Objectives

  1. To provide effective representation for the interests of medical reporting organisations at all levels of the legislative and regulatory process
  2. To establish and provide information and advice to Members as to Best Practice
  3. To provide good public relations and communications on behalf of Members to government, public and others
  4. To establish codes of practice to enable Members to demonstrate good practice with their consumers and to set industry wide standards
  5. To establish a cost effective and impartial dispute resolution service for disputes between AMRO Members and the public and between AMRO Members
  6. To assist in the negotiation of industry wide terms and conditions with Solicitor, Compensator and Regulatory bodies as appropriate
  7. To do all such other things as may be in the interests of AMRO Members as a whole from time to time

Membership Criteria and Structure

  1. The Membership criteria and structure below are intended to achieve the following
  2. Membership criteria that is genuinely open to all MROs
    1. Provide a structure in which the interests of High Value National MROs (Tier 1) MedCo Registered MRO’s will continue to hold a workable majority within AMRO approximately in line with their share of medical reporting services work within England & Wales
    2. Membership at a Full level will be restricted to a maximum of 16 organisations – 11 Tier 1 MROs and 5 organisations from non-Tier 1 MROs
  3. The Membership of AMRO shall comprise of two categories of Members. Full Members and Standard Members
    1. Full Members must meet the following criteria
      1. Tier 1 MedCo Registered MRO or;
      2. Non Tier 1 MedCo Registered MROs (up to 5 in number) who are registered and accredited with MedCo to provide or undertake medico-legal work and provide, upon request, such information as is deemed necessary at that time by the Executive Officers (see below) and have had their application accepted
      3. Pay a Membership fee of £5,000 per annum, or the value as agreed by the Members from time to time
    2. Standard Members must meet the following criteria
      1. Non Tier 1 MedCo Registered MROs who are registered and accredited with MedCo to provide or undertake medico-legal work and provide, upon request, such information as is deemed necessary at that time by the Executive Officers and have had their application accepted
      2. Pay a Membership fee of £1,000 per annum, or the value as agreed by the Members from time to time
  4. All applications for Membership will be considered by the Membership Committee within 14 days of receipt by the General Secretary
    1. Subject to the applicant organisation meeting the criteria referred to above in point 2), applications will also be considered on any risk that they may bring to the reputation of AMRO as a trade body. Such risks would include but are not restricted to:
      1. recent CCJ activity against the company that cannot be reasonably explained
      2. evidence of not paying experts or major creditors to terms, on a persistent basis, that cannot be reasonably explained
      3. conducting activities in the medico-legal environment, that are outside of the ethical standards expected by AMRO, that cannot be reasonably explained
    2. A recommendation by the Executive Officers for acceptance will be placed before the Members at the next available meeting, Quarterly or AGM for ratification
    3. Both Full and Standard Members may have their Membership rejected. Such rejections must first be recommended by the Executive Officers and then ratified at the next full meeting of the organisation
    4. The Members shall be entitled in their absolute discretion to accept or reject any such application and shall not be obliged to provide any reason for their decision
    5. The decision of the Members will be communicated to the applicant within 14 days of the meeting or as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter
  5. Benefits of Membership
    1. Full Members
      1. Only Full Members can be considered for Executive Officer positions or that of AMRO MedCo Representative
      2. Full Members have full voting rights at all AMRO Meetings and Annual General Meetings
      3. Full Members can attend all quarterly and or annual meetings
      4. The nominated representative of any Full Member company, can be requested to undertake tasks and duties on behalf of all AMRO members and Officers
      5. Full Members are permitted to use the AMRO Logo and approved materials and will be listed on AMRO Website as Full Members
    2. Standard Members
      1. Standard Members receive copies of all approved minutes following quarterly and annual meetings
      2. Standard Members will receive periodical updates from the AMRO MedCo Director following MedCo meetings
      3. Standard Members can use the AMRO Logo and approved materials and will be listed on AMRO Website as Standard Members
      4. Standard Members can attend meetings subject to an additional charge (to cover overheads) and room availability
  6. Applicants for Full or Standard Membership will be required to complete a declaration confirming that they will abide by the Constitution of AMRO from time to time in force and will also comply with any Code of Practice of AMRO from time to time in force.

