CONSTITUTION

1. Name
The name of the association shall be the Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Nurse Association, hereinafter referred to as  DBSNA .

2. Mission Statement
“Improving the quality of life for individuals with DBS through clinical care, education, research and innovation”

3. Aims and Purposes
a. The purposes of DBSNA is to 
i. Facilitate high levels of service by sharing knowledge, best practice amongst nurses / allied health professionals and directly and indirectly delivering care to people with deep brain stimulation therapy,

ii. Foster high standards of care in DBS and to enable optimal patient experience.

iii. Improve competence and confidence of DBS nurses delivering care to patients with deep brain stimulation by providing learning opportunities, developing competencies and maintaining an avenue for support.
iv. To nurture holistic care for patients with DBS which is evidence based.

 

4. Functions
The functions of DBSNA shall be to—
a. Establish standards of care through the development of evidence based nurse clinical competencies and benchmarking practice.

b. To define the DBS Nurse role and develop standardised and accredited competencies which can be implanted nationally and internationally.

c. Raise profile of the role of Deep brain stimulation nurses in the UK and internationally.
d. Promote DBS nursing speciality profile as an essential and important part of the DBS service to ensure high standards of care is provided for DBS patients.
e. Initiate and influence local and national legislations, governmental programs, national health policy, specialist commissioning and international health policy concerning DBS service and patient care.
f. Support systematic study, evaluation, and research in nursing and protect our own data collection.
g. Promote and protect the welfare of nurses dealing with patients with deep brain stimulation through collaboration and support.
h. Provide leadership at a national nursing level and through appropriate channels into international nursing.
i. Provide for the professional development of deep brain stimulation nurses.
j. Develop a website that deep brain stimulation nurses where clinicians can have a platform for forum for sharing specialist knowledge, skills and best practice.
k. Promote and develop lifelong support for individuals with deep brain stimulation implantations from childhood through to adulthood through efficient communications between services including acute care to community care and patient on-going support.
l. Empower our roles as an active patient advocate.
m. Develop recommendations for future shape of specialist DBS services, delivery of care, standardized outcome measures and audit.
n. Protect and promote the advancement of human rights related to deep brain stimulation and nursing.
o. Provide a support network for DBS nurses and allied health professionals involved in the care of DBS implanted patients.
p. Develop opportunities for collaborative nursing research, standardized patient information, share best practice and disseminate research outcomes and information through teaching, conferences and publication.
q. Providing a platform for peer support, mentorship and clinical supervision.

5. Membership
a. Nurses who are involved in managing patients with deep brain stimulation systems. This is not restricted to qualified nurses and can be extended to allied health professionals involved in the delivery of neuro-modulation.
b. Members of the DBSNA will not be restricted by age, colour, gender, health status, religion or sexual orientation
c. The DBSNA has stated purposes and functions that are initiated by the DBSNA committee and agreed upon by the wider association
d. Stipulates that members of the DBSNA committee have agreed role and responsibilities. These members of the association should be registered nurses with experience and expertise in delivering deep brain stimulation care.
e. A list of all members will kept by the membership secretary.
f. There will be a membership fee

6. Responsibilities
a. Provide obligations to pay annual membership in accordance with the membership agreement set out by the DBSNA committee
b. Protect each members right to fully participate in learning and education provided by DBSNA.
c. Specify obligations of members.
Each Member Shall.
a. Have access to educational opportunities and support
b. Participate in the election of DBSNA committee members
c. Attend meetings and support the DBSNA expansion
d. Abide by the NMC Code or other allied health professional, obligatory codes of conduct.
6. Ceasing to be a member
a. There are no formal resignation criteria.

7. Equal Opportunities
a. The association will not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sexuality, disability, religious or political belief, marital status or age.

8. Officers and Committee
a. The DBSNA committee is a voted in representative team that represents the needs of the wider DBSN association without taking action counter to the interests of the DBSNA.
b. Each committee member shall pay annual affiliation fees
c. Maintain and support the mission and purpose of the association.

DBSNA| Committee Role and Responsibility

• Chair - Russell Mills

• Deputy Chair - Alison Leake

• Secretary – Beth Hammersley

• Treasurer 1 - Joseph Candelario

• Treasurer 2 - Sarah Perides

• Membership secretary – Maxine Kavanagh

• Committee Member - Beth Petric

• Committee Member - Claire Rudwick

• Committee Member - Salle Rowland

• Committee Member - Caroline Norris

• Committee Member - Silvia Santoloce

• Committee Member - Gina Lumsdon

• Website co-ordinator - John Esperida

The Officers’ roles are as follows:
a. Chairperson and Deputy Chair will lead and oversee both general and committee meetings and all aspects of the association
b. Secretary will be responsible for taking of minutes and distribution of all papers. 
c. Treasurers shall be responsible for maintaining the accounts and finances of the 
association. 
d. Membership secretary will be responsible for keeping records of members
e. Committee members are responsible for the regular administrative and duties including supporting the rest of the committee in setting up website and educational materials. The term of office is 3 years and each member will need to be elected and voted into the role by x2 people of the wider DBSNA. Should a vacancy arise the wider DBSNA will have the opportunity to provide a personal specification as to why they would like to join, this should be open to all DBSNA members. The chair will have final say in re-electing.

9. Finances
The treasurers on behalf of the Association will maintain an account with Santander, which is a Non-Profit organization bank account with individual access either by either treasurer. Within the Association, both the elected treasurers will sign off all financial transactions. Records of income (i.e. donations) and expenditure will be maintained by both treasurers and a financial statement given at each meeting based on the report from our accountant Mr J. MIlls.

10. Meetings
a. Annual General Meeting is held once a year during the DBSNA annual conference to be hosted by DBS centres around United Kingdom
b. All members will be notified in writing at least 3 to 6 months before the date of the meeting, giving the venue, date and time.
c. Committee meetings are held quarterly, one in conjunction with the annual meeting.

11. Rules of Procedure for Meeting
All questions that arise at any meeting will be discussed openly and the meeting will seek to find general agreement that everyone present can agree to.

12. Amendments to the Constitution
Amendments to the Constitution may only be made at committee or Annual general meeting and agreed by the president. Any proposal to amend the constitution must be given to the secretary in writing. The proposal will then be circulated with the notice of meeting.

13. Dissolution
If a meeting, by simple majority, decides that it is necessary to close down the Association, it may call a special Committee meeting to do so. The sole business of this meeting is to dissolve the group. If it is agreed to dissolve the group all remaining money and other assets, once outstanding debts has been paid will be allocated to a choses 
charity. The organization will be agreed at the meeting.

This constitution was agreed at the committee meeting on:
Date:
Name and Position in the group______________________Signature:_______________
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