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Constitution

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Article 1 - Title And Office

The National Association for Health Care Security formerly the National Association for Health Service Security Officers is herein after referred to as the Association.

The principle office of the Association and the address of the National Executive Committee shall be determined by that Committee.

The Association will be governed and administered by a National Executive Committee, which shall consist of Regional branches approved by the National Executive Committee.

 

Article 2 - Objects

The Association is a non-profit making professional organisation for Health Care Security Managers.

The word ‘Security’ as used hereinafter in this Constitution of Rules shall include and be synonymous with all other definitions, terms, designations and expressions used to describe security measures in the widest possible conception of that term.

  1. The aims, objects and purposes of the Association shall be:
    To promote and develop the science and professional practice of Health Care Security and all operations and expedients connected therewith.
  2. To discuss and agree with the membership, the Health Service and other interested parties the improvement of Security in Health Care.
  3. To provide and promote a means for maintaining a centralised and representative body in Health Care Security and to collect, collate co-ordinate and distribute by any means deemed advisable, information, ideas, knowledge, methods and techniques.
  4. To establish, foster and maintain ethical and professional standards of work and conduct for members of the Association.
  5. To assist in prescribing, upholding and improving the standards of training and professional skill of those Managers and Staff concerned in Health Care Security.

 

Article 3 - Membership

Membership Requirements

Eligibility: Individuals eligible for membership in the National Association for Health Care Security shall be those active in the field of healthcare security and categorised as follows.
 
Senior Member:Individuals employees on the healthcare facility, group healthcare facilities, or a proprietary service owned and operated by its member hospitals including armed forces healthcare facilities with full time administrative responsibility for security and who shall devote at least 50% of their attention to security matters during their working hours.
 
Associate Member:Shall be individuals employed by a healthcare facility or group of facilities, or a proprietary service owned and operated by its member hospitals including armed forces healthcare facilities who:
  1. Are responsible for security of the facility(s) but who occupy a status in the organisational hierarchy above that of the individual who qualifies as a Senior Manager: or
  2. Are full time Management personnel in the security service of the facility(s) but who occupy a status in the organisational hierarchy below that of the individual who qualifies as a Senior Member.
Affiliated Member

Shall be individuals who:

  1. Persons with a full time teaching appointment at a university and with the sponsorship of a senior member.
  2. Persons with a full time teaching appointment at a university and with the sponsorship of a senior member.
General MemberShall be individuals who:
  1. Engage in providing security supplies, equipment or services to health care facilities.
  2. Management personnel employed to provide security services on a contractual basis on behalf of a company other that a healthcare facility, group of healthcare facilities, or proprietary service owned by its member hospitals including armed forces healthcare facilities.
CV Each applicant shall submit with the application form an up to date C.V.
 

 

  

  

 

Article 4 - Membership Fees

  1. An annual membership subscription shall be payable in advance by all members of the Association. The subscription shall be set annually by the National Executive Committee to take effect from 1st April of the following year.
  2. Where a member joins the Association during any financial year the full annual membership subscription shall be payable.
  3. The income derived from membership subscription will be paid into the account of the National Committee.
  4. A percentage of membership subscriptions as decided by the National Executive Committee will be paid by each Regional Committee to the National Treasurer for credit to the account of the National Executive Committee. This shall not exceed 50% of the Regional income from membership subscriptions.

 

Article 5 - Election Of Members

  1. All applications for membership of the Association and all membership subscriptions must be sent to the Regional Secretary who will be responsible for maintaining a register of Regional members and forwarding the necessary particulars to the National Secretary for inclusion in the master roll of membership.
  2. The power of election to membership shall be invested in the Regional Committee and all membership cards must bear the signature of the Chairperson, Secretary or Treasurer of that Committee.
  3. Applicants for membership of the Association must complete the official ‘Application for Membership’ form agreeing to abide by the Constitution and Rules for the time being in force and the Regional Committee shall have the right to refuse or defer any application for membership without assigning any reason thereto. Refusals of membership must immediately be notified to the National General Secretary for consideration by the NEC.
  4. Members of the Association will be allocated to the Regional Branch according to their business address, unless the member makes a request for a specific attachment.

