FiP Constitution

  1. Introduction

    • 1.1. The Association shall be known as the Forum for Independent Psychotherapists (FiP).

  2. Aims

    • 2.1. To promote the development of psychotherapeutic theory and practice.
    • 2.2. To promote the professional development of its members.
    • 2.3. To provide a service for members of the public seeking psychotherapy.
    • 2.4. To act as a professional body for its members, in accordance with all proper professional requirements.

  3. Objectives

    • 3.1.1 To facilitate, support, and encourage independent psychotherapeutic practice.
    • 3.1.2 To facilitate research into areas of psychotherapy practice and to disseminate the results.
    • 3.1.3 To offer information to individuals seeking training, supervision or therapy.
    • 3.2.1 To arrange training, educational programmes and seminars with an autonomous and independent psychotherapeutic focus for its members and others.
    • 3.2.2 To provide an independent forum for qualified psychoanalytic therapists and trainees of all schools (as defined in 4.1.1 below), to explore new ways of integrating theory and practice.
    • 3.3.1 To provide a service for members of the public seeking psychotherapy by establishing a clinic.
    • 3.3.2 To safeguard the public by the establishment and operation of a Code of Ethics and a Code of Practice as means of monitoring standards.
    • 3.4.1 To maintain a register of members who are qualified for the independent practice of psychotherapy.
    • 3.4.2 To set standards for membership of the Forum
    • 3.4.3 To require members to adhere fully to its Codes of Ethics and Practice.
    • 3.4.4 To maintain a Disciplinary Procedure for the investigation and regulation of the professional conduct of its members.
    • 3.4.5 To maintain contact with other psychotherapy organisations as appropriate.
    • 3.4.6 To promote the regional development of FiP.
    • 3.4.7 To seek and maintain membership of the UKCP.

  4. Membership

    • 4.1 Categories of Membership

      • 4.1.1 Professional Membership of the Association is open to practitioners of psychotherapy who are eligible to be registered with Council for Psychoanalysis & Jungian Analysis (CPJA); and to those psychotherapists accredited by the Accreditation Committee.
      • 4.1.2 Associate Membership of the Association is open to any interested trainees registered with a UKCP recognised training according to the criteria laid out in 4.1.1.
      • 4.1.3 Applications for membership should be made to the Membership Secretary.
      • 4.1.4 The Membership Secretary shall report to the Executive Committee the names of all those that are deemed suitable for membership of FiP, the decision of the Executive Committee shall be final.
      • 4.1.5 Honorary Membership will be awarded, by election at a General Meeting, to duly nominated, distinguished or retired practitioners. Honorary members will enjoy free life membership of FiP.
      • 4.1.6 Special Interest Membership is available to other interested professionals, not necessarily qualified psychotherapists, by special invitation and at the discretion of the Executive. Such membership is offered on the condition that no claim should be made either orally or in writing, that this confers any qualification as a psychotherapist.

    • 4.2 Resignation

      • A member may resign in writing to the Membership Secretary. Resignation will become effective from one month of the date of receipt of this letter, save that no resignation will be effective while a complaint is being considered under the Complaints Procedure.

    • 4.3 Termination of Membership

      • Membership may be terminated by the appropriate committee authorised to exercise such powers by the Executive Committee. This power will be exercised in accordance with the Complaints Procedures.

  5. Meetings

    • 5.1 Annual General Meetings

      • All members shall receive at least 28 days notice in writing. The AGM shall take place not more than 15 months after the previous AGM. The purpose of the AGM shall be to receive reports from its committees, to receive accounts, to ratify policy, set subscriptions and carry out business as duly notified.

    • 5.2 Extraordinary General Meetings

      • To be called within 3 months if 10 members make a request to the chair in writing or if the majority of the Officers decide that such a meeting is necessary. Members shall be given 28 days notice of an EGM.

    • 5.3 Agendas

      • At AGMs and EGMs only business that has been duly notified before the meeting shall be considered. Members may submit items for inclusion on the agenda of a General Meeting by notifying the Secretary in writing as least 14 days before the meeting and such properly notified items must appear on the agenda for a General Meeting which shall be sent to members at least 1 week before a meeting.

