1) NAME
The Society shall be known as the Society of Holistic Practitioners.
2) OBJECTS OF THE SOCIETY
The objects of the Society are:
1) To provide an organisation for graduates of such professional courses in the disciplines of holistic medicine as may be determined by the Committee of the Society (hereinafter referred to as approved courses), and for such other practitioners of holistic medicine as the Committee may admit to membership.
2) To establish and uphold the Society’s code of ethics (see appendix A) and to maintain and uphold the standards of competence of its members.
3) To establish itself as a professional body acting in the professional interests of its members and representing those interests to the public and to other bodies.
4) To publish a register of full members together with disciplines in respect of which they were admitted to membership and to public and to publicise the professional medical services provided by such members.
5) To encourage professional and social relationships among its members and to organise meetings, social gatherings, seminars, courses and the like.
And the Society shall have the following powers exercisable in furtherance of its said objects but not otherwise, namely:
a) To receive, hold and apply subscriptions, donations, admission fees and other charges.
b) To purchase, take on lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire real or personal property and rights or privileges and to construct, maintain, and alter buildings or erections.
c) To sell, let or mortgage, dispose of or turn to account all or any of the property or assets of the Society.
d) To borrow or raise money for the objects of the Society on such terms and on such security as may be thought fit.
e) To invest the moneys of the Society not immediately required for its purposes in or upon such investments, securities or property as my be thought fit.
f) To establish, support, make donations in cash or assets to or lend money with or without security to any charitable or non-profit-making association or institution.
g) To affiliate or cooperate with any other organised body in the world having objects similar to those of the Society or any of them.
h) To apply, petition for or promote any Act of Parliament, Royal Charter or other measure in furtherance of the objects of the Society or any of them.
i) To produce, edit, print and publish journals, periodicals, pamphlets and other literature and to disseminate information on such matters as appertain to holistic medicine and the professional interests of holistic practitioners and to do the like with regards to cinema films, recording machines, electronic mail systems or other methods of storing and transmitting information.
j) To engage any person or persons whether as employee or as independent contractor or consultant to supervise, organise, carry on the work of and advise the Society; to pay reasonable and proper remuneration to such person or persons, and to reimburse any necessary expenses incurred in the execution of their duties; and to make any reasonable provision for the pensions and superannuation of employees or former employees and their dependants.
k) To pay out of the funds of the Society the costs, charges and expenses of the formation of the Society.
l) To do all such other lawful things as are conducive to the objects of the Society or any of them.
3) CLASSES OF MEMBERSHIP
a) Full Membership
Full membership shall be restricted to graduates of approved courses which confer a qualification to practise professionally and to other practitioners of holistic medicine who in the opinion of the Committee have achieved at lease an equivalent level of ability and experience. Full members may use the designatory letters MSHP after their name.
b) Associate Membership
Graduates of approved courses who are not practising professionally and who do not wish to be listed in the Register may be admitted to Associate Membership. Associate Membership is also available to graduates of approved courses which, although of professional standard and intended for practitioners, do not in themselves confer a qualification to practise professionally. Associate Membership does not confer the right to use any designatory letters.
c) Fellowship
Fellowship is a distinction awarded at the discretion of the Committee to full members who have achieved an outstanding level of ability in one or more of the disciplines of holistic medicine after following approved courses or otherwise. Fellows of the Society may use the designatory letters FSHP after their name.
4) SUBSCRIPTIONS
a) There shall be an annual subscription payable by each member. An additional annual charge shall be paid by full members in respect of each entry in the Register.
b) Subscriptions and register charges shall be proposed each year by the Committee and ratified by the Society in General Meeting. The Committee may propose different rates for the different classes of membership and for the different categories of Register entry.
c) Subscriptions become renewable annually on the anniversary of a date to be specified by the first Committee of the Society. Subscriptions for a fraction of a year may be accepted at the discretion of the Registrar.
d) If any member’s subscription is more than two months in arrears the Registrar shall have the power to terminate the membership and, in the case of a full member, to require the return of the Membership Certificate.
5) MEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATE
A Membership Certificate shall be issued to each full member. The certificate remains the property of the Society and must be returned on termination of membership.