Meetings and Appointment of Officers

  1. Meetings of the Full Members will be held from time to time throughout the year in locations communicated to all members no later than 28 days prior to each meeting
  2. Each Full Member shall be entitled to appoint one delegate to attend at each such meeting to act and vote on its behalf
  3. The business of the meetings of Full Members shall be determined by the Chair and in the event that a vote is required on any matter each Full Member shall be entitled to one vote to be exercised by its delegate
  4. All votes shall be determined by a simple majority
    1. In the event of a tie the Chair shall have the casting vote
  5. Any Full Member which is unable to provide a delegate to attend at a meeting may nevertheless exercise a proxy vote on any subject which will form part of the business at a meeting provided that proxy vote is given in writing to the Chair or General Secretary not less than 3 working days before the intended date of the meeting
  6. Any meeting of the Full Members shall be considered quorate if not less than 50% of the Members are present to conduct any business
  7. AMRO shall hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) annually at which all Full Members and Standard Members can attend however only Full Members shall be entitled to a vote on any resolution proposed
    1. In the event of a tie the Chair shall have the casting vote
  8. The Annual General Meeting shall take place in locations communicated to all members no later than 28 days prior to each Annual General Meeting
  9. The Chair and Members shall determine the business to be conducted at the AGM and may from time to time issue rules regarding how and when notice of any proposed resolution are to be given

Executive Officers

  1. The Full Members shall appoint a Chair and Vice-Chair (Executive Officers)
    1. The Members may from time to time determine that there should either be more or less Executive Officers and determine their roles
  2. The Chair and their duties will include as a minimum
    1. Chair the meetings and manage the debates to ensure all members receive opportunity to speak, should they wish and that a time efficient flow of the meeting allows for all agenda topics to be covered
    2. Approve Meeting Minutes and Agendas before circulation to Members
    3. Enhance the standing of AMRO with the outside world
    4. Communicate with stakeholders the strategic focus and objectives of AMRO either directly or via the General Secretary
    5. Receive information and recommendations from stakeholders and ensure that they are properly represented to the Members
    6. Ensure that any industry wide agreements for Medical Reporting Organisations are reviewed regularly
    7. Ensure the General Secretary plan for the AGM to be held annually
    8. To carry out all such other functions as the Chair may reasonably consider necessary to promote the objectives of AMRO
    9. The Chair shall have overall responsibility of the finances of AMRO however they can/will delegate any/all of the following tasks to the General Secretary, which include
      1. Preparing budgets
      2. Overseeing all financial transactions
      3. Pay approved bills
      4. Raise Invoices for and collect Membership fees
      5. Keep accurate records of all income and expenditure of AMRO
      6. Prepare and distribute regular financial statements
      7. Organise the preparation of AMRO’s annual accounts
      8. Present the annual account to the AGM
  3. The Vice-Chair and their duties will include as a minimum
    1. Assisting the Chair in the performance of their duties at any time
    2. Deputise for the Chair at any time when they are unavailable
  4. The Executive Officers shall be appointed for a 2 year term of office and shall remain in office until the AGM on the second anniversary of their appointment unless otherwise specifically agreed and recorded by the Full Members
    1. At that AGM all Full Members shall be entitled to vote on the appointment of the Executive Officers and the existing Executive Officers shall be entitled to offer themselves for re-election but shall not be obliged to do so
  5. Any person wishing to offer themselves to be appointed as an Executive Officer at an AGM shall give notice in writing of such intention to the General Secretary not less than 28 days before the AGM
    1. Any person offering themselves must satisfy the General Secretary that they are the representative of the member company and that member company supports their application
  6. In the event that there is more than one person offering themselves for a position as an Executive Officer a vote shall be held at the AGM to determine the appointment
    1. Each Full Member shall be entitled to one vote
    2. In the event of a tie the incumbent Chair shall have a casting vote save if that vote shall be in relation to the re-appointment of that person as Chair in which case the casting vote shall be with the Vice-Chair

Establishment of Focus Groups/Committees

  1. Full Members may appoint from the Executive Officers and other Full Members, focus groups or committees, whose purpose is to help deal with specific tasks or challenges facing AMRO and spread the workload of the Executive Officers and to report back periodically to AMRO Members on their activities

Non-Executive Posts

  1. The Full Members shall appoint an independent General Secretary, who will not be a representative of a either a Full or Standard Member organisation
  2. The post of General Secretary will be a paid position, funded by the members from their annual membership fee
  3. The General Secretary will be responsible for the following:
    1. Maintenance of a list of all members and their membership status
    2. Internal circulation to all members of necessary communication to include but not limited to:
      1. Scheduling and communication of upcoming meetings
      2. Arranging meeting venues and associated requirements
      3. Circulating draft and final, approved agenda prior to meetings
      4. Circulating post meetings, draft and approved minutes and action points
      5. Drafting, circulating and sending correspondence to any and all external organisations as requested by the Chair and Members in the course of conducting business in the best interests of all AMRO Members
    3. Any and all activities as required by the Chair relating to the finances of AMRO as per items 4) 2) 9) 1 to 8 inclusive
    4. Maintaining the content of the AMRO Website and making amendments as and when directed
    5. Any other ad hoc duties commensurate with the role and remuneration