    • 5.4 Quorums

      • 5.4.1 The Quorum for a General Meeting shall be half of the membership or 15 members whichever is less. If a General Meeting shall not be quorate within half an hour of the stated time of the start of the meeting, those present shall adjourn the meeting to a new date and time not less than 7 days after the meeting at which those present shall constitute a quorum. Written notice of the date, place and time of the adjourned meeting shall be given to all members.
      • 5.4.2 The Quorum for Business Meetings (Executive and other Committees) shall be 3 members.

    • 5.5 Voting

      • 5.5.1 On occasions when consensus agreement is not achieved at business meetings a simple majority of those present and voting shall suffice.
      • 5.5.2 To change the Constitution shall require two thirds majority of those present at a General Meeting in favour of change. Notification of proposed Constitutional changes shall be given to the Secretary at least 14 days before the meeting and members shall be informed as part of the agenda.
      • 5.5.3 A General meeting may, by a show of hands, resolve to hold a postal ballot.
      • 5.5.4 Members who are not able to attend a General Meeting may allocate their vote to a named proxy in writing to the secretary.

    • 5.6 Elections

      • Elections shall take place by ballot and will normally take place at the AGM.

    • 5.7 Minutes

      • Minutes shall be kept of General Meetings, Business meetings and Committees. The appropriate secretary shall keep a record of proceedings and resolutions. Minutes of General Meetings shall be sent out with the next mailing to members, and as soon after each General Meeting as is practicable. Where the Ethics Committee is considering a complaint against an individual member the Committee may deem that parts of the minutes are confidential and these shall not then be available other than to the individual member concerned and members of the Committee.