6) GENERAL MEETINGS
a) The Society shall hold an Annual General Meeting in every calendar year at such time and place as may be determined by the Committee, provided that every Annual General Meeting except the first shall be held not more than fifteen months after the holding of the previous Annual General Meeting.
b) An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at any time by the Committee or by a minimum of fifteen full members of the Society who give notice in writing to the Registrar of the resolution that they wish to put before the meeting. Notice of the arrangement of an Extraordinary General Meeting as described in paragraph 6(d) below must be sent to all full members not more than 14 days after the receipt of the request for such a meeting.
c) Only full members of the Society and the Registrar are entitled to attend any General Meeting, and only full members of the Society are entitled to vote at such meeting or to take part in any ballot.
d) Notice in writing of the arrangement of a General Meeting specifying the date, time and venue, and in the case of special business the general nature of that business, shall be sent to all full members of the Society normally resident in the United Kingdom not less than 21 days before such meeting.
e) The attendance of three full members at a General Meeting shall constitute a quorum.
f) Except where otherwise specified in these Rules, any issue arising at any General Meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes cast. Subject to paragraph 7(f), each full member present shall have one vote on any issue to be decided. In the case of an equality of votes, the President shall have a second or casting vote.
7) THE COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIETY
a) The affairs of the Society shall be directed by a Committee of not more than six nor fewer than two members.
b) Only full members of the Society shall be eligible for membership of the Committee.
c) The first Committee and members of the Society shall consist of Mrs Jane MacEwan Rieck of 4 Craigpark, Dennistoun, Glasgow and Mrs Ann T. Docherty of 47 Atholl Drive, Giffnock, Glasgow. The first Committee members shall retire at or before the fourth Annual General meeting of the Society, but shall then be eligible for re-election, subject to paragraphs 7(d) and 7(e) below.
d) One member shall be elected to the Committee at each Annual General Meeting.
e) No candidate shall be eligible for election to the Committee unless four other full members of the Society have given notice in writing of their intention to propose such candidate for election, and also notice, signed by the candidate, of his willingness to be elected, such notice to be given to the Registrar not less than 14 days before the election takes place.
f) If the number of eligible candidates does not exceed the number of Committee members due for election, the said candidates shall be declared elected at the Annual General Meeting; otherwise a ballot shall be held at the Annual General Meeting, each full member of the Society present at the meeting having votes equal in number to the number of Committee members due to be elected. Such votes shall be allocated between the candidates in such a way that not candidate receives more than one vote from any member of the Society. The result of such a ballot shall be declared at the Annual General Meeting.
g) Elected members of the Committee shall hold office for a period of four years, ending at the fourth Annual General Meeting after the General Meeting at which they were elected. Retiring Committee members shall be eligible for re-election, subject to paragraphs 7(d) and 7(e) above.
h) Vacancies caused by the premature retirement of Committee members shall not be filled unless the total number of Committee members fall thereby below the minimum number prescribed in paragraph 7(a) above, in which case as many Committee members as are sufficient to make up the minimum number, but no more, shall be elected in accordance with paragraphs 7(e) and 7(f) above at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose, paragraph 7(f) being understood as if the words “Extraordinary General Meeting” were substituted for the words “Annual General Meeting”.
i) The Committee shall elect from amongst themselves a President who shall hold office until the first meeting of the Committee after the next Annual General Meeting. A retiring President shall be eligible for re-election.
j) The Committee shall appoint a Registrar and such other persons as are necessary for the efficient running of the Society’s business, either as employees or as independent contractors or consultants, and any person so appointed shall be entitled to an appropriate remuneration. There is no general requirement that the Registrar or other persons so appointed should be members of the Society, but the Committee may specify that particular posts shall be held by members of the Society or by persons holding such other qualifications as the Committee may think fit.
k) The Committee shall meet together for the despatch of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate their meetings as they think fit, and determine the quorum necessary for the transaction of business. Unless they otherwise determine, two shall be a quorum. Questions arising at any Committee meeting shall be decided by a majority of votes. In the case of an equality of votes, the President shall have a second or casting vote.
l) The Society may pay on request all reasonable expenses incurred by Committee members in the execution of their duties and a reasonable remuneration for the same, such expenses and remuneration being paid at the discretion of the Committee.
8) ETHICS SUBCOMMITTEE
a) The Ethics Subcommittee shall be appointed by the Committee from time to time as necessary and shall consist of three persons, who will normally all be members of the Society. If the Committee so determines in any particular case, one member (but not more) of the Ethics Subcommittee may be a non-member of the Society.
b) The Ethics Subcommittee shall hear complaints against members of the Society and adjudicate disputes between them as laid down in the Code of Ethics (Appendix A).
c) The Committee shall normally carry out any recommendation of the Ethics Subcommittee. Should the Committee decline to do so it shall explain its reasons to the members of the Ethics Subcommittee and to the parties to the complaint or dispute.
d) Appeal against the decision of the Ethics Subcommittee or of the Committee may be made to the Society in General Meeting as described in Appendix A.
