APPM Constitution (updated September 2023) 

1) Goal 
To promote the best possible palliative care for children, from in-utero to young adults, and their families, regardless of care setting, through professional support for healthcare professionals providing paediatric palliative care. 
 
2) Aims 
• To promote the practice of paediatric palliative medicine 
• To promote and develop the community of paediatric palliative care through education, networking and communication 
• To develop standards and guidelines of good practice in the field of paediatric palliative medicine 
• To support all those working with children with life limiting conditions and their families 
• To advocate equity of access to appropriate and effective paediatric palliative care services 
• To champion paediatric palliative care research 
• To promote collaboration with other professionals, statutory and voluntary organisations involved in the care of children and young people with life limiting conditions and their families 
• To support paediatric palliative medicine CSAC and the activities of the RCPCH 
• To maintain formal links and effective communication between relevant colleges and other national and international bodies. 
 
3) Membership 
Membership is open to all healthcare professionals including those in training who are interested in, or work, with children with life limiting conditions and their families. 
 
4) Executive committee 
• The Executive Committee will consist of the Officers of the Association for Paediatric Palliative Medicine: Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer 
• Members of the Executive will be elected from the membership through a submission of expression of interest form after a call via the APPM newsletter or email. Voting will either take place at the Annual General Meeting or by an online vote. Information from the candidate’s expression of interest form will be shared with the membership, if voting is required due to more than one applicant. 
• Members of the executive will serve for a period of three years in the first instance, which will run concurrently. The period of office will commence at the annual general meeting. 
• Following completion of their initial term of office, members of the Executive Committee may choose to continue for a maximum of two further terms. 
• Executive Committee members are expected to attend 75% of the Executive Committee meetings per year. If the Executive member is unable to fulfil their commitment to the Executive Committee with a minimum of 50% attendance, they will be asked to step down from the Executive Committee. This will ensure other APPM members the opportunity to support the association at executive level. 
• All Executive Committee members will have identified executive roles. These are usually held for three years and then rotated, as required, by agreement within the Executive. 
• Reasonable travel and sustenance expense for face to face meetings will be paid by the APPM, at the discretion of the Chair and Treasurer. 
• Executive benefits are regularly updated and available on the website. 
• Composition of sub-committees will ideally include a minimum of: 
o General practitioner 
o General paediatrician/community paediatrician 
o Neonatal and adult/transition health care professionals 
o Hospice doctor 
o Paediatrician with an interest in paediatric palliative medicine 
o Specialist paediatric palliative medicine paediatrician 
o Specialist nursing 
o Allied health professional 
o Paediatric palliative care trainee 
• Other members may be from the groups identified and other health professionals with an interest in paediatric palliative medicine eg inter-dependent clinical areas 
• The members should also seek to encompass the representation from across the United Kingdom and Ireland. 
• Co-opted members: chair of the RCPCH Paediatric Palliative Care CSAC, APPM formulary editor, Clinical guidelines editor, Together for Short Lives representative, CYPACP or their nominated deputy. The Executive Committee will have the power to co-opt other member as required. 
 
5) Officers 
• The Officers of the Association for Paediatric Palliative Medicine will be a Chair, Vice-Chair and Treasurer. 
• The Officers will be elected from the executive for a period of three years which should run concurrently and can choose to continue for a further term. The period of office will commence at the annual general meeting. 
• The offices will be elected from the executive by agreement. 
 
6) Meetings 
• The Executive Committee hold quarterly meetings. 
• There will be at least one scientific and/or educational meeting each year 
• The Annual General meeting may occur at an APPM meeting or be held separately for which not less than 28 days’ notice will be given. 
• The quorum of voting at the annual meeting will be a minimum of 10 members with the number of ordinary members exceeding the number of Executive Officers. 
• An extraordinary general meeting may be convened by the Executive Committee if 20 members apply in writing to the chair. Not less than 28 days’ notice will be given. 
• At all meetings of the Association of Paediatric Palliative Medicine, including executive meetings, each member will have one vote except for the chair who will not normally vote. In the case of an equal division of votes the chair will have the casting vote. 
 
7) Finance 
• Finance of the Association for Paediatric Palliative Medicine will be maintained by the Treasurer. The Treasurer and one other Executive Officer will have the authority to disburse funds for the benefit of the group and will submit the accounts at the annual general meeting. 
• Signatories will be the Chair, Treasurer and Vice-Chair of the Executive Committee 
• An annual subscription will be levied on all members. The level of this will be determined by the Executive Committee and agreed by the members at the annual meeting and will form the basic source of income for the group. 
• Changes to the subscription rate will be agreed by the Executive Committee. No less than 28 days’ notice will be given of any changes. 
• Preferred payment method is by direct debit, otherwise by bank transfer or prior arrangement. 
 
8) Amendments to the constitution 
• Amendments to the constitution will be made at the general meeting or by online invitation to all members 
• Where amendments are proposed at the general meeting the amendments must be submitted to the chair or vice chair and circulated at least 28 days before the meeting 
• Amendments will require two thirds majority vote at the general meeting or online invitation to all members. 
 
9) Winding up of the Association for Paediatric Palliative Medicine 
In the event of winding up of the Association for Paediatric Palliative Medicine any outstanding 
funds will be transferred to allied charities of professional associations at the discretion of the 
Executive Committee.