 

Article 6 - Suspension And Termination Of Membership

  1. The Regional Committee shall have power to temporarily suspend or permanently remove the name of any member from the Register of Members. The suspension or cancellation of membership must immediately be notified to the National General Secretary together with the grounds for such action. The Regional Committee shall not be required to divulge the reason for taking this step to the Regional members generally but any member who is suspended or whose name is permanently removed from the Register of Members shall have the right of appeal to the National Executive Committee whose decision is final.
  2. Any member of the Association may resign from the Association by giving written notice to the Secretary of the Regional Committee. There will be no refund of membership [subscriptions.
  3. If the membership fees or other dues owing by a member shall remain unpaid for a period of 3 calendar months from the date due the Secretary or Treasurer to the Regional Committee shall by post or other appropriate means request immediate payment thereof. From this time and until such fees or dues as are owing shall have been paid in full, the member shall cease to be entitled to the privileges or rights attaching to membership as set forth in these Constitution and Rules. After a period of 6 months from the due date the names of members whose fees and dues are still owing and from whom no satisfactory explanation for non payment has been received shall be removed from the Register of Members of the Association.
  4. In the event of the suspension or cancellation of membership for any cause, the membership card shall be delivered up to the Association before the Regional or National Executive Committee must be received by the Regional Secretary within 14 days of the termination notice.

 

Article 7 - General Meetings

  1. Each region shall hold an Annual General Meeting at such time and place as may be fixed by the Regional Chairman.
  2. The Annual General Meeting of this Association shall be commenced by the Executive Chairman, the Secretary and Honorary.
  3. Voting at meetings of the Association shall be by a show of hands unless the Chairman of the meeting shall decide otherwise, but in any event no person shall be entitled to vote unless present or a sealed postal vote is received not less than 7 days before the meeting and opened at the meeting. The Chairman shall have a casting vote. Notices of meetings shall specify the place, date and time of the meeting and the nature of the business to be transacted. Such notices shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given if posted at least 21 days before the date of the meeting, to the last known address of each member appearing in the Register of Members. This will also apply to election mailings
  4. No business shall be transacted at meetings other than as stated in the agenda, except at the discretion of the Chairman.
  5. The Chairman of the meeting may, with the consent of the meeting, adjourn the meeting from time to time and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place. No additional notice shall be sent of such an adjourned meeting unless it is adjourned for more that 28 days.

 

