MARDEN MEDICAL CENTRE PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP
The Constitution of the Marden Medical Centre Patient Participation Group
1. Name
The name of the Group shall be the Marden Medical Centre Patient Participation Group ("the Group")
2. Objectives
The Objectives of the Group shall be to facilitate the work of the Marden Medical Centre ("the Practice") in its provision of services to patients and to provide a central point of reference whereby the Practice may obtain the advice, views and help of patients of the Practice. The Group shall not undertake any activity without the consent of the Partners of the Marden Medical Centre1 ("the Partners").
The Group shall be a not‐for‐profit organisation which shall be non‐party in politics, non‐sectarian in religion and non‐discriminatory in age, gender and ethnicity.
1 Formally defined as "Together and collectively, the parties to the Partnership Deed of the Practice"
3. Membership
Membership of the Group shall be free of charge, and open to all current patients, doctors and staff of the Practice.
4. The Committee and Officers
a) The Committee shall consist of not more than twenty members including the Chairman, Vice‐Chairman and Secretary, and such other Officers as the Committee shall from time to time find it appropriate to appoint.
b) In addition, all Partners of the Practice shall be ex officio members of the Committee, with full voting rights.
c) The Officers and other members of the Committee shall be nominated and elected or re‐elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
d) The Committee shall meet in person at least four times annually, and is empowered by this Constitution to manage the affairs of the Group and to take such actions as may be appropriate to further the Objectives of the Group. The Committee may convene additional ad hoc meetings, which may be either electronic or in person, as and when it deems appropriate.
e) Each Committee member shall have one vote at Committee Meetings and the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a second or casting vote. Decisions shall be by a simple majority except with respect to a proposed alteration of this Constitution or Dissolution of the Group when the decision must be by two‐thirds of all elected Committee members.
f) The Committee may from time to time delegate such powers or actions to the Officers or to other Committee members as it deems fit, but shall have the power to revoke this delegation should the need arise.
g) The quorum for meetings of the Committee shall be 40% of all elected members, of whom at least two must be officers.
h) A member of the Committee who ceases to be a patient, Partner or employee of the Practice shall cease to be a member of the Committee with immediate effect.
i) Any member of the Group may be invited to any meeting of the Committee and, where deemed appropriate, co‐opted onto the Committee.
j) All co‐opted members shall automatically cease to be co‐opted members at the next Annual General Meeting but may be re‐appointed by the Committee immediately thereafter provided that the views of the membership have been sought on any such proposed re‐appointment and that these views have been given due weight.
5. Annual General Meeting
Once in each calendar year, and at intervals of not less than ten months or greater than fifteen months, an Annual General Meeting of the Group shall be held which every member shall be entitled to attend. The date of this meeting shall be advertised in the Practice not less than thirty days prior to the meeting and personally notified to as many members as possible. The meeting shall be for the purpose of receiving an Annual Report from the Committee, of reviewing the current and proposed activities of the Group, and of making recommendations to the Committee.
The Meeting shall normally be chaired by the Chairman of the Committee (or in his or her absence, the Vice‐Chairman) but the meeting shall have the right to choose an alternative Chairman by simple majority vote if it so chooses.
6. Special General Meeting
A Special General Meeting shall be held if not less than two thirds of the elected members of the Committee or not less than 20 members request it in writing, stating the reasons to the Chairman or Secretary. The date of the meeting shall be advertised in the Practice for at least thirty days in advance and personally notified to as many members as possible. The meeting must be held within ninety days of receipt of the written request.
The meeting shall be for the purpose of altering the Constitution in accordance with Clause 10 or of dissolving the Group in accordance with Clause 11 or for considering any matter of substance referred to the meeting by the Committee or by members of the Committee.
The Meeting shall normally be chaired by the Chairman of the Committee (or in his or her absence, the Vice‐Chairman) but the meeting shall have the right to choose an alternative Chairman by simple majority vote if it so chooses.
