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Current Statute

The current version of the MIPC statute is available via this link

 

Founding Statute

1.0   The Mediterranean Institute of Primary Care (MIPC) 

The MIPC shall be a non-governmental organization supporting academic development within the domain of primary health care.  It shall include two broad divisions: a research programme and a training programme, each with an Executive Director.

2.0   Aims

2.1   The aims of the research programme within the MIPC shall be to support, commission, coordinate and conduct policy-relevant research studies on primary care, and relevant clinical, preventive and public health policies, and on systems to improve the evidence-base that drives quality primary health care services, within the Mediterranean setting.

2.2  The aims of the training programme within the MIPC shall be to provide educational opportunities for clinicians and trainees to maintain clinical skills and develop new skills in performing research and to support the development of primary care physicians as creative and independent investigators in primary care research, within the Mediterranean setting.

3.0  Objectives

3.1    The objectives of the research programme within the MIPC shall be to: 

a.  support, commission, coordinate and conduct research that will improve health care delivery and patient outcomes; 

b.  support clinician participation in clinical research through a central administrative office and trained study coordinators; 

c.  generate research to support the practise of evidence-based medicine.

3.2    The objectives of the training programme within the MIPC shall be to: 

a.  provide opportunities for junior physicians to develop the research skills in study design and analytic methods, and learn how primary care may function to integrate traditional curative medicine with public health initiatives to address the major health care problems facing the Maltese Islands today;

b.  provide multidisciplinary training to conduct independent research relevant to primary care; 

c.  facilitate the transition from researcher to excellent teacher and role model for the next generation of primary care researchers.

4.0    MIPC Vision of Primary Health Care

4.1    Primary care is the provision of integrated, high-quality, accessible health care services by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a full range of personal health and health care needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, practicing in the context of family and community, and working to minimise disparities across population sub-groups. 

4.2  The core attributes of primary care include: 

a.  primary care serves as a point of first contact for the patient, playing a key role in access to care and in coordinating care for patients who use multiple providers or specialists; 

b.  primary care is holistic and comprehensive, focusing on the whole person and taking into account his or her social context; 

c.  uncertainty is a common attribute of clinical decision making in primary care; 

d.  primary care practice is information intensive; 

e.  opportunities to promote health and prevent disease are intrinsic to primary care; 

f.   a sustained personal relationship between patient and clinician is a key aspect of primary health care, emphasizing the importance of compassion, continuity, and communication between provider and patient. 

(Modified from Institute of Medicine and Barbara Starfield)

5.0   Structure of MIPC

5.1   The MIPC Trust 

The MIPC Trust directs and finances the MIPC. The MIPC Trust supports the MIPC’s activities through an annual financial allocation, which then becomes the MIPC annual budget. 

5.2  The MIPC International Advisory Committee 

The MIPC International Advisory Committee (IAC) will be made up of international experts in research and training within the domain of primary health care.  Each member shall be individually appointed by the MIPC Trust, and may appoint a substitute subject to MIPC Trust approval.  Each member of the MIPC IAC automatically becomes a Full Member of the MIPC as per Section 5.4 below.

The MIPC IAC shall be composed of no less than five members and no more than thirty. Meetings of the MIPC IAC shall be convened by a Chairman and a Secretary elected from amongst its members by a simple majority vote for a term of five years.  It shall be responsible for drawing up and approving the Financial Plan for that period, proposed by the Executive Directors.  The MIPC IAC can veto any action of any Executive Director, and can advise the Trust to take any action with respect to the MIPC, its Executive Directors and Members.  The MIPC IAC will nominate persons to the Trust for the post of Executive Director, and recommend a term for such Executive Directors. However, the final decision always remains with the MIPC Trust. 

5.3   The Executive Directors

Each of the two programme arms of the MIPC will be led by a Executive Director.  Executive Directors will be individuals with excellent academic, leadership and management credentials, and of good personal integrity.  Each Executive Director will be responsible for the day-to-day running of each MIPC programme, within the constraints of the Financial Plan for that period. The two Executive Directors will each have the right of veto of each other’s decisions, and in the case of disagreement may refer to the MIPC IAC.  The term of each Executive Director will be for five years. An Executive Director may be re-appointed by the Trust any number of times, but may be removed before the end of the term by the same, in both instances on the advice of the MIPC IAC.

5.4   The MIPC Membership 

There shall be two categories of MIPC Membership.  Full MIPC Members will be invited to join by the MIPC IAC on recommendation of the Executive Directors on the basis of academic achievement, normally including the achievement of a University degree within the domain (at least at Masters’ level), and/or significant research activity or publications.  At any one time there shall be not less than ten Full MIPC Members, and the term of Membership is indefinite. Should the MIPC Full Membership fall below 10 members for more than one year and no new full members can be found, the Executive Directors shall take the necessary steps to dissolve the MIPC. 

Associate Members may be any health care practitioner who wishes to join the MIPC and be associated with it, and attend MIPC meetings, courses or programmes.  Associate MIPC Members will also be appointed by the IAC on the recommendation of the Executive Directors. 