Article 8 - Regional Committees

  1. Each Regional Branch of the Association shall be governed by a Committee, The Officers of which may be:
    1. A Chairman
    2. A Vice Chairman
    3. An Honorary Secretary
    4. An Honorary Treasurer
    5. An Honorary Auditor
    6. Regional Information and Training Officer
      The Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meetings of each region. They shall hold office until the next Annual General Meeting of the Region when they shall retire, but shall be eligible for re-election. In the event of a casual vacancy occurring in any of the aforementioned offices it shall be filled by the Regional Committee and the person appointed shall hold office for the remainder of the term of office for which the previous occupant was elected, but shall be eligible for re-election. At the discretion of the Regional Committee the offices of Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer may be combined and his/their duties and responsibilities in respect of Regional matters shall be synonymous with those of the National Officers outlined at Article 9 (4) and (5) respectively. The offices shown with an asterisk are mandatory appointments. The Regional Secretary may be paid from Regional Funds such honorarium as the Regional Committee may decide. The Secretary shall carry out such duties as the Committee may assign in addition to the normal duties attaching to the office of Secretary (and Treasurer if combined).
  2. In addition to the above officers, each Region may elect at its Annual General Meeting not more than 6 ordinary members to serve on the Regional committee. In the event of any member of the Committee failing to attend 3 consecutive meetings of the Committee of which he has been duly notified the Committee may, unless his absence is caused by illness (or other circumstances which in the opinion of the Committee justify his absence) resolve that he cease to be a member of the Committee.
  3. The Chairman of each Region together with the 2 members of the Regional Committee shall serve to represent their region on the National Executive Committee. If for any reason the Chairperson or other delegate from a Regional Committee is unable to serve as a member of the National Executive Committee, the Regional Committee may appoint any member of its Committee to serve on the National Executive Committee as an alternative delegate
  4. Each regional Committee shall have power to co-opt members to serve on that Committee
  5. Elected and co-opted members of each Regional Committee shall retire at the Annual General Meeting following their election, but shall be eligible for re-election.
  6. Casual vacancies on each Regional Committee shall be filled by the Regional Committee concerned and the person so appointed shall hold office for the remainder of the term of office for which the previous occupant was elected but shall be eligible for re-election.
  7. Each Regional Committee may meet as necessary at the discretion of the Chairman. Such meetings may be held in any part of the respective Region.
  8. Nominations of officers and of members of each regional Committee shall be made in writing to the Honorary Secretary of the respective Regional Branch of the Association not less than 21 days before the Annual General Meeting. A list of those nominated shall be sent by the honorary Secretary to each member of the Branch not less than 14 days before the Annual General Meeting. In the event of no nominations or insufficient nominations being received the vacancy or vacancies shall be treated as casual vacancy or vacancies.
  9. A report on the activities of each Regional Committee during the previous year shall be prepared by the Regional Branch not less than 7 days before the Annual General Meeting of that Branch. The report shall include a statement of account by the Honorary Treasurer duly examined and certified by the Honorary Auditor.
  10. A Register of the members of each Regional Branch of the Association shall be maintained by the Honorary Secretary of that Branch.
  11. Minutes of Regional Meetings and copies of Balance Sheets shall be exchanged between Regional Secretaries and copies are to be forwarded to the National General Secretary.

 

Article 9 - National Executive Committee (herein referred to an the NEC)

  1. The principle national officer of the Association shall be: *A President *A Vice President A National Chairman A Vice Chairman An Honorary General Secretary An Honorary Treasurer *No voting powers at NEC meetings
  2. The President and Vice-President of the Association shall be appointed by the NEC and be ex-officio members of that Committee. It shall be their duty for as long as they hold their appointments to do everything possible to promote the welfare, growth, influence and professional prestige of the Association.
  3. The Chairman of the NEC shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Association. He shall be elected by a majority decision of the members of the NEC and he shall hold office for a period of one year after which he shall retire but may offer himself for re-election. The Chairman of the NEC shall be and ex-officio member of all Committees of the Association in all regions. The Chairperson shall be entitled to a casting vote in the event of the voting being equal and when he is occupying the chair. The Vice Chairman shall be elected by a majority decision of the members of the NEC. The Vice Chairman shall take chair at any NEC or other meeting in the absence of the Chairman. The Vice Chairman shall retire at the end of his year of office but shall be eligible for re-election.
  4. The Honorary General Secretary to the NEC may also carry out the duties of the Treasurer and shall be appointed by that Committee. He may be paid such honorarium as the Committee decide. He shall send out notices of all meetings of the Association, of the NEC and of any Committee appointed by the NEC and shall himself keep, or in case of a sub-committee appointing its own Honorary Secretary shall cause to be kept, minutes in which shall be properly recorded the business transacted at such meetings. It shall be the duty of the Honorary General Secretary to carry out all the duties imposed upon by these rules or entrusted to him from time to time by the Association of the NEC and to exercise supervision of the work of the Association.
  5. The Honorary treasurer shall keep proper books of account in which he shall regularly record all monies received and disbursed by him on behalf of the Association. He shall attend to the payment of such expenses and liabilities of the Association as shall have been approved by the NEC or by a Special Committee appointed by the NEC for the purpose.
  6. The NEC of the Association shall consist of Regional representatives as laid down in article 8, paragraph 3, of these Constitution and Rules.
  7. The NEC shall have power to appoint an Honorary Solicitor to the Association and to decide in their absolute discretion the precise terms of his appointment. The Association’s Honorary Solicitor shall be an ex-officio member of the NEC.