1. Name of the organisation
The name of The Association shall be The Hungarian Medical Association of the United Kingdom (in Hungarian: Brit Magyar Orvosszövetség). The Association is a charitable unincorporated association.
2. Aims:
The aims of The Association are:
1. To promote and maintain the professional interests of its members, and to facilitate networking among the Hungarian healthcare community (doctors, dentists, pharmacists, members of the professions allied to medicine, and researchers in the biomedical sciences) living in the UK.
2. To publish and circulate periodicals in the name of The Association with the object of promoting the advancement of healthcare provision and healthcare education.
3. To aid healthcare professionals and support them in optimizing their career opportunities.
4. To enhance collective communications through The Association with local and central, medical and non-medical, bodies to maintain and promote the interests of the Members of The Association.
5. To develop activities including medical services, teaching and research through organisation and co-operation between members and branches of the Association. To support the continuous professional development of the members.
6. To exchange professional information, expertise and technologies between the Association branches and other similar healthcare organisations within and outside the United Kingdom.
7. To support and work alongside the relevant student groups.
8. Provide support to its members to maximise their knowledge transfer and benefit to Hungarian healthcare system and policy development.
9. Support and facilitate visits of Hungarian health professionals in the Hungarian health care system.
10. The Association will organize networking events, study trips and regular communication by emails, an Association website, social media (eg Facebook) in the furtherance of its aims.
3. Members
1. Membership is open to all those who support the aims of The Association, are able to participate in its activities and meet other obligations including the payment of any membership fee.
2. Membership is subject to successful registration approved by the committee of The Association following submission of an online registration form and payment of an annual fee as will be determined from time to time by the Council. For the year 2022 the membership fee is £20 pa.
3. Members will benefit from regular updates about meetings (incl. annual general meeting), conferences, discussion groups etc.
4. Membership will be discontinued at the request of the member in question. Membership may also be discontinued by a resolution by the committee in the case of any member who is found to have broken the constitution of The Association, or brought The Association into disrepute.
4. Equal opportunities
The group will not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sexuality, disability, religious or political belief, marital status or age.
5. Committee and Officers
1. The affairs of The Association will be managed by a committee made up by members of The Association in good standing and elected by the Annual General meeting. Committee members will normally serve for a term of three years and thereafter might stand again for re-election.
2. The Officers shall be ex officio members of the committee and will include: President and Business Manager. The Officers shall be elected for a term of three years by the Committee. The Committee may also include co-opted non-executive members (to be called deputies) who may be members of The Association but can come from outside The Association and bring specific skills or knowledge is required.
6. Annual general meeting (AGM) and other meetings
1. The Association will hold an annual general meeting.
2. Members will be notified by email of the date, time and venue of the AGM within 28 days and the information will also appear on The Association website and Facebook pages.
3. The maximum time elapsed between AGMs will be 15 months.
4. Members may submit, by email to the Business Manager, items for discussion up to 10 working days prior to AGM. The agenda will be circulated by email to all members at least one week before the date specified.
5. The AGM will be chaired by The President or, in the event that The President is not present, another member of The Committee proposed and seconded by members attending on a simple show of hands.
6. The quorum for the AGM shall be two members of the Management committee and at least ten members in good standing.
7. The business of the AGM shall include 1) a report by the President of the activities of the Association in the past year, 2) the presentation of, and report on, the annual accounts by the Business Manager, 3) the election of Committee members.
8. Resolutions of the AGM may be put by members attending subject to a proposer and seconder, and will be passed by a simply majority on a show of hands of those present.
9. In the event that a member cannot attend the AGM a proxy may be sent providing the Business Manager is informed by email at least 48 h in advance of the meeting.
7. Committee Meetings:
The committee will meet at twice a year. Meetings will be chaired by the President and the quorum shall be two committee members.
8. Special General Meeting:
A Special General Meeting to discuss important matters that need to be put before the whole membership, such as an amendment to the constitution. They can be called by the committee or requested by members. For a Special General Meeting all members will be notified of the date, time and venue of the meeting, at least 10 days in advance. Quorum is at least two committee members and five other members.
9. Finances
A bank account will be maintained on behalf of The Association at a bank agreed by the committee. Signatories to the account will be the officers of the association. Each transaction will require two signatures (President and Business Manager). Records of income and expenditure will be maintained by the Business Manager and a financial statement given to each meeting. An annual statement of account will be presented to the Annual General Meeting. All money raised by the Association will be spent solely on the objects laid out in the constitution.
10. Changes to Constitution
The Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting can decide to make changes to the Constitution. 10 days of notice must be given to members of the proposed changes. If a vote is required, it needs a 2/3 majority.
11. Dissolution
In the event the Association decides to close down, agreed procedure will be followed. The President and Business Manager will propose the dissolution to the members at a Special General Meeting, after consultation with its members. Two third majority is required, and at least 3 weeks of notice needs to be given to the management committee. The arrangements for dissolution shall include consideration of the disposal of any monies or assets held by The Association at that time. The disposal of any such monies or assets will be by transfer to a registered UK charitable institution with objectives compatible with those of the Association.