The AMRO MedCo Board Representative

  1. AMRO is entitled to a seat on the MedCo board along with a number of other claimant, defendant and medical representative bodies

Subscriptions, Income and Expenditure

  1. Every Member (Full and Standard) shall pay to AMRO an annual subscription at such times and according to such scales as from time to time shall be determined by the Full Members
  2. The Full Members may also require a special levy on all Members from time to time as may be in the reasonable opinion of the Full Members required for such activities as would be communicated at the time of requesting the levy
  3. In the event that a Member shall fail to pay its subscription or any special levy within 21 days of the same becoming due, an Executive Officer, may give notice in writing to the Member requiring payment within 14 days
    1. If the payment is not received within that period the Member shall forfeit its Membership and be removed from the role of Members forthwith
  4. Any Member removed from the role of Members in accordance with clause 8) 3) may apply for re-admission but shall only be entitled to re-admission to Membership upon payment of all arrears and also re-admissions shall be in the absolute discretion of the Full Members
  5. The Full Members may, in their absolute discretion, appoint:
    1. Auditors, accountants, solicitors and other professional advisors as they shall deem necessary or desirable on such terms as they may, in their absolute discretion, approve
    2. Such other person or persons as the Full Members may, in their absolution discretion, think appropriate to assist the Executive Officers in the performance of their duties upon such terms and conditions as the Full Members may in their absolute discretion think fit
  6. The Chair (or as delegated, the General Secretary) shall keep an account of all monies paid and received
    1. A bank account shall be held in the name of AMRO and withdrawals shall only be made via the bank approved authority given to the Executive Officer(s) and General Secretary in accordance with the mandate from time to time agreed by the Executive Officers

Conduct and Expulsion of Members

  1. The Executive Officers may from time to time issue guidelines prescribing how an AMRO Member shall conduct itself and its business in order to comply with the objectives and standards required by AMRO
  2. The AMRO Complaints Procedure has been established to enable any person dealing with an AMRO Member to complain to AMRO in the event that that person is dissatisfied with the service or conduct of the AMRO Member following a complaint made to that Member, where the person making the complaint has completed the Members own company complaints procedure
    1. The Complaints Procedure will permit AMRO to make a non-binding recommendation to the AMRO Member as to the resolution of any such complaint however Members are not obligated to follow such recommendations
  3. The Executive Officers may, at any time, request the Full Members to vote upon, and if carried by a simple majority vote, resolve to terminate the Membership of any Member in their absolute discretion, if the continued Membership of that Member shall be detrimental or prejudicial to the interests of AMRO or where any AMRO Member fails to comply with any code of conduct published from time to time by AMRO or fails to comply with a recommendation made by AMRO for the resolution of a complaint under any Complaints Procedure from time to time
    1. Prior to any such vote being taken the Member concerned shall be given not less than 14 days notice in writing of the intention of the Executive Officers to consider such a resolution and if the Member wishes to make representations before the Full Members vote on such resolution the Executive Officers shall decide in their absolute discretion whether to permit those representations to be made orally or in writing in their absence

Use of Logo and Name

  1. All Members of AMRO shall be entitled to use on their stationary any logo adopted by AMRO from time to time and appropriate for their membership status and may indicate on their stationary that they are Members of AMRO
    1. Any other use or confirmation of AMRO Membership shall require the prior written consent of the Executive Officers

Costs

  1. Any costs of and incidental to preparation and execution of this Constitution and any other documents necessary to carry it into effect shall be paid out of the subscription monies and joining fees

No Liability and Indemnity

  1. By applying to become a Member of AMRO each Member agrees that neither the Executive Officers, Non-Executive Post nor any Full Members shall incur any liability whatsoever to the other Members or applicants for Membership arising out of or in connection with their role as Members or Officers (as the case may be) of AMRO and by applying for Membership each applicant shall agree to keep the existing members, their representatives and the Executive Officers fully indemnified from and against all claims, costs liability and expenses whatsoever arising out any such claim made by them