  6. Committee Structure

    • 6.1 FiP will have an Executive Committee consisting of: a Chairperson, two Vice Chairs, Secretary, a Treasurer, a Membership Secretary, A Public relations Officer, a Regional Co-ordinator, the Chair of each Standing Committee and not more than 3 ordinary members.
      • 6.1.1 Election of the Executive Committee:
      • 6.1.2 Membership of the Executive Committee shall be determined at the AGM
      • 6.1.3 Each officer of the Executive Committee shall be a Professional, Associate, Honorary or Special Interest member at the time of their election.
      • 6.1.4 Candidates for election shall be nominated and seconded.
      • 6.1.5 Each member may nominate one candidate only for each Officer post and no more than three candidates for the ordinary members.
      • 6.1.6 Nominations shall be made in writing to the secretary at least 21 days before the AGM.
      • 6.1.7 At the discretion of the Chair, nominations may be taken from the floor when no nominations have been received for an officer post or Committee membership.
      • 6.1.8 Committee members shall be elected by a simple majority of votes cast.
      • 6.1.9 Resignation of Members of the Executive Committee
      • A member of the committee may resign by giving notice in writing to the secretary. The vacancy will be filled by co-option by the Committee at its next meeting.
    • 6.2 Standing and Other Committees
      • 6.2.1 During the first year of FiP the Executive Committee shall appoint such standing and other committees as it deems necessary and determine their terms of reference for the good conduct of the business of FiP. At the end of the first year all the committees shall be dissolved and the membership shall decide which standing committees are required, determine their terms of reference and shall elect persons to those committees.
      • 6.2.2 The Executive Committee shall appoint other committees as it deems necessary and appoint their members and chairs.
      • 6.2.3 The Executive Committee shall, no later than three months from the formal establishment of the Forum, establish an Ethics Committee with at least one external member.
      • The Executive will have at least one member who is also a member of the Ethics Committee.
      • 6.2.4 The Executive Committee shall determine the terms of reference of the Ethics Committee and nominate its members.
      • 6.2.5 The Chair of each Standing Committee shall be elected by the membership at an AGM by the same process as for Officers and Members of the Executive Committee. Each Chair of a Standing Committee shall ex officio be a member of the Executive Committee.
    • 6.3 Sub-committees may be appointed for specific tasks by any committee.
      • 6.3.1 Any sub-committee shall be chaired by a member of its parent committee.
    • 6.4 All committees may co-opt members for particular purposes provided the ratio of elected to co-opted members does not fall below 2:1.
    • 6.5 From the AGM 2002 until the AGM 2003 only, any officer or committee member who has served for four years, shall be eligible to continue for a fifth year.
      • 6.5.1 Elections to committee shall be for a term of three years and for a maximum of two terms consecutively after which a member must retire for a minimum of one year before re-election to that committee.
      • 6.5.2 In the event of any office proving difficult to fill an officer may be co-opted by the Executive Committee to serve alongside elected members.
    • 6.6 The Executive Committee will be responsible for the day to day running of FiP and shall:
      • 6.6.1 Meet at least twice between AGMs.
      • 6.6.2 Keep a list of members.
      • 6.6.3 Collect subscriptions.
      • 6.6.4 Keep account of all financial transactions, arrange for them to be audited annually and present a statement of audited accounts to the AGM
      • 6.6.5 Ensure appropriate liaison with national and other regional organisations of relevance.
      • 6.6.6 Appoint further committees between General Meetings as required for the good conduct of FIP.
      • 6.6.7 Oversee the activities of all the committees of FiP.
      • 6.6.8 Undertake other activities consistent with the Constitution, as required.
      • 6.6.9 Report to the membership at least once between AGMs.
      • 6.6.10 Seek the views of the membership on all matters of general concern.
      • 6.6.11 Shall not change the rules of conduct of the business of FiP except with the consent of a General Meeting of the members.
    • 6.7 Standing Committees
      • 6.7.1 The Accreditation Committee shall:
        1. Meet as often as needed to conduct its business but not less than twice between Annual General Meetings.
        2. Draw up accreditation criteria to be ratified by the P&P Section of the UKCP for various categories of psychotherapy consistent with the policy of FiP.
        3. Arrange the accreditation process for applicants of suitable calibre.
        4. Keep records of their activities consistant with the good conduct of their business.
        5. Notify the Executive Committee of those persons deemed fit to be accredited and state the category of accreditation that is thought to be appropriate in each case.
    • 6.8 The decisions of the Accreditation Committee shall not be open to appeal by any party except on the grounds of failure to follow the procedure as laid down from time to time.
    • 6.9 The Relationship between the committees: All committees and sub-committees shall report fully to the Executive Committee.

  7. UKCP Delegates

    • 7.1 Delegates to the UKCP shall be elected at the AGM by the membership by the same process as for Officers and Members of the Executive Committee.
    • 7.2 Delegates shall be elected for a three year term.
    • 7.3 Save in 'special circumstances', no delegates may stand for more than two consecutive terms as a UKCP delegate. Special circumstances would apply only when a delegate wished to continue or stand as a member of a UKCP committee.

  8. Subscriptions and Finances

    • 8.1 Subscriptions shall be decided annually at the AGM.
    • 8.2 Payment of subscriptions is due on 1st April. Subscriptions remaining unpaid by 1st June will result in the member's name being removed from the Association's membership.
    • 8.3 The Executive Committee shall appoint an auditor.
    • 8.4 The income and property of the Association, and all money received by/or on behalf of the Association shall be applied solely towards the objects of the Association and no portion shall be paid by way of dividend, bonus or profit to any member provided that nothing herein shall prevent payment in good faith of remuneration or expenses or both to any officer or servant of the Association or to any other person for services actually rendered by her/him to the Association.

  9. Dissolution

    • 9.1 A motion to Dissolve the Association may be made at a General Meeting only. For dissolution to be effective, at least two thirds of the members actually present shall vote in favour of dissolution. If such a motion is carried by the two thirds majority, the Association surplus funds, property, assets (if any) shall be disposed of for such charitable purposes, in connection with psychotherapy as the members at the said meeting shall decide. No member of the Association shall receive any of the said funds, property and assets by virtues of her/his membership, accepting that if funds permit the current membership subscription may be reimbursed in part or in full to the members.