1. Name

The Council shall be called the “Council of Deans of Health ".

2. Purpose

The Council of Deans of Health will:

1.  be the principal source of informed opinion and advice on all matters concerning education and research for Nursing & Health Professions in the UK, and its relation to the National Health Service and to similar education in universities in other countries.
2.  work to improve and maintain quality in Nursing & Health Professions education and research, and to exchange information and good practice.
3.  promote Nursing Midwifery and Allied Health Professions education and research through collaboration with Government Departments, Professional and Statutory Bodies, the Research Councils and other organisations.
4.  serve as the first point of reference for the media in this area.

3. Membership

Membership Institutions will be represented as follows:

1.  Each member HEI will be entitled to two representatives.  They should be of
   senior status with strategic responsibilities for nursing, midwifery, and/
   or allied health professions, normally a dean or head of
   school/faculty/department.
   The Representatives should be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery
   Council (NMC) or the Health Professions Council (HPC).  Where an
   institution has provision in both nursing and the allied health professions,
   it would be expected to have representation from both areas.  If such
   an institution has a dean of school/faculty who is not registrant with
   either the NMC or the HPC, s/he may be an additional representative
   for that institution.
2.   If, exceptionally, a member of the Council cannot attend a meeting, a previously named deputy may attend instead.
3.  Deans and Heads of Faculties of Nursing and Midwifery in the Republic of Ireland and other countries of the European Union may be offered associate(non-voting) membership.
4.  The Council may invite to its meeting observers from other representative organisations. Such observers may participate in the meeting, but may not vote.

4.  Subscriptions

In order to support activities of the Council, a subscription shall be payable in each academic year in respect of each member of the Council. Membership shall be open only to those institutions which have so subscribed. The amount will be reviewed from time to time by the Council, and will be banded according to numbers of nursing, midwifery and allied health professions student FTEs in each institution.

5. Organisation

1.  The elected Officers, together with the elected Nation Representatives will form the Executive Team of the Council.  The members of the Executive Team will act as individuals, not as representatives of their institutions.
2.  The Officers of the Council who will be elected by Council will be:
       The Chair
       The Vice-Chair
       Six other officers
   Three of the 'other Officers' will be elected from representatives with an
   expertise in nursing and midwifery education and three will be
   elected from representatives with an expertise in the allied health professional education.
3.  In addition, members from each of the four countries will elect a Nation Representative to the Executive Team.
4.  The Executive Team may co-opt additional members in addition to those specified in (a), (b) and (c).
   
   1. The Executive may, from time to time, determine the need to co-opt individuals onto the Executive for particular strategic or operative reasons.
   
   2. The co-opted members are invited to attend meetings when their specific contribution is required and they should not be considered as "full members" with the right to attend every Executive meeting either whole or in part.
   
   
   3. The Executive will determine the particular nature of the co-option, the focus of the work, the reporting lines and the time frame for that co-option.
   
   4. The Executive will keep this framework under review to ensure it is able to support and serve the business of the Council and Executive. 
   
   
    The Director of Policy, Policy Officer and the Administrator will attend meetings of the Executive Team
5.  All officers will serve for a period of three years, with the option of standing for one further three year term. Terms of office will be staggered so that no more than half of the Executive Team shall be due to be elected at one time.
6.  In the event that a member of the Executive Team of the Council ceases to be a representative from his/her member institution, s/he may continue to serve on the Executive Team to the end of the normal period of office.

6. Elections

1.  All Officers of the Council and Nation Representatives shall be elected by postal ballot, following nomination and secondment by members of the Council.
2.  The Director of Policy of the Council shall act as Returning Officer for all elections.
3.  Voting will be on the basis of one vote per member institution.

7.  Meetings

1.  The Council will normally meet three times per year.
2.  The meetings of the Council shall be conducted according to the normal conventions governing procedures of committees. Business will proceed according to the agenda and the Director of Policy and Administrator will be responsible for the record of the proceedings and the preparation and subsequent circulation of unconfirmed minutes.
3.  Items for inclusion on the agenda should normally be in the hands of the Director of Policy at least ten days before the circulation of the agenda papers, which normally will be ten days before the meeting of the Council. Items raised under 'any other business' will only be taken at the discretion of the Chair, and normally no decisions will be reached on tabled papers.
4.  Quorum
   The Council is quorate when a simple majority of Member  institutions are represented at a meeting.
5.  Voting
   Motions are carried when a simple majority of those voting vote in favour of the motion.  The Chair has an additional casting vote in the event of a tied vote.  Members may only vote if their subscription has been paid.  Voting will  be on the basis of one vote per member institution.  Those attending a meeting as nominated deputy for a representative may cast a vote on behalf of their institution. 

8. Proceedings

Any proposed amendments to the Constitution shall be an agenda item at an Extraordinary Council meeting, which will precede the meeting of Council at which a ballot will be held.  A two-thirds majority of those voting will be required to change the Constitution.

9. Council’s Assets and Liabilities

If the Council is wound up or dissolved and after all its debts and liabilities have been satisfied there remains any property, it shall be paid to or distributed among the members of Council.