THE AAPE UK CONSTITUTION (Version 4: Endorsed at AGM 24th June 2022)
Article 1. TITLE: The Association of Advanced Practice Educators United Kingdom
1.1 The organisation shall be called the Association of Advanced Practice Educators United Kingdom hereinafter referred to as the AAPE UK.
Article 2. STATUS
2.1 The AAPE UK is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit association of members, defined as in Article 6 of this constitution.
Article 3. MISSION
3.1 The mission of the AAPE UK is to coordinate and represent a collaborative network of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), education-provider organisations, Academics and Professionals across the United Kingdom (UK) who have a common interest in the education, development, and advancement of advanced practitioners.
Article 4. PURPOSES
4.1 The purposes for which the AAPE UK is established will be determined from time to time and following consultation with the membership will be presented at the annual meeting for approval. The purposes will always comply with the Mission Statement outlined in Article 3 and will also be reflected in the activities outlined in Article 5.
Article 5. ACTIVITIES
The purposes of the AAPE UK will be pursued individually and/or in partnership with other disciplines and organisations through the following activities:
5.1 Exchanging information on or about research, education, and contemporary advanced clinical practice, and making it available to healthcare professionals, policy makers, health providers, and others in the health community in the UK and beyond.
5.2 Holding seminars, debates, conferences, and other events, and publishing their proceedings.
5.3 Organising expert study groups and publishing the results of their work.
5.4 Providing support, advice and mentorship to members, and acting as a resource to healthcare professional researchers and clinical practice innovators in the UK.
5.5 Developing links with other organisations to share information and, where appropriate, resources.
5.6 Responding to government consultations and, where appropriate, lobbying government agencies.
5.7 Promoting debate on emerging issues related to advanced practice and commenting as appropriate on related national needs and priorities in health and social care.
5.8 Support other activities as can from time to time be provided, subject to funding.
Article 6. MEMBERSHIP
6.1 AAPE UK Membership Categories
6.1.1 AAPE UK Full Member:
Membership is for a full member HEI institution or education-providing organisation. Full membership allows free access to the AAPE UK events, access to all consultation activity, and access to the members’ area of the website. Full members are eligible to stand for the AAPE UK Committee membership. Two representatives from the organisation are eligible to vote in the election to select Committee members.
6.1.2 AAPE UK Advisors:
Advisors are individuals with specialist expertise that will be of benefit to AAPE UK membership and/or activities. Advisors are appointed at the Committee’s discretion. They have free access to AAPE UK events, including the AGM, consultation activities, and access to the members’ area of the website. Advisors may attend the Committee by invitation either intermittently or on as a regular basis. However, Advisors are not eligible to vote or stand for Committee membership.
6.1.3 AAPE UK International Affiliate Membership.
Membership of a University preparing to /delivering full Advanced Practice postgraduate programmes of education developing healthcare professionals to work at an advanced level. This membership allows free access to the AAPE UK events, access to all consultation activity and access to the members’ area of the website. One representative from each University is eligible to vote in elections. One representative from this category is eligible to stand for the AAPE UK Committee membership.
6.1.4 AAPE UK Associate membership
Membership of an individual with a specific interest in the education of Advanced Practitioners or similar advanced clinical roles. This membership allows free access to AAPE UK events, access to all consultation activity and access to the members’ area resources. Two representatives from this category are eligible to vote in elections. Similarly, two representatives are eligible to stand for the AAPE UK Committee membership.
6.2 AAPE UK Membership Issues
6.2.1 Full Membership of the AAPE UK is organisation based (rather than based on individuals). Thus, there is no restriction on the number of individual AAPE UK members represented from each organisation (Article 6.1).
6.2.2 Full AAPE UK membership is open to any Higher Education Institute or education-providing organisation preparing/delivering full postgraduate programmes of education developing healthcare professionals to work as Advanced Practitioners or in a similar advanced clinical role.
6.2.3 Each Full Member organisation will have a designated contact person responsible for authorising the payment of the membership fee; replying to circulated emails and updating the other interested parties from the HEI.
6.2.4 Advisors with specific expertise to AAPE UK membership or activities will be considered by the Committee as the need arises and will be recorded separately from the AAPE UK Full membership list as ‘Advisor’.
6.2.5. The AAPE UK uses an email mailing list to circulate information to AAPE UK Members and others. This mailing list is inclusive of Full AAPE UK members, Full International Affiliate Members, Associate Members and Advisors.
