CONSTITUTION OF THE LINCOLN MEDICAL SOCIETY
AS ADOPTED 18TH MAY 2011 AT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, LINCOLN HOTEL, LINCOLN AND AMENDED  AT THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING ON 20TH APRIL 2023
 
1. This replaces all pre- existing constitutions, rules and regulations that may currently inform the running of the
organisation known as the Lincoln Medical Society (referred to as “the society”).
2. The society shall be an unincorporated society to provide an educational and social forum for doctors living or
working in Lincolnshire.
 
MEMBERSHIP

Anyone on the General Medical Council of United Kingdom (GMC) Register of   

    Medical Practitioners, who holds a substantive (non training) post and who lives or    

    works in or around Lincolnshire, may, subject to payment of the agreed annual 

    subscription, be a full member of the society. Additionally, anyone on the 

    academic staff of Lincoln University who is actively involved in the education of 

    medical students may, subject to the payment of the agreed annual subscription, 

    be a full member of the society

4. Members who retire and who continue to pay the annual subscription may remain full members of the society. Members who move away from in or around Lincolnshire and who continue to pay the annual subscription may remain full members of the society

5. Current long standing members known as “honorary members” who do not pay an annual subscription will continue
to be full members of the society but the award of status of “honorary members” will only be made in the future under
circumstances referred to in 7 and 8.
6. Current members who are not on the GMC register but who hold a consultant post in a dental specialty in the
Lincolnshire Hospitals may, subject to payment of the agreed annual subscription, remain as full members of the
society.
7.

Doctors on the GMC register whilst in a medical education training post in      

Lincolnshire may be “Associate” members and pay no annual fee. Students enrolled on the University of Nottingham's Medicine BMBS degree based in Lincoln and any future equivalent degree course provided by the University of Lincoln may also be associate members. Both classes of Associate members would cease to be members when they were no longer in postgraduate or undergraduate training in Lincolnshire. Should they remain living or working in Lincolnshire in substantive posts they could then become full members. Associate members will be included in email invitations to meetings if they are registered with the society but will have no voting rights.

8. Members who have served as Honorary Treasurer or Secretary for more than three years may remain full members
and will not be required to pay a subscription.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS
9. An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the society will take place, chaired by the President or their nominee.
10. The AGM will be quorate if 15 or more (or 10% of full membership whichever is least) full members attend.
11. At a committee meeting before the AGM the committee will agree to approach a full member of the society and invite them to be President of the society for the next season. The committee should, if possible, give consideration to, but not be constrained by, the tradition that the President is a society member of long standing. The proposed member may be the current or a past president

12. At the AGM the name of next President is announced.
13. The Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer will send or deliver a report for the AGM.
Treasurer’s report
14. The Honorary Treasurer’s report will include an income and expenditure statement for the past year (September to
August).
15. The Honorary Treasurer’s report will include the proposed subscription for members for the next calendar year. Any
increase has to be agreed by a majority vote (show of hands).
16. The Honorary Treasurer’s report will include the proposed honorarium that will paid to invited speakers for the next
season and agreement sought from the membership by a majority vote (show of hands)
17. The Honorary Treasurer’s report will include the proposed payment to an administrative secretary to support the
Honorary Secretary’s work. Any increase has to be agreed by a majority vote (show of hands).
Election of Officers
18. At the AGM nominations are made for post of Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer for the next season and
where only one candidate is proposed they are elected to that post. When there is more than one nomination for a
post a secret ballot is held, facilitated by the President, and the one receiving the majority of members votes will be
elected to the post. In the case of a draw the President or their nominee shall have the deciding vote.
19. A web master will be appointed/reappointed and approval will be by a majority show of hands.
Other business
20. This will include proposals for election of members to honorary membership status where the constitution permits
under 8 above. Approval will be a majority show of hands.
 
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
21. The “Committee” will be formed by the next season’s President, the Honorary Secretary and the Honorary Treasure
and between 5 and 10 members invited by the Honorary Secretary and President. The meeting will be quorate if five
or more members attend.
22. The purpose of the committee meeting will be as follows:
a) Decide the format of educational and social meetings for the next season.
b) Decide the venue for educational and social meetings for the next season
c) Committee members will be expected to suggest to the Honorary Secretary names of speakers to be
invited to address educational and social meetings during the coming season.
d) Decide on any subsidy on food or complimentary drinks for educational and social meetings for the next
season.
e) Decide on any special promotional offers.
23. The cost of food and drink at the committee meeting will be paid for by the society.
EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL MEETINGS
24. After the committee meeting the Honorary Secretary will organise a number of meetings at his or her discretion
through the season and will invite speakers offering them travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses and an
honorarium.
25. The season will normally but not exclusively be similar to an academic year between September and June and the
meetings will be chaired by the President or their nominee.
26. At each meeting of the society members, subject to any subsidy or offers agreed at the preceding committee meeting, will pay the full cost of food and drink for them and their guests.
27. Invitations for meetings will be sent by email to members and associate members  and will be for the dinner and talk. The format of each meeting will be at the discretion of the President and Honorary Secretary and, only if appropriate and  practical, members and associate members may be invited to attend as non-diners for the talk only.

Attendees must have accepted the invitation and where relevant paid for the               dinner in order to attend the meeting and, in any event, the society may limit  numbers of attendees and an invitation will not always guarantee a place. One meeting will include an AGM and one will be the “Presidential Meeting” with  an eponymous speaker.

28. The incoming President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer (the triumvirate) may also organise out of
season activities, social and or educational, agreed by the triumvirate and funded as they think appropriate by the
society.
 
EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
29. An Extraordinary Meeting (EGM) may be called by the Honorary Secretary, Treasurer or serving President or at the
request of five or more members.
30. The EGM will be quorate if 15 or more (or 10% of full membership whichever is least) full members attend.
ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY
31. The officers of the society will be supported by an administrative secretary who will be paid by the society and whose
role will be defined by a current job description written and or approved by the Honorary Secretary yearly.
HONORARY TREASURER
32. All payments on behalf of the society must be made by or prior approved by the Honorary Treasurer. Any payments
by the Honorary Treasurer to himself must be approved by either the Honorary Secretary or President.
WEB MASTER
33. The society will support a World Wide Web site www.lincolnmedicalsociety.org to advertise itself and inform
membership with minutes of meeting published with speakers’ permission. A member will be nominated as web
master.
 
CONSTITUTION – ADOPTION AND CHANGES
34. The constitution and any proposed changes have to be approved by a two thirds majority voting members present at
a quorate AGM or EGM of the society.
 
DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY
35. The society will be deemed to have been dissolved if no meetings take place for three consecutive years. Meetings
for this purpose are AGM, EGM, Committee meeting or “Educational and social” meetings.
36. The society may be dissolved by a majority two thirds vote in favour of a proposal to dissolve the society at a quorate
AGM or EGM of the society.
37. In the event of the dissolution of the society any surplus funds will be paid to the University of Lincoln Medical Society