7. Voting at General Meetings
Except as provided in Clauses 10 and 11, all resolutions proposed at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote thereat. No member shall exercise more than one vote. In case of an equality of votes, the person chairing the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
8. Quorum at General Meetings
Twelve members, of whom at least six shall be Committee members, shall form a quorum at the Annual General Meeting and Special General Meetings.
9. Minutes
Minutes shall be kept of all General and Committee Meetings which shall provide a record of all proceedings and resolutions, and such minutes shall be presented to the next meeting of the Group or Committee as appropriate for ratification and signature.
10. Alterations to the Constitution
This Constitution shall be deemed to be experimental for its first year, and any part of it may be amended at the first Annual General Meeting of the Group by a simple majority vote. Thereafter, any proposal either by the Committee or by a group consisting of not less than two‐thirds of the Committee or by not fewer than 20 members (as provided in Clause 6 above) to alter this Constitution must be considered at a Special General meeting called and held in accordance with Clause 6 above. Any such proposal shall require the approval of a two‐thirds majority of all members present and voting at the Special General Meeting in order to be passed.
11. Dissolution
If the Committee decides at any time by a two‐thirds majority of all elected Committee members that on any grounds it is considered necessary to dissolve the Group, it shall call a Special General meeting. If such a decision is confirmed by a two‐thirds majority of those present and voting at the Special General meeting, the Committee shall take all necessary steps to dissolve the Group as soon as is practicable. Any assets remaining after satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall transferred to the Friends of Marden Medical Centre for use at their sole discretion in support of their charitable activities associated with the Practice.
12. Conduct of Meetings
Any matter not explicitly covered in this Constitution with respect to the conduct of meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Lord Citrine’s ABC of Chairmanship. In any situation in which this Constitution and the ABC of Chairmanship appear to differ, this Constitution shall take precedence.
This Constitution was adopted as the Constitution of the Marden Medical Centre Patient Reference Group at the first Annual General Meeting of the Group held on 17th January 2013 at 20:00 and was amended pursuant to a resolution of a Special General Meeting held on 23rd January 2020 changing the name to the Marden Medical Centre Patient Participation Group.
Signed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chairman Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Signed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Secretary Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The name of the Group shall be the Marden Medical Centre Patient Participation Group ("the Group")
2. Objectives
The Objectives of the Group shall be to facilitate the work of the Marden Medical Centre ("the Practice") in its provision of services to patients and to provide a central point of reference whereby the Practice may obtain the advice, views and help of patients of the Practice. The Group shall not undertake any activity without the consent of the Partners of the Marden Medical Centre1 ("the Partners").
The Group shall be a not‐for‐profit organisation which shall be non‐party in politics, non‐sectarian in religion and non‐discriminatory in age, gender and ethnicity.
1 Formally defined as "Together and collectively, the parties to the Partnership Deed of the Practice"
3. Membership
Membership of the Group shall be free of charge, and open to all current patients, doctors and staff of the Practice.
4. The Committee and Officers
a) The Committee shall consist of not more than twenty members including the Chairman, Vice‐Chairman and Secretary, and such other Officers as the Committee shall from time to time find it appropriate to appoint.
b) In addition, all Partners of the Practice shall be ex officio members of the Committee, with full voting rights.
c) The Officers and other members of the Committee shall be nominated and elected or re‐elected annually at the Annual General Meeting.
d) The Committee shall meet in person at least four times annually, and is empowered by this Constitution to manage the affairs of the Group and to take such actions as may be appropriate to further the Objectives of the Group. The Committee may convene additional ad hoc meetings, which may be either electronic or in person, as and when it deems appropriate.
e) Each Committee member shall have one vote at Committee Meetings and the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a second or casting vote. Decisions shall be by a simple majority except with respect to a proposed alteration of this Constitution or Dissolution of the Group when the decision must be by two‐thirds of all elected Committee members.
f) The Committee may from time to time delegate such powers or actions to the Officers or to other Committee members as it deems fit, but shall have the power to revoke this delegation should the need arise.
g) The quorum for meetings of the Committee shall be 40% of all elected members, of whom at least two must be officers.
h) A member of the Committee who ceases to be a patient, Partner or employee of the Practice shall cease to be a member of the Committee with immediate effect.
i) Any member of the Group may be invited to any meeting of the Committee and, where deemed appropriate, co‐opted onto the Committee.
j) All co‐opted members shall automatically cease to be co‐opted members at the next Annual General Meeting but may be re‐appointed by the Committee immediately thereafter provided that the views of the membership have been sought on any such proposed re‐appointment and that these views have been given due weight.
