UEMS Section of Nuclear Medicine / EBNM Statutes
Revision October 2009
» Article 1 Introduction
» Article 2 Aims
» Article 3 Composition
» Article 4 Role of the Board
» Article 5 Executive Committee
» Article 6 Functioning
» Article 7 Finances
Article 1 Introduction
In accordance with the Union Européènne des Médecins Specialistes/European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) Statutes the European Section and the European Board of Nuclear Medicine (EBNM) are created to improve and harmonize the training of nuclear medicine physicians throughout all European Countries in order to achieve the highest possible standards. EBNM will hereafter be referred to as “The Board”
Article 2 Aims
2.1 The main objective is to ensure the highest standards of practice in all fields of nuclear medicine in EU Countries that are members of, or affiliated members of the UEMS by setting appropriate standards for the continuing postgraduate education of nuclear medicine specialist physicians beyond their certification as Fellows of the EBNM. In addition, the Board shall be responsible for a variety of accreditation activities, related to Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) following the EACCME scheme.
2.2 The aims shall be achieved by the following means:
2.2.1 The Board shall recommend the standards required for training specialists in nuclear medicine in order to obtain certification as Fellows.
2.2.2 It shall make proposals related to the quality and content of training programs.
2.2.3 It shall recommend procedures to facilitate the free movement of nuclear medicine specialist physicians throughout the EU member and affiliated Countries.
2.2.4 It shall examine and control the content and quality of training in the EU and affiliated Countries.
2.2.5 It shall recommend the criteria to which the training of specialist physicians in all centres with training capabilities shall conform.
2.2.6 It shall facilitate the exchange of specialist trainees between training centres in the EU and affiliated Countries thus ensuring better harmonization and quality of training.
2.2.7 It shall set out an examination to obtain a certificate for recognition of quality and competence leading to the title of “Fellow of the European Board of Nuclear Medicine” with the acronym FEBNM.
2.3 The Board shall work in cooperation with the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) in order to promote and ensure the best standards in all its fields of research (basic, translational, clinical), teaching (under and post-graduate) and clinical (diagnostic and therapeutic) practice .
2.4 The Board will cooperate with national societies of the EU and affiliated Countries. No difference will be made regarding such contacts between Countries, whatever their status, either full or associate members of the UEMS and therefore EBNM.
2.5 The Board will promote cooperation with other International and Intercontinental Organizations (e.g. International Atomic Energy Agency, etc.) in order to increase awareness and improve harmonization of Nuclear Medicine in Europe, taking advantage of good experiences in other areas of the world.
Article 3 Composition
3.1 The Board shall be considered as being a working group of the nuclear medicine section of the UEMS. All national delegates of the UEMS Section of Nuclear Medicine will be members of the Board.
3.2 Member Countries
3.2.1 Full membership of the Section and Board of Nuclear Medicine shall be confined to the representatives elected by the professional organization and the specialist scientific societies of the nuclear medicine specialty in full member Countries of the UEMS. The professional organizations of other European Countries may be invited to take part in this Section and Board of Nuclear Medicine (as observers with no voting rights) if they are associate members of UEMS and accepted as observers by the UEMS Council.
3.2.2 European Countries that recognize nuclear medicine as an independent specialty and are associated to UEMS may have seats on the Board as associated members. Each of them may send two delegates to the Board meetings. Associate members however do not have voting rights.
3.2.3 Regarding voting rights, there shall be only one vote per eligible Country.
3.3 National Representatives
3.3.1 The Board shall comprise two representatives per Country appointed for a period of four years. The representatives must be members of the national professional organization of the specialty. The members must be representatives from both the professional and scientific world, one member per Country appointed by the professional associations, one member appointed by the relevant scientific organization. Both members have to be approved by the national scientific society member of UEMS. It is desirable that whenever possible, they should not be at the same time EANM (European Association of Nuclear Medicine) national delegates or deputies of their Countries.
3.3.2 Normally and ideally, at least one of the two representatives per Country shall be directly involved in the teaching of postgraduate nuclear medicine training, preferably with an academic position.
3.3.3 In addition, each Country shall nominate two substitutes for their representatives who can replace the permanent representatives temporarily or permanently during the mandate of the delegate concerned.
In the case of a temporary replacement, the replaced representative shall inform the President and/or Secretary of the Board by letter. In the case of a permanent replacement, the change has to be notified to the President and/or Secretary of the Board by the national organization that has nominated the replaced and replacing permanent representatives.
3.3.4 The President and the Secretary of the Board, once elected, have seats on the Board with full voting rights, but do not represent their Country. They will then be replaced on the Board by their substitutes.
3.3.5 The delegates of Countries associate members of the UEMS are nominated according to the same rules by their Country’s national organization. They shall have observer status and advisory capacity. They may attend all meetings of the Board and express their opinion, but cannot vote.
Observer status should be a step towards a full recognition of the Countries concerned. They shall have full and active participation in all the Boards business including particularly the scientific and accreditation activities of the Board.
