Last revision of Constitution and Bylaws was made at NoSCoS General Meeting in May 2023
Formerly
Nordic Medical Society of Paraplegia (NMSOP)
(Last revision Trondheim 2015)
(Before: Scandinavian Medical Society of Paraplegia)
(revision Reykjavik September 1997)
Definition and Mission of the society
1. The name of the society is The NORDIC SPINAL CORD SOCIETY (NoSCoS)
2. Participating countries in NoSCoS are the Nordic Countries i.e. Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden
3. NoSCoS is an affiliated society to the INTERNATIONAL SPINAL CORD SOCIETY (ISCoS).
4. NoSCoS is an association of individuals in the Nordic countries with special interest in spinal cord injury and dysfunction.
5. The Mission of NoSCoS is:
-To improve the well-being of persons with spinal cord injury and dysfunction and their close ones in the Nordic countries throughout life
The Vision of NoSCoS is:
– To organize scientific meetings and educational activities for individuals who are actively involved in the management, representation, rehabilitation of or research about persons with spinal cord injuries and dysfunctions.
– To promote the exchange of information about the newest scientific developments within the field and amongst professionals working with persons with spinal cord injury and dysfunction.
– To contribute to establish and communicate best practice guidelines for rehabilitation and treatment of persons affected by spinal cord injury and dysfunction
– To facilitate network formation and knowledge sharing among professionals working with persons affected by spinal cord injury and dysfunction
– To support collaboration on individual, organisations and national levels for persons living with spinal cord injury and dysfunction and the professionals working with them
– To promote and support the prevention of spinal cord injury and dysfunction
– To welcome, engage, support and retain new professionals working with spinal cord injury and dysfunction
The Values of NoSCoS are:
– Knowledge
– Network
– Collaboration
– Prevention
– Engagement
Membership
6. Individuals who are actively involved in the management, representation, rehabilitation of or research about persons with spinal cord injuries and dysfunctions can become member of the Society.
7. Institutions that are actively involved in the management, representation, rehabilitation or research of persons with spinal cord injuries and dysfunctions can apply for membership of the Society.
8. Each Ordinary Member shall pay an annual membership fee of such an amount as agreed by the General Meeting. The membership fee shall be paid one year in advance. The membership fee shall be determined at the General Meeting. Members failing payment of annual subscription may have their membership discontinued.
Meetings
9. The Society shall hold an Annual General Meeting. The date shall be circulated to all Members by the Secretary at least 8 weeks in advance. Extraordinary General Meetings may be held if decided by the Executive Committee.
10. The Annual General Meeting shall consist of:
a) A business part, in which reports and accounts shall be considered and discharge for the board be granted or not granted. Furthermore, members of the executive committee and the board, shall be elected. A resolution put to the vote at the Meeting shall be decided by the show of hands unless otherwise decided by the Meeting in exceptional circumstances.
Every second year the Annual General Meeting is supplemented with:
b) A scientific part, in which opportunities shall be given to Members to exchange and share scientific results, ideas and experiences from practice. Members shall forward to the Secretary the titles of communications to be presented at the Meeting by a date agreed by the Board in collaboration with the Organizing Committee of the respective meeting. Incase the biannual scientific meeting yields a profit, 50 percent shall be assigned to the NoSCoS society.
The Executive Committee may at their discretion choose some subject for general discussion and invite Members to be Openers of the Discussion. The Committee may also invite distinguished persons to address the Society. Members shall have the privilege of inviting non-members to attend and to take part in the Meeting. Non-members do not have the right to vote in any matter at the General Meeting.
11. If any Member wishes to put up for discussion at the General Meeting any matter affecting the mission, vision and values or the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society, the member should give notice of such a proposal to the Secretary at least 6 weeks before the day of the meeting.
12. All Ordinary Members of NoSCoS and all at the General Meeting are allowed to vote at the Annual General Meeting.
13. Any amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws require a two third majority of members present or by proxy at any given General Meeting.
14. The Secretary shall record in the Minutes of the Society a short account of the Scientific and Business transaction of each Meeting. The minutes of the Society shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary of the International Spinal Cord Society.
15. A Chair is elected for the General Meeting. The duty of the chair is to support and insure progress of the General Meeing in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws. Members of the Board can not be elected as a chair.
Executive committee and board
16. The Executive Committee shall consist of four Members:
– The President, Vice-president, the Secretary and Treasurer alike.
– The president of NoSCoS or another member of the NoSCoS Executive Committee will represent NoSCoS towards ISCoS.
– The members of the Executive Committee shall be elected from the Members at the General Meeting.
– A representative of the Coming Meeting Organizing Committee may be invited to attend the Executive Committee Meetings, if not already represented in the Committee by election.
It is the duty of the Executive Committee and the Board to make an annual report and act in accordance to the Constitution and Bylaws.
17. The Board consists of members of the Executive Committee of the Society as well as six to nine elected members, giving rise to a Board of ten to thirteen members. There shall be at least one member from one of the official public highly specialized units for SCI/D from each of the five Nordic countries. As far as possible the following should be represented in the Board: physician, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, nurse, social worker, psychologist, and consumer.
18. The election of all members of the Executive Committee and Board Members shall take place at the Annual General Meeting.
The open positions in the Executive Committee and Board shall be announced to the members by the Secretary 8 weeks in advance of a General Meeting.
Candidates applying for a position in the Executive Committee and Board should present their candidature by distributing an application to the Secretary no later than 6 weeks in advance of the General Meeting.
The list of eligible candidates will be distributed to the members by the Secretary together with the agenda of the General Meeting.
19. Members of the Executive Committee and Board Members are elected for a period of four years. Members of the Executive Committee and Board are eligible for re-election for a further period of two years.
Only if there are no other candidates for the positions, members of the Executive Committee and Board Members can be re-elected for an additional two years with a total maximum of 8 years.
20. Any person elected as Executive Committee Member or Board Member may resign office by notice in writing to the Secretary, and such resignation shall take effect at the next following meeting of the Executive Committee or Board. The place of the Member shall be filled by the board until the next Ordinary General Meeting.
21. There shall be at least one annual Board meeting, in person or virtual. The presence of four members of the Board shall be necessary to perform a quorum for the conduction of business at the Board Meeting.
22. If a member of the Board defaults on the duties as a board member (e.g., does not respond to continuous messages/mails/phone calls on and does not attend meetings) the Board can exclude the member by a majority vote in favour of the exclusion.
Professional Networks and Special Interest Groups
23. NoSCoS embraces Professional Networks and Special Interest Groups.
The Professional Networks and Special Interest Groups should act according to the mission, vision and values of NoSCoS.
24. NoSCoS was formerly known as NORDIC MEDICAL SOCIETY of PARAPLEGIA, NMSOP and before that Scandinavian Medical Society of Paraplegia.