Byelaws of the British Society of Clinical and Academic Hypnosis – amended April 2012
1. Membership
The criteria for admission to membership to the company shall be as follows:
a. Membership shall be open to registered medical and dental practitioners, and to psychologists who possess qualifications which would make them acceptable for Graduate Membership of the British Psychological Society and who are engaged in a form of experimental or clinical practice which is acceptable to the Council of the company.
b. Membership shall be open to suitably qualified persons who are registered members of a recognised, medical, therapeutic, scientific or academic profession and who have a legitimate reason for using hypnosis in their professional work (recognition is to the satisfaction of BSCAH). Membership is also open to other health care professionals that the Council decides has a legitimate reason for using hypnosis in their professional work; provided that such applicants can demonstrate that they hold health care qualifications at a level which allows professional practice.
c. Health Professionals who are trained within medical or dental teams to equip them to use hypnosis within their sphere of professional work, and whose training has been approved by the BSCAH Academic and Accreditation Committee, will be eligible for full membership of the Society and Accreditation (subject to the usual criteria) for work within the support structure of their teams.
d. Senior members of the Society, who are in good standing, but who have retired from their main clinical practice may, at the discretion of the Council, on a yearly basis, if appropriately insured for any therapeutic activity, remain as members of the Society when their GMC or GDC registration has not been continued.
e. Student membership (at a 50% reduction in annual subscription) shall be open to students on courses leading to qualifications which would render them eligible for Membership of the Company as set out in 1.a and 1b.above and to unwaged postgraduate students at the discretion of Council.
f. There will be Founder Fellows and Fellows who will be Full Members and who have made outstanding contributions to the aims of the Society. Those who are already Founder Fellows and Fellows of the incorporated Societies will remain as Founder Fellows and Fellows of the “BSCAH”.
g. Also there may be Honorary Life Members, proposed by the unanimous vote of the Council and elected at the A.G.M., who have made an outstanding contribution to hypnosis or the Society. They will be entitled to attend General meetings but will not be entitled to vote or to hold Office. Those who are already Honorary Members of the incorporated Societies will remain as Honorary Members of the BSCAH
h. When members become fully retired from clinical practice and regular clinical hypnosis, they are entitled to a 50% reduction in their annual subscriptions upon application to National Office.
i. All new members to sign a declaration that they will use hypnosis only within their areas of professional qualifications and commensurate with their level of training in hypnosis.
j. Applications for membership are to be made on the prescribed form and be accompanied by the requisite subscription.
k. The company may terminate membership in the event that any subscription or fees remain unpaid for any year.
l. The company shall have power to review systematically and periodically the suitability of every individual’s Membership of the Society.
2. Training
a) The referral list entry requirement will be either the Diploma from UCL, Sheffield, or Stafford or Accreditation by the Society.
b) Members are to be encouraged to undertake basic training in hypnosis by the “BSCAH” and work towards Accreditation.
c) Basic training in hypnosis by BSCAH towards Accreditation will comprise a minimum of 6 days (or 36 hours). This training will be organised by BSCAH and its Branches in whatever way they see fit, within the Core Curriculum and ethos of BSCAH.
d) The Core Curriculum will be compiled by the Academic and Accreditation Sub-Committee who will keep a watching brief on courses to ensure consistency of standards.
e) In special circumstances training provided by other organisations may be classed as equivalent. This shall be considered on a case by case basis by the Academic and Accreditation Sub-Committee and ratified by Council.
3. Council
a) All Principal Officers will be Full members of the Society and be conversant with the workings of Council. All such Officers are to be elected/re-elected at the Annual General Meeting.
b) The Principal Officers will work together and with Council and its subcommittees. They will each have prime responsibility in defined areas. The Hon Sec in organisation and delivery; the Chair in strategy and planning; the Treasurer in finance and budgeting and the President having an overview and lending his/her experience whenever appropriate. The Principal Officers shall also include the Academic and Accreditation Officer.
c) The précis of their meetings will be circulated to all Council members and circulated to all members through the Newsletter as well as being displayed on the members only section of the website.
d) Policy decisions are usually made at the full Council meetings. In the case of an emergency where the Executive does not feel able to take the decision alone and it cannot wait until the next Council Meeting an e-mail or postal vote may be taken and ratified at the next Council meeting. Such a vote must have the support of the majority of Council. (ie. If we have 15 on Council then 8 must agree), not merely a majority of those who respond. Constitutional changes remain as needing a 2/3 majority at AGM. Copies of all votes will be held at National Office.
e) As well as the Principal Officers, Council shall consist of:
i) a Communications Officer whose responsibilities include the promotion of BSCAH in the media and to health professional organisations.
ii) a Development Officer whose responsibility is to initiate ideas and oversee implementation of the development of BSCAH once such has been approved by Council and the AGM;
iii) an ESH/ISH representative whose responsibility is to liaise between ESH/ISH and BSCAH.
iv) a Student/Trainee Representative.
v) Branch representatives as required when any Branch is not represented on Council. The Branch shall be invited to send a Branch Representative to Council.
Council will appoint as necessary the posts of a second ESH/ISH representative, Webmaster, Newsletter Editor, Librarian, Ethical Officer and Conference Liaison Officer. These non-Council officers shall be invited to report and/or attend Council meetings as appropriate.
f) The Council has the right to co-opt a member onto Council.
g) Reports from Council, Principal Officers and any group or sub-committee should be available to any member who requests them.
4. Elections
a) All Principal Officers will be elected at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations will be called for from all Full Members, in the December issue of the Newsletter and these should be in the hands of the Returning Officer (Honorary Secretary) by six weeks before the AGM. The names of persons nominated and the ballot slips (if required) will be circulated to all members with the Agenda.
b) All nomination papers should show the post, the name of the Candidate with proof of fully paid up membership obtained from the Honorary Treasurer, along with his/her signature signifying acceptance of nomination. The paper will also show the name and signature of the Proposer and the Seconder.
c) A member may nominate or second only one candidate for any one post.
5. Voting
a) The Returning¬ Officer (Honorary Secretary) will be responsible for the conduct of any election.
b) Voting will be by ballot with a single non-transferable vote. Ballot-slips may be posted to the Returning Officer. All the postal Ballot-slips must be in the hands of the Returning Officer no later than forty eight hours prior to the A.G.M. Ballot papers may be presented at the A.G.M. and be counted with those ballot papers already received by the Returning Officer.
c) If only one candidate has been nominated for any post he/she will be deemed to have been elected to that post without voting, subject to the approval of the A.G.M.
d) Council or Full Members at the A.G.M. may nominate a member for any post only in the absence of a prior nomination and the A.G.M. may elect the officers so nominated without the requirement for a full postal vote.
e) Council may request the incumbent to continue in any position which remains unfilled after completion of the Election of Officers. Council may appoint a member to serve, should the incumbent be unable to accept the position offered, but for one year only.