managed by the   Management Committee which shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. The Management Committee will report annually to the Officers and Representatives Committee (hereafter referred to as “the ORC”). The ORC shall be constituted as follows. Each constituent society shall be invited to nominate one representative to serve on the ORC.  Each ORC member shall be entitled to one vote. In addition the Chair of the John Blair Trust and the National Delegate to the ISHM shall serve ex officio as voting members of the ORC. The immediate past-president shall serve ex officio as a voting member for a period of 2 years from the time he or she demits office.

The ORC shall have the power to co-opt non-voting additional members to serve for a period of not more than two years.

The ORC shall meet once per year, or at other times as necessary and as determined by the Management Committee. There shall be a quorum of five present and voting, which shall include at least two of the following three officers: President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Officers

The ORC shall elect the following Officers: A Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a National Delegate to the International Society for the History of Medicine. At the beginning of the last year of the Secretary’s term of office the ORC shall elect a Secretary elect. At the beginning of the last year of the National Delegate’s term of office the ORC shall elect a National Delegate elect.

Terms of Office

The Vice-President shall serve for a term of two years, after which time, and without further election, he or she shall assume the office of President, and shall then serve as such for a term of two years. After which, and without further election, he or she shall assume the office of Past President, serving for a term of two years. The Secretary, Treasurer and National Delegate to the ISHM shall serve for a term of four years. The secretary elect will, without further election, assume the office of Secretary. The National Delegate elect will, without further election, assume the office of National Delegate. Officers may not be immediately re-elected to the same office.

Funds

The funds of the Society shall be provided by a subscription levied on each constituent society and on those persons who have opted for individual membership of the Society. The subscription will be determined and reviewed from time to time by the Management Committee, subject to ratification by the ORC. In the event of the dissolution of the Society, the funds shall be transferred to such other society or body that the ORC shall determine best serves the interests of the history of medicine.

Amendments to the Constitution

This constitution may be amended by the ORC at any time, provided that three months’ notice in writing is given to each member of the ORC, and that, when put to the vote, the proposed revision is approved by two-thirds of the ORC present and voting.