Constitution of the British Paediatric Allergy, Immunity and Infection Group (BPAIIG) (Updated and amended July 2020)
Title of the Group
Rule 1:
The title of the Group shall be “The British Paediatric Allergy, Immunity & Infection Group (BPAIIG)”.
Purpose of the Group
Rule 2:
The objects of the BPAIIG shall be the advancement of research, clinical excellence and training in paediatric allergy, immunology and infectious diseases. In pursuit of the above objects but no further or otherwise the Group shall:
- - foster professional relationships with colleagues both nationally and internationally
- - organise meetings so that it shall remain a forum at which researchers can present their work
- - support trainees in the subject to achieve training competencies
Rule 3:
During the establishment and founding of the BPAIIG, its constitution and extraordinary initial arrangements shall be agreed by two-thirds of the membership of the British Paediatric Allergy, Immunity & Infection Group present at a Business meeting convened for the purpose.
Rule 4:
Alterations to this constitution shall receive the assent of two-thirds of the members present and voting at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting. A resolution for the alteration of the constitution must be received by the Secretary/Treasurer of the Group at least 21 days before the meeting at which the resolution is to be brought forward. At least 14 days' notice of such a meeting must be given by the Treasurer to the membership and must include notice of the alteration proposed.
Membership
Rule 5:
Membership: Shall be available upon payment of the appropriate fee, to consultants, registrars, research fellows, junior doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and basic scientists who are committed to an area of paediatric allergy, immunology and/or infectious diseases. Proposals for membership shall be submitted by a member to the membership secretary who shall recommend those suitable for election to the committee for approval. Members of the British Paediatric Allergy, Immunity & Infection Group shall be eligible for membership upon payment of the appropriate fee. Honorary membership may be conferred by the Group at the recommendation of Executive Committee upon distinguished colleagues who have made an outstanding contribution to paediatric allergy, immunology and infectious diseases, whether they be members of the Group or not.
Rule 6:
A member who has failed to pay the appropriate annual membership fee on two successive years despite reminders will be deemed to have allowed his/her membership to lapse.
Organisation
Rule 7:
Executive Committee: The business of the Group shall be conducted by an Executive Committee which shall consist of the Chairperson, the Secretary, the Treasurer, Education Lead, Trainee Representatives and 2 ordinary members to ensure representation of all three specialties.
The Executive Committee
Rule 8:
The Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary and senior members of the Executive Committee shall normally be required to retire by rotation after a period of three to five years. Election of new members of the executive committee shall we made by online/postal voting of the current membership of the Group. Elections shall be held at a minimum of every 3 years or as needed if significant numbers of the committee stand down. Non-elected individuals can be co-opted to roles other than Chairperson through unanimous voting of the existing committee until the time of the next formal election. Members may be invited by the group by election to extend their positions on the committee for a further two years maximum in order to hold the position of Chairperson, Secretary or Treasurer. After completing a term of office, a member may not stand again for committee membership until a period of three years has elapsed since the end of their previous period of office. The chairperson should be elected from the current members of the committee or have experience of being on the committee previously. The trainee representatives shall likewise be elected but shall be required to retire after a maximum of three years or at the Spring meeting following appointment to consultant status if this is sooner.
Affiliations
Rule 9:
The committee shall from time to time explore affiliation of the Group to other allied and related societies and groups (see 10(c) below) that may be of mutual benefit to the Group and those other societies and groups. When appropriate the committee will bring proposals for such affiliations to the membership at a business meeting of the Group. When such an affiliation exists, members of the affiliated society or group will be informed of the Groups meetings and invited to attend and participate. The Group and the society or group to which the Group is affiliated will both retain the right to dissolve the affiliation.
Relationship of the BPAIIG to the RCPCH:
See the contract document between the RCPCH and BPAIIG.
Relationship to the paediatric CSAC for Allergy, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases:
The Chairperson of the BPAIIG sits on the CSAC committee as an ex-officio member.
Relationship to RCPCH committee on Infection and Vaccination:
The Chairperson of the BPAIIG sits on the JCVI committee as an ex-officio member.
Relationship to Federation of Infection Societies (FIS):
The BPAIIG is a share holder in FIS
BPAIIG will align with other relevant groups, including but not exclusively: British Infection Association/ British Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI)/ UK Primary immunodeficiency network (UKPIN)/ British Association of Paediatric TB (BAPT). The relationship with these groups will be mutually beneficial, advertising relevant research and training meetings for the benefit of members of both groups.