6.2.7. AAPE UK events (excluding the AGM) are open to non-member attendees.
Article 7. ORGANISATION AND GOVERNANCE
7.1 The AAPE UK is an independent organisation composed of its members.
7.2 The governing body of the AAPE UK is the Committee. The AAPE UK Full Members may stand for election to the Committee and be able to vote in election of Committee Members. Only one representative from each International Affiliate University is eligible to vote in elections and stand for AAPE UK Committee membership. Two representatives from the Associate Members category are eligible to vote in elections and stand for the AAPE UK Committee membership.
7.3 The Committee shall consist of the Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, the Treasurer, and other elected members up to a maximum of sixteen Committee Members that should ideally, and when possible, represent the four Countries of the United Kingdom. Advisors attending Committee, either intermittently or on a regular basis, are considered as additional to the Committee Membership. Advisors may not vote on the AAPE UK Committee agenda items, administrative decisions or other related the AAPE UK motions.
The Structure of the AAPE UK Committee:
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 Committee Member (Full AAPE UK Member)
17 + Advisors
7.4 The Chair shall act as chairperson of the AAPE UK Committee. In his/her absence, the Chair shall be taken by someone nominated from those members present. The quorum for meetings of the Committee shall be 9.
7.5 Elections shall be held annually as part of the AGM.
7.6 The term of office of members of the Committee shall normally be three years, with the following exceptions to avoid destabilisation of the committee:
• Up to 6 members of the committee will be replaced or re-elected on a rotational basis to ensure that no more than a third of the committee change on one occasion.
• The Chair and Deputy Chair will not stand for re-election to the committee at the same time. The term of office for the Chair and Deputy Chair can be extended to enable this.
• Similarly, the Secretary and Treasurer and Membership Secretary will not stand for re-election to the committee at the same time. The term of office of the Secretary, Treasurer and Membership Secretary can be extended to enable this.
• Committee members who do not attend or engage in AAPEUK activities (without good cause) may be removed by the committee at the time of elections
7.7 AAPE UK Full Members, International Affiliate Members and Associated Members shall be entitled to stand for election and to vote in accordance with Article 6.1; voting in elections shall be conducted via email in the run up to the Annual General Meeting and the results shall be announced on that occasion.
7.8 The Annual General Meeting, which consists of all the AAPE UK Full, International Affiliate and Associated Members shall meet once in each year. The Committee shall present to the AGM each year:
• a report of the previous year’s activities
• a report of financial accounts
• an action plan for the forthcoming year
The AGM shall provide a forum for discussion of all issues relating to the AAPE UK, advise the Committee, and approve the accounts. Each Full member, International Affiliate Member and Associate Member shall be entitled to one vote regarding AGM business other than the election. Membership voting on the AAPE UK AGM agenda items may be, at the Committees discretion, by ONE of the following:
i) email returns from membership
ii) postal ballot of membership
iii) paper ballot of those present at the AGM
iv) a show of hands of those present at the AGM.
Voting is based on a 50% or more majority of the balloted membership return, or in the case of a change to the AAPE UK Constitution a 66% majority of the balloted membership return.
Notice of meetings of the AGM shall be circulated to all members not less than four weeks in advance of the date of the meeting. The Secretary shall receive items for inclusion in the Agenda of meetings in writing not less than six weeks before the meeting.
The AGM will be recorded and stored on the AAPEUK website for members to review.
7.9 In the event that the AAPE UK membership is dissatisfied with the Committee’s management of the Association, a general vote of no confidence can force an election of a new Committee membership at any time. A general vote of no confidence must be proposed by a Full Member, and must seconded by ten other Full Members, of which five must be from member organisations other than that of the proposer. The motion shall be carried if a two-thirds majority of the total AAPE UK membership favours a vote of no confidence. A full Committee election must then proceed within one month of the no confidence motion being carried.
7.10 In the event of the dissolution of the AAPE UK any residual funds will be donated to an appropriate charity of the committee’s choice.
Article 8: AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION
8.1 The AAPE UK will be responsive to social, educational, professional, legal, regulatory, political, or other changes that affect the Articles and related detail outlined in this constitution. Subsequent amendment to this constitution shall require a two thirds majority (66%) of those voting on such an agenda item proposed for an AGM.
Version 5: 11th July 2023
Version 4: 24th June 2022
Version 3: April 2019
Version 2: May 2016
Version 1: November 2007