3.3.6 The Permanent working group of junior doctors (PWG) shall have the right to delegate a physician in nuclear medicine training, who shall have a substantive vote.
3.3.7 The Board may co-opt one or more experts who are invited temporarily or permanently to the Board meetings by the President or the Secretary. Experts will have observer status.
3.3.8 The President (or a representative within the ExCom) of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) is invited to the Board meetings with observer status. His/her opinions are welcome.
Article 4 Role of the Board
4.1 The Board has to ensure that the aims as defined in article 2 are achieved effectively. To that purpose it elects the Executive Committee according to the rules defined in article 5.
4.2 Meetings
4.2.1 The Board must meet at least once a year, during a General Assembly. Additional meetings may be convened by the UEMS/EBNM Executive Committee, at the instigation of the UEMS General Secretary or the Executive Committee of the EANM or at the request of at least one third of the members (National Delegates) of the Board.
4.2.2 The agenda consists of items proposed by members of by the Executive Committee of the Board, by the members of the Board or by the UEMS General Secretary. The agenda of the meeting shall be communicated to the Board members at least one month before the meeting. The minutes of the meeting as well as all resolutions, recommendations, opinions, studies and other documents are to be sent to the members of the Board within six months of the meeting and to the members of the Board before the next meeting.
4.2.3 The Board has to approve at least once a year:
- the report of the president
- the financial report of the treasurer
- the reports of the working groups and committees after approval by the Executive Committee
Article 5 Executive Committee
5.1 The Board shall be administered by an Executive Committee made of: one President, one Secretary and one Treasurer at minimum.
5.2 Elections
All members of the Executive Committee are elected by the members of the Board and must be either members of the Board or previous members of the Board or active members of one of the working Committees. To be valid, a candidacy has to be supported by two other members of the Board, belonging to Countries other than that of the candidate.
The Secretary shall notify the Board of any forthcoming vacancies three months prior to the election. The candidate’s names shall be submitted to the secretary at least two months before the meeting of the Board. They will then be circulated to the members of the Board at least 15 days before the meeting.
5.3 President
The President, according to the Statutes of the UEMS, is elected for a mandate of 4 (four) years renewable only once for another mandate of 4 (four) years.
5.5 Secretary and Treasurer
The candidate(s) for Secretary and Treasurer shall be proposed by members of the Board. The duration of the mandate is four years, one re-election is allowed.
Article 6 Functioning
6.1 The Executive Committee will meet at least every six months; if necessary more often. Meeting can be held also in the form of teleconference. The President and/or Secretary and/or Treasurer convene the meetings. The agenda and the relevant papers for the meeting will be sent to the Executive Committee not later than one month prior to the meeting. Copies for information shall be sent to the UEMS General Secretary. The minutes of the meeting shall be made available to all Board members.
The Executive Committee is in charge of organizing the activities of the Board, in particular convening meetings and supervising committees and working groups and of all communication with the UEMS Council and the EANM governing bodies.
The Executive Committee reports to the Board at least once a year and should have its actions approved by the Board members.
6.2 Committees and Working Groups
The Executive Committee may form and dissolve committees and working groups and co-opt experts. The nominations have to be approved during the Annual Board meeting. All committees will report annually to the Board.
The Board has the following permanent committees: Fellowship Committee, Education and Syllabus Committee, CME Accreditation Committee, Accreditation Committee.
The Board shall approve the programs of all committees and working groups. The committees and working groups will report annually to the Board. The Board shall approve the results of their work.
6.2.1 The Fellowship Committee shall be responsible for the recognition of complete training and practice quality in order to award the title of “Fellow of the European Board of Nuclear Medicine – FEBNM”
6.2.2 The Education and Syllabus Committee shall define the minimum criteria for training programs in nuclear medicine practice, as well as the knowledge and technical skills required for practicing the specialty in Europe.
6.2.3 The CME Accreditation Committee shall process applications for EACCME credits in nuclear medicine. The criteria for accreditation shall be in accordance with the EACCME rules.
6.2.4 The Accreditation Committee shall be responsible for the definition of all necessary standards and provide “accreditation status” according to these standards to institutions providing clinical service and/or academic (teaching/research) activities. Accreditation may be of two types: “Full Accreditation ” or “Accreditation on specified areas”.
Article 7 Finances
7.1 All financial questions, and especially the preparation and survey of the annual budget, are the direct responsibility of the Treasurer under the control and approval of the Executive Committee.
7.2 Resources come from the membership fee from the UEMS/EBNM member Countries, contributions, grants and sponsorship from the EANM and other national or international bodies, either public or private.
7.3 The Treasurer prepares the annual financial report that is audited by the Auditors before presentation at the Annual Board meeting (General Assembly). The Board approves/rejects the audited financial report.
7.4 The Board elects two Auditors amongst Nuclear Medicine Physicians who shall have proved administrative, auditing and managerial skills and will be in office for a period of four years renewable for another mandate of four years. The Auditors shall review the financial situation and report to the annual Board meeting.