9) REGISTRAR
a) The Registrar shall cause adequate records to be kept of all proceedings of General and Committee Meetings, also of Membership Certificates, subscriptions and other matters pertaining to membership of the Society, and he shall be responsible for the supervision of employed staff and for conducting the business of the Society generally, subject to the direction of the Committee.
b) The Registrar shall have the right to attend and speak at Committee and General Meetings but not to vote at Committee Meetings unless he is also a member of the Committee nor to vote at General Meetings or take part in any ballot unless he is a member of the Society.
10) TRUSTEES
a) Trustees, who shall be two in number, shall be appointed from time to time as necessary by the members of the Society in general meeting. Candidates for trusteeship shall be proposed and seconded in the like manner as laid down in rule 7(e) hereof for Committee elections. A trustee shall hold office during his life, or until his resignation in writing to the Registrar, or until a resolution removing him from office shall have been passed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at a general meeting called for the purpose under rule 6(b) hereof.
b) All the property of the Society of whatsoever nature shall be vested in the trustees for the time being, to be held in trust in their names for the use and benefit of the Society as a whole. On the death, resignation or removal from office of a trustee, the Registrar shall take steps to secure the appointment by the Society of a new trustee in his place, and shall as soon as possible thereafter take all lawful and practicable steps to procure the vesting of all Society property into the names of the trustees as constituted after the said appointment.
c) The trustees shall at all times and in all respects act in regard to the property of the Society held by them in accordance with the direction of the Registrar, and shall have the power to sell, pledge, lease, mortgage or otherwise alienate any Society property in compliance with the directions of the Registrar. But no purchaser, lessee or mortgagee or other successor in title shall be concerned to enquire whether any such direction has been given.
d) The trustees shall, on the direction of the Registrar, represent the Society in any litigation.
e) The trustees shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the property of the Society in respect of any action taken by them on the direction of the Registrar.
11) APPLICATION OF FUNDS
The income and property of the Society shall be applied solely towards the promotion of its objects as set forth herein and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit, to members of the Society. Provided that nothing herein shall prevent any payment in good faith by the Society.
a) Of reasonable and proper remuneration to any member, officer or servant of the Society for any services rendered to the Society and of expenses necessarily incurred in carrying out the duties of any member, officer or servant of the Society.
b) Of interest on money lent by a member of the Society or of its Committee at a reasonable commercial rate of interest and proper rent for premises demised or let by any member of the Society or its Committee.
c) To a company of which a member of the Society or its Committee may be a member holding not more than one hundredth part of the capital of such company.
12) ACCOUNTS
a) The Committee shall ensure that proper books relating to the accounts of the Society are kept. Such books shall be open for inspection by any full member on reasonable request.
b) Once at least in every year the accounts of the Society shall be examined and the correctness of the income and expenditure account and balance shall be ascertained by the Committee of the Society or by a Subcommittee appointed by the Committee for that purpose, and the accounts so examined shall then be presented to the next subsequent Annual General Meeting.
13) DISPOSAL OF ASSETS
The Society may by a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting at a General Meeting sell or transfer all or any of its assets or liabilities for such consideration (if any) and on such terms as the members present shall think fit.
14) DISSOLUTION
a) A proposal to wind up the Society may be made as a special resolution at an Extraordinary General Meeting called for that purpose. To be effective such a resolution must be carried by a vote of not less than two-thirds of all the full members present.
b) If upon the winding up of the Society there remains, after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall be given or transferred to some non-profit-making or charitable institution having objects related to the promotion of holistic medicine, such institution to be determined by the members of the Society at or before the time of dissolution, and in so far as effect cannot be given to such provision, then to some charitable object.
15) AMENDMENTS
The Rules and Objects of the Society and the Code of Ethics may be amended, varied or repealed by a special resolution at a General Meeting of the Society carried by not less than two-thirds of the votes cast.
16) INTERPRETATION
In these Rules the following words and expressions shall have the meanings which follow them, unless such meanings are inconsistent with the subject or context:
a) Words importing the singular shall include the plural and vice versa.
b) Words importing the masculine gender shall include the feminine.
In any case of doubt as to the meaning of a rule or its applicability to a particular matter, the Committee shall have the power to decide the issue.
September 1989