Duties of the Officers of the Executive Committee
Rule 10:
The Chairperson shall:
(a) preside at business meetings of the Group and chair meetings of the Executive Committee;
(b) be authorised to speak on both academic, clinical and administrative issues. The Treasurer or Secretary may attend meetings as deputy;
(c) authorise an appropriate member of the Group, who need not be a member of the Executive Committee, to represent the views of the Group to other associations and societies and, in particular, shall aim to ensure that the Group is represented at deliberations of the various bodies at which the Chairperson is a co-opted member (see also 9 above).
(d) represent the Group at meetings of Chairpersons of the specialty groups of the RCPCH
Rule 11:
The Secretary shall:
- a) keep minutes of business meetings of the Executive Committee
- b) prepare the agenda and take minutes of the business meetings of the Group
- c) liaise with officers of the RCPCH, other affiliated societies and local organisers of group meetings and be responsible for all organisational aspects of these meetings. This will include organisation of adjudication of abstracts, invitation of outside speakers, preparation of the programme, sponsorship and venue as appropriate.
- d) be responsible for distributing information regularly to the membership and maintain current list of members and their addresses (with support of administrative staff)
- e) deputise for the Chairperson or Treasurer
Rule 12:
The Treasurer shall:
- a) submit annually to the Group a statement of accounts
- b) administer membership accounts, presentation prizes, travel awards, small grants and other such schemes as agreed by the Executive Committee from time to time
- c) deputise for the Chairperson or Secretary
Rule 13:
The Education lead shall:
- a) organise regular training days to cover the paediatric allergy immunology and infectious diseases (PAIID) curriculum as prepared by RCPCH. This includes coordination with the hosting centre and advertising to trainees (with support of the trainee representatives)
- b) will apply for funding to financially support the training days, through educational grants and industry sponsorship
Rule 14:
The trainee representatives shall:
- a) represent the views of members of the Group who are still in training
- b) support the Education lead in organisation of the training days
- c) support the Secretary in organisation of the RCPCH meeting and annual Winter Meeting of the Group
- d) disseminate information about the Group to members who are still in training, by whichever method is in use at that time (eg Twitter/email etc)
Meetings of the BPAIIG
Rule 15:
Two meetings shall be held annually:
The Spring meeting shall be held in association with the RCPCH. It shall consist of original scientific contributions. It may include such guest lectures, symposia or joint sessions with other paediatric speciality groups as the Executive Committee shall determine.
Papers submitted to the Group for the Spring meeting using abstract forms and submission procedures of the RCPCH shall be chosen by the Executive Committee. In general, papers shall be chosen on the understanding that they have not been published or presented at a national or international meeting before the Society's scientific meeting.
By providing clear guidelines of the acceptable standards for abstract preparations, slide preparation, the Group shall foster excellence in scientific presentation and discussion.
The Winter meeting shall be an autonomous meeting of the Group. The Annual General Meeting (Business meeting) is to be held during the day. The location shall be agreed well in advance and the content shall be determined by the local organisers, the Secretary and the Executive Committee.
Funding
Rule 15:
A membership fee shall be paid as determined by the Executive Committee. Registration and accommodation at meetings held in association with the RCPCH or with other related or affiliated Societies shall be administered in conjunction with those societies. Financial arrangements for autonomous meetings shall be made by the Secretary and Treasurer in association with the local organisers.
Rule 16:
The proceedings of meetings of the British Paediatric Allergy, Immunity & Infection Group shall be regarded as confidential as original unpublished research may be presented. Other information may be disseminated at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
Rule 17:
The Group may be dissolved by a Resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose of which 21 days notice shall have been given of any assets held by or in the name of the Group, provided that any property shall not be paid to or distribute among the members of the Group but shall be given or transferred to such other institution having objects similar to some or all of the objects of the Society may determine and in so far as effect cannot be given to the provision then to some other charitable purpose.
Website
Rule 18:
The website for the BPAIIG can be found at www.bpaiig.org. The site has information on: the constitution of the BPAIIG; training in paediatric Allergy, Immunology and Infection in the UK; relevant meetings; affiliated groups; information for trainees; new posts (research and clinical); a brief history of the BPAIIG etc. The website is managed by the members of the committee.