SASPA is a professional association dedicated to the promotion and coordination of CPD activity for the SAS grade in the field of psychiatry. It was founded by Drs Ishtiaq Ahmad and Domingo Gonzalez at a national meeting held in July 2003 at the Crown Plaza Hotel Birmingham Airport.

It’s open to membership to all the SAS Psychiatrists working in the UK with a formal national network of democratically elected office bearers overseeing its deliberations across the country. All the functions of the association are governed by the SASPA constitution.

 Its aim is to be a coherent voice of all the middle grade psychiatrists which includes liaison with the Royal College of Psychiatrists for postgraduate studies as well as the BMA for matters relating to the terms and conditions of service. Additionally, it undertakes to resolve any issues arising locally within the trusts without resorting to a formal process in the first instance.

Membership of the association is by means of an online registration process via this website and a postal registration form managed by the SASPA Administrator.

Registered address for correspondence:

Calum Lodge, 242 Lodge Road, Winson Green (Hockley), Birmingham, B18 5SJ

Phone: 0121 685 6482 Fax: 0121 685 6480

National Office Bearers:

1-      Dr I Ahmad, Chair SASPA UK

2-      Dr Ramesh Thevar, Vice Chair SASPA UK

3-      Dr Joji George, General Secretary SASPA UK

4-      Dr J P Rajendran, Webmaster & Online Training Lead, SASPA UK

5-      Dr Fowad Chowdhury, Treasurer SASPA UK

6-      Miss Emma Black, Administrator, SASPA UK

CONSTITUTION

SPECIALTY & ASSOCIATE SPECIALIST PSYCHIATRISTS ASSOCIATION (SASPA)

Article I

Name

The name of this organisation shall be “SASPA”—‘Specialty & Associate Specialist Psychiatrists Association’

Article II

Purpose-Object of SASPA

-          to be a coherent voice of all middle grade doctors in psychiatry

-          to promote & highlight the importance of the work done by this group of doctors in mental health trusts

-          to liaise closely with the BMA with regards to terms & conditions of service & the Royal College of Psychiatrists for any training issues in addition to maintaining business and social links with middle grade doctors in other specialities.

Article III

Membership

Schedule 1- Membership shall be open to any psychiatrist employed in the middle grade i.e. Associate Specialist, Specialty Doctor, Staff Grade, SCMO, CMO, Trust Grade and Clinical Assistant.

Schedule 2- Membership shall be open to full and part-time doctors (minimum five sessions) who all shall have full voting privileges.

Schedule 3- locum doctors shall become associate members with full voting rights but they shall be deemed ineligible for candidacy.

Schedule 4- full members shall be expected to attend Annual General Meeting (AGM), to be rotated in different regions around the UK.

Schedule 5- an annual modest membership fee may be levied, the exact amount to be decided at the AGM.

Article IV

Organisation

Schedule1- There shall be an elected national Chair, Vice-Chair, General Secretary, Social Secretary, Treasurer and chosen Staff Advisor/s. These national office holders shall be elected from amongst the Regional Chairs of SASPA according to the proposed infrastructure (see flow chart) for the organisation. The Local and Regional SASPA shall consist of an elected Chair, Vice-Chair and General Secretary.

      Schedule 2- The primary duty of the Chair shall be responsibility for the overall success of the group. The duties of the Local SASPA peer group Chair shall be the same whereas the Regional Chair shall have additional responsibility of Regional CPD representation. He/She may also be required to:

a)      Call and preside over meetings

b)      Represent the organisation outside the group when & where necessary including liaison with the RCPsych.

c)   Fulfill any other role, which the group sees fit from time to time.

Schedule 3-The duty of the National Vice-Chair shall be to perform the duties of the chairman in the latter’s absence. Note: Additional duties may be assigned according to need. On occasions, the duties of the Treasurer may be re-assigned to the Vice-Chairman. Local and Regional Vice-Chairs shall also perform similarly but with emphasis on local and regional issues. Additionally, they shall have the portfolio of being Local Treasurers.

Schedule 4- The duties of the National General Secretary shall be to keep the records of the business of the group, to conduct its correspondence, arrange sponsorships, co-ordinate social events in collaboration with social secretary, conduct elections and take minutes of the meetings. In the absence of Chairman/Vice-Chairman the office-holder will act as chairman pro-tempore. The Local and Regional General Secretaries shall have similar duties.