6.0   MIPC Management

The day-to-day management of the MIPC and its programmes shall be executed by the two Executive Directors in consultation.  Each Executive Director shall be responsible for the execution of the MIPC aims and objectives according to a Financial Plan approved by the MIPC IAC, within the constraints of the annual MIPC budget approved by the MIPC Trust. 

The MIPC may have premises within which to function, rented or purchased, and shall employ the services of such academic and support staff as necessary to achieve its aims and objectives. 

7.0    MIPC Activities
MIPC activities shall include some or all of the following, but not exclusively: 

a.  commissioning, supporting, organising and/or evaluating primary care research projects; 

b.  delivering, commissioning, supporting, organising and/or evaluating primary care training or education projects; 

c.  supporting the quality assurance of primary care delivery programmes; 

d.  collaborating with other organisations to achieve the MIPC aims and objectives, and to develop primary care; 

e.   achieving international recognition and promoting primary care research and training internationally.

8.0    MIPC Meetings

8.1       MIPC IAC

 The MIPC IAC will meet face to face or via tele-conference and/or through a “Round Robin” (Section 11.0) resolution at least once a year, but a meeting or teleconference may be called at any time by any three of its members.  It will meet to discuss and decide on the Financial Plan of the MIPC, based on the recommendations of the Executive Directors, and to decide matters as specified in Sections 5.2, 5.3, and 5.4.  The quorum for conducting face-to-face or tele-conference meetings shall be five members.  The agenda is set by the Chairman and Secretary or any three members calling a meeting, and circulated to members at least two weeks before a meeting. Proceedings are regulated by Robert’s Rules (Section 11.0).  Decisions are by consensus preferably, but in case of need a vote will be taken and the decision will be decided by a simple majority vote, the Chairman having only a casting vote. 

8.2    MIPC Annual General Meeting

There will be an annual meeting of the MIPC Members to discuss the business, strategy and budget of MIPC.  The AGM shall meet at least once a year.  All Members of MIPC may attend the Annual General Meeting but only Full Members and the two Executive Directors may propose/vote on motions for the action of the Executive Directors and/or the MIPC IAC.  The quorum for the Annual General Meeting shall be twenty percent of Full Members plus one Executive Director, or five Full Members, whichever is the lower applicable.  The agenda is set by the Executive Directors and shall be circulated in writing or electronic mail to all Members at least two weeks before a meeting.  Proceedings are regulated by Robert’s Rules (Section 11.0).  Decisions are by consensus preferably, but in case of need a vote will be taken and the decision will be taken by a simple majority vote, the Executive Directors having only one casting vote each.  There shall be no proxy voting, and only attendees may vote. 

8.3   MIPC Extraordinary General Meeting 

Any five Full Members or the Executive Directors together may call an Extraordinary General Meeting of the MIPC and propose a motion for the action of the Executive Directors and/or the MIPC IAC.  Proceedings of such a meeting shall otherwise be similar to that of an Annual General Meeting as per Section 8.2.

9.0    Ethical Standards

Ethical standards – to be attached at a later date

 

10.0  Regulations

10.1 Regulations for Members

All Members of the MIPC shall pay an annual Membership Fee of €25.00.  Members shall be entitled to discounts on MIPC course and journal fees, to e‑mail newsletters and notifications, and to participate in MIPC activities. 

10.2 Disciplinary Proceedings for Members

All Members are expected to support and contribute to the MIPC Aims and Objectives, and participate in MIPC activities.  Members who obstruct or undermine MIPC activities, or who are guilty of serious professional or personal misconduct, or of serious breach of professional ethics, may have their Membership status suspended or withdrawn by a Disciplinary Board composed of three full MIPC Members appointed by the Executive Directors. 

11.0  References

Robert’s Rules – www.robertsrules.org

“Round Robin” resolutions will be performed by circulating a document or memo sequentially or in parallel to all MIPC IAC members, and inviting them to comment sequentially or concurrently, in circulation to all the others. The document shall be considered to be approved when a consensus on all amendments is reached.

 

Statute amendment AGM 2014

Meeting No. 3 2013/2014

Date: 21st February 2014, 8.30 pm

Venue: The Family Practice, 19, Triq ir-Rand, Attard

Resolution to amend the statutes of the Mediterranean Institute of Primary Care

The Annual General Meeting of the Mediterranean Institute of Primary Care, having considered the respective provisions of Maltese Law, resolves to clarify and issue an addendum to the statutes, specifically to clause 6.1 but generally to any clauses in the statues which refer to the Administrators, so that the Mediterranean Institute of Primary Care shall have three Administrators, namely each of the two Executive Directors and the Chair of the International Advisory Committee. This clarifies the statements in clause 6.1.

On this 21st day of February 2014, the two Executive Directors are confirmed as Dr. Jean Karl Soler from Rabat, Malta, and Dr. Ferdinando Petrazzuoli from Caserta, Italy. The third Administrator is Dr. Inge Okkes of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the Chair of the International Advisory Committee.

The Mediterranean Institute of Primary Care Secretary shall be Ms. Cindy Williams, who is also empowered to administer the Mediterranean Institute of Primary Care accounts and perform any delegated administrative acts in conjunction with the Administrators.

Signed by members present, 21st February 2014: