Updated 2021

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Name

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The name of the society shall be King’s College London Wilderness Medicine Society. This may be abbreviated to KCL WMS.

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Aims and objectives

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The aim of this society is to provide a foundation of skills and knowledge to those interested in delivering health care in the remote environment, such as expeditions, relief work, and events medicine. We will promote research and education as well as organising expeditions and adventurous pursuits.

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We will do this through educational lectures from subject matter experts, peer-led practical training sessions, as well as formal instruction from qualified and experienced practitioners. In addition to this, we will aim to hold at least one expedition a year either within the UK or abroad, organised or led by society members. We will also aim to continue our annual Extreme Medicine conference.

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We are a diverse and inclusive, welcoming all King's students, of all backgrounds to join us. We adhere to the KCLSU Safe Space Policy. 

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We aim to promote wilderness medicine and empower individuals to pursue a career in this field. 

We will promote collaboration with local institutions such as schools and youth groups in order to share our experiences and knowledge with the wider community and inspire future generations to continue to further the field.

We will promote responsible and ethical practices and the need for continuing development in the field of wilderness and remote medicine.

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The Society Committee

 

The committee shall consist of the following positions:

• President

• Vice President

• Treasurer

• Secretary

• Publicity Officer

• Events Officers x 3

• Expedition Officers x 2

• Training Course Officers x 4

• Conference Officer x 2

• Nursing and Midwifery Rep

• Physio Rep

• Inclusivity Officer 

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The Committee can add other positions should they decide it is beneficial to the Society’s well-functioning. All committee members must be paying members of the society and must be students of KCL.

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Management and Role Descriptions

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The President:
Represents the society and is responsible for making sure that the society is run according to its constitution. It is the responsibility of the President to call general meetings of the society.
 

The Vice President:
Assist the President in the running of the society. Replaces the President in his or her duties if the President is unable to do so, until an election can take place for a new President.

 

The Treasurer:

Carries out the day to day financial duties of the society, and is responsible for the society finances. Keeps current accurate financial information and produces an annual financial report to be presented at the end of the year at the AGM.

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The Secretary:
Takes minutes at committee meetings and assists with administration of the society. Disseminates appropriate information to committee members and society members within 48 hours of meetings. Produces a monthly newsletter to keep members updated with society news. Assists in check and responding to society emails.

 

Publicity Officer:
Maintains the Society’s website and all online content, including social media accounts. Responsible for the society’s social media including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Responsible for designing posters for and advertising all society events and expeditions in collaboration with the organising committee member. Ideal qualities: Good written English; Facebook savvy, as this is our biggest audience; comfortable using/working out how to use Wix, where our website is hosted.

 

Events Officers 1, 2 and 3:
Organise events for the society such as lectures, workshops, fresher's fair activities including the welcome event, social functions, and our society trips away, including the annual Surf trip. This is a flexible and dynamic role which is shaped by the agenda and ideas of the events officers.

 

Expedition Officers 1 and 2:
They will take the lead in organising the annual Summer Expedition both in the planning - its preparation and advertisement - and on the trip itself through its deployment, execution, and recovery. They are also responsible for the expedition equipment.

 

Training Officers 1, 2, 3 and 4:

The training course runs each week from October to March. Training course officers are responsible for coordinating the weekly sessions, contacting speakers, arranging rooms and equipment with the clinical skills centre. In addition, the role involves liaising with the course participants, sending out resources and keeping records of attendance and facilitating the training course weekend away.

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Conference Officers 1 and 2: 

Lead the organisation of the annual conference. To be responsible for ticket sales and delegate liaison; preparing speaker line-up; venue bookings; catering; and training sessions and simulations in conjunction with the Training Course Officers. 

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Nursing and Midwifery Rep

To promote KCL WMS to other student nurses and student midwives to enable them to make the most of our events and opportunities for skill development such as the training course.

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Physio Rep

To promote KCL WMS to other physiotherapy students to enable them to make the most of our events and opportunities for skill development such as the training course.

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Inclusivity Officer

To promote KCL WMS and ensure that it is accessible and welcoming to students from all backgrounds, particularly those from minority ethnic, low-income or LGBTQ+ background. 

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Patrons

 

In order to maintain a certain level of oversight, advice and continuity, patrons for the society may be sought. They must be of benefit to the society and will only be approved by majority vote of the committee. Patrons have no financial liability to the society. Patrons are also not considered to be accountable for the actions of the society.

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Membership

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Membership of the society will be open to any student studying at KCL. Membership will also be open to alumni of KCL. Other persons may be admitted as members at the discretion of the committee, if they believe that it would be in the best interests of the society. The society shall not discriminate on the grounds of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or political views.

All medical professions will be encouraged to join including nurses, paramedics, dentists, and medical students, as well as any student studying a non-health care discipline.

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Annual General Meeting

 

An Annual General Meeting shall be convened between March and May.

• The agenda of the Annual General Meeting shall include:

• All points raised in the minutes of the last Annual General Meeting and any General Meetings since that Annual General Meeting.

• The President’s report of the year’s activities and work of the society.

• The Treasurer’s statement of accounts.

• Any other motions for which the President has received notice before the commencement of the meeting.

• Voting on amendments of the constitution

• The election of the new Committee.

• Members of the Committee shall be elected each year at the Annual General Meeting by a simple majority of votes cast. The vote shall be taken by blind ballot. In the event of a tie in any vote, the President of the society shall have a casting vote.

• Notice of the Annual General Meeting shall be given to all members of the society, and advertised outside the society, no later than two weeks in advance. 

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Financial Matters

 

The Society shall hold accounts through KCLSU.

Two signatories of the society shall appear on the bank mandate. They will be the Treasurer and President.

All accounts shall be audited annually at the end of the financial year by the Treasurer and committee. The financial year shall be from 1 April to 31 March.

All profits of the society shall be used in the furtherance of the aims of the society. No profits may be in any way distributed to the members of the society.

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Engagement with the wider KCLSU

 

The society will operate under the umbrella of the KCLSU, adhering to their policies on student societies and maintaining their standards with regards to equal opportunities, discrimination and health and safety.

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Alumni

 

Alumni of the society are encouraged to stay involved with the society’s activities, and to be accessible and responsive with the society’s request for support. This may be by providing a pool of qualified clinicians and allied health professionals to assist with education and advice. They will also help to maintain continuity within the student society and a forum for members once qualified to continue to develop their wilderness and remote medical skills and expedition skills.

 

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Dissolution

 

The society shall be dissolved by KCLSU if it does not achieve 25 paid members, and only by the written consent of four-fifths of the total membership. In the event of such a dissolution, and once the society’s liabilities have been met, the entire remaining assets shall be transferred to a local youth organisations such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme Operating Authority or the Scout movement.

 

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Removal of ineffectual or disengaged committee members

 

This will be done by first warning the member concerned that they have not been contributing an appropriate amount. If an improvement is not felt to have been made by a majority of the committee after an acceptable amount of time, the member will be removed from their post and a new member will be elected to this post via a general meeting of the society.

 

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Amendments

 

Any amendments to the constitution must be voted on by general meeting of the society. The amendment must be made available for a period of consultation of no less than 30 days before the meeting is held.