Schedule 5- the duties of the Treasurer shall be to administer the financial affairs of the organization. All funds to be deposited in a bank account established under the name of SASPA in five working days, with Chairman, Vice Chair, Administrator and Treasurer being co-signatories. All disbursements shall be made by means of a cheque drawn upon this account. Treasurer will be responsible to provide yearly account update at the AGM. The finances of the Organisation will be subject to the control of the simple majority of its entire voting membership. Local Treasurers shall pass on any accumulated funds to the National Treasurer with documentary evidence.

Schedule 6- Social Secretary/Public Relations Secretary shall organise social events and will be responsible for the promotion of the association and its events in collaboration with the General Secretary. This would include making posters, flyers and brochures, maintaining an e-mail address/co-ordination of information received through this route and liaison with the news media wherever applicable.

Schedule 7- Web Master/Secretary shall be appointed to maintain and update a website approved by the Central SASPA Committee (CSC).

Schedule 8-The group shall choose one or more Staff Advisors who should be consulted on procedures and programmes and may become co-opted members of sub-committees, when and where ever necessary.

Article V

Elections

The term of office for the Chair shall be three calendar years, with each calendar year running from 1^st October to 30^th September. The election for the office of Vice-Chair shall be held every two years with existing Vice-Chair being promoted to Chair on the completion of the latter’s tenure. The Chair shall call elections in the second week of June in election year with deadline for the receipt of nominations as 1^st July. The elections will be held by means of a secret postal ballot.

The process shall be completed by 1^st August in election year in order to provide an                           induction period for the new office bearers. The General Secretary shall be responsible for the coordination of the whole process. These deadlines shall be replicated for the purposes of Local & Regional SASPA.

The term of office for other office bearers shall be two calendar years with elections called by the Chair in January. Nominations must be received by 31^st January and whole process must be completed by 1^st March.

Article VI

Bye-Laws

Schedule 1- The minimum numbers of members who have to be present at a meeting for the business to be conducted legally is 30%. Ratification of ordinary issues shall require a simple majority vote of those present while Ratification/Amendment of the constitution as well as the bye-laws shall require 2/3 vote of the entire membership with 8 weeks advance notice to all members of the proposed change.

Schedule 2- In the event of a resignation fresh election shall take place within one calendar month. The Chair and Vice-Chair in consultation with other Central SASPA Committee (CSC) members shall have the authority to appoint an interim office holder for smooth running of the association. The interim appointee may continue if there is no nominated candidate for the post.

Schedule 3- There shall be Annual General Meeting (AGM) in June open to all members of SASPA. This meeting shall run over a course of two days and chaired by the Chair. The first day shall be allocated to a scientific session with invited speakers of national and international stature. The business session shall be scheduled for the 2^nd day. The business session of the AGM shall open with an Annual Report from the Chair and Treasurer followed by discussion on any tabled motions. The deadline for any motions tabled for AGM shall be 15^th May. Social event shall be scheduled for the evening of the 1^st day of the AGM.

Schedule 4- There shall an annual audit of accounts. The decision about the appointment of auditors shall be taken by the CSC.

Article VII   

Disciplinary Procedure

Schedule 1- the disciplinary proceedings shall be instigated by means of a no confidence motion against any office bearer, Local, Regional or Central and shall be tabled to the Central SASPA Committee (CSC).

Schedule 2- the reasons for the motion will need to be elucidated clearly. Any full SASPA member shall have the right to table a motion.

Schedule 3- In the event of a no confidence motion against any office bearer, the issue shall be discussed as soon as possible at an extra-ordinary meeting. The office bearer in question shall be given an opportunity to put his/her case forward in his/her defence and if the matter is not resolvable on appeal then the member in question shall step down on a 2/3^rd majority decision of the Central SASPA Committee (CSC). Depending upon the seriousness of the charge, membership of the individual in question may be suspended or even terminated on a 2/3^rd-majority decision of the entire membership.

Schedule 4- Local SASPA peer groups shall have the independence to deal with matters locally in general but a motion of no confidence shall be tabled only to the CSC with this Committee having powers to remove the office bearer in question on a 2/3^rd majority decision of the CSC.

Article VIII

Non-Discrimination Clause

The association shall not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, colour, gender, age, religion, ethnicity, physical or mental disability and sexual orientation.