Change to Alumni Constitution

At the AGM, which preceded the Gala dinner, members voted unanimously to support two motions that involved minor changes to the Constitution. The criteria for membership had included the words:

“Members shall be medical and/or dental graduates
who have been members of the medical staff
of the Royal Children’s Hospital (including Resident Medical Officers and Registrars who have subsequently pursued a career in any branch of paediatrics or child health)
and have ceased to have an active medical or dental appointment at the Royal Children’s Hospital,
or have reached the age of retirement (65),
provided that members who have retired may continue to hold a sessional appointment at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Members shall also be (a) Spouse/partner of deceased members (b) Professional and Scientific former senior staff of the RCH who have made a significant contribution to the Hospital.“

as there is no longer an “age of retirement” and as the phrase “who have made a significant contribution to the Hospital” was seen as being redundant in the current era – this will be amended to:

“Membership is open to:
(a) Medical or Dental graduates who have been members of the medical staff of the Royal Children’s Hospital (including Resident Medical Officers and Registrars who have subsequently pursued a career in any branch of paediatrics or child health) and have ceased to have an active medical or dental appointment at the Royal Children’s Hospital, or have reached the age of 65
(b) Former Professional and Scientific senior staff of the RCH
(c) The spouse or partner of a deceased member

All who wish to join the Alumni should complete an application form”

In a second amendment, the reference to “medical staff of the Royal Children’s Hospital” was changed to “medical staff at the Royal Children’s Hospital campus”. This was intended to ensure that those medical staff who worked on the RCH campus but were employed by the University, the MCRI or the Genetics service would also be eligible for membership, though not being employed directly by the hospital itself. The new wording was therefore:

“Membership is open to:
(a) Medical or Dental graduates who have been members of the medical staff at the Royal Children’s Hospital campus
(including Resident Medical Officers and Registrars who have subsequently pursued a career in any branch of paediatrics or child health)
and have ceased to have an active medical or dental appointment at the RCH campus, or have reached the age of 65
(b) Former Professional and Scientific senior staff at the RCH
campus
(c) The spouse or partner of a deceased member

All who wish to join the Alumni should complete an application form”