5. Annual General Meeting
Once in each calendar year, and at intervals of not less than ten months or greater than fifteen months, an Annual General Meeting of the Group shall be held which every member shall be entitled to attend. The date of this meeting shall be advertised in the Practice not less than thirty days prior to the meeting and personally notified to as many members as possible. The meeting shall be for the purpose of receiving an Annual Report from the Committee, of reviewing the current and proposed activities of the Group, and of making recommendations to the Committee.
The Meeting shall normally be chaired by the Chairman of the Committee (or in his or her absence, the Vice‐Chairman) but the meeting shall have the right to choose an alternative Chairman by simple majority vote if it so chooses.
6. Special General Meeting
A Special General Meeting shall be held if not less than two thirds of the elected members of the Committee or not less than 20 members request it in writing, stating the reasons to the Chairman or Secretary. The date of the meeting shall be advertised in the Practice for at least thirty days in advance and personally notified to as many members as possible. The meeting must be held within ninety days of receipt of the written request.
The meeting shall be for the purpose of altering the Constitution in accordance with Clause 10 or of dissolving the Group in accordance with Clause 11 or for considering any matter of substance referred to the meeting by the Committee or by members of the Committee.
The Meeting shall normally be chaired by the Chairman of the Committee (or in his or her absence, the Vice‐Chairman) but the meeting shall have the right to choose an alternative Chairman by simple majority vote if it so chooses.
7. Voting at General Meetings
Except as provided in Clauses 10 and 11, all resolutions proposed at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting shall be decided by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote thereat. No member shall exercise more than one vote. In case of an equality of votes, the person chairing the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
8. Quorum at General Meetings
Twelve members, of whom at least six shall be Committee members, shall form a quorum at the Annual General Meeting and Special General Meetings.
9. Minutes
Minutes shall be kept of all General and Committee Meetings which shall provide a record of all proceedings and resolutions, and such minutes shall be presented to the next meeting of the Group or Committee as appropriate for ratification and signature.
10. Alterations to the Constitution
This Constitution shall be deemed to be experimental for its first year, and any part of it may be amended at the first Annual General Meeting of the Group by a simple majority vote. Thereafter, any proposal either by the Committee or by a group consisting of not less than two‐thirds of the Committee or by not fewer than 20 members (as provided in Clause 6 above) to alter this Constitution must be considered at a Special General meeting called and held in accordance with Clause 6 above. Any such proposal shall require the approval of a two‐thirds majority of all members present and voting at the Special General Meeting in order to be passed.
11. Dissolution
If the Committee decides at any time by a two‐thirds majority of all elected Committee members that on any grounds it is considered necessary to dissolve the Group, it shall call a Special General meeting. If such a decision is confirmed by a two‐thirds majority of those present and voting at the Special General meeting, the Committee shall take all necessary steps to dissolve the Group as soon as is practicable. Any assets remaining after satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall transferred to the Friends of Marden Medical Centre for use at their sole discretion in support of their charitable activities associated with the Practice.
12. Conduct of Meetings
Any matter not explicitly covered in this Constitution with respect to the conduct of meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Lord Citrine’s ABC of Chairmanship. In any situation in which this Constitution and the ABC of Chairmanship appear to differ, this Constitution shall take precedence.
This Constitution was adopted as the Constitution of the Marden Medical Centre Patient Reference Group at the first Annual General Meeting of the Group held on 17th January 2013 at 20:00 and was amended pursuant to a resolution of a Special General Meeting held on 23rd January 2020 changing the name to the Marden Medical Centre Patient Participation Group.
Signed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chairman Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Signed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Secretary Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .