Constitution
1. The name of the Association is “Long COVID Physio”.
2. The principal objective of the Association is to:
(a) provide peer support for physiotherapists, support workers and other allied health professions (AHPs) living with Long COVID.
3. The secondary objectives of the Association are to:
(b) provide and participate in education on Long COVID.
(c) provide patient and public involvement (PPI) in research, participate in establishing research agendas, and engage in research outputs.
(d) provide community driven advocacy in Long COVID from the voices of physiotherapists living with and affected by Long COVID.
(e) engage in regional, national and international policy on Long COVID
(f) engage in regional, national and international implementation of healthcare models for Long COVID rehabilitation.
4. Members of the Association include physiotherapists, support workers, and other AHPs living with Long COVID, plus physiotherapists not living with Long COVID who support and participate in the objectives of the Association.
5. There are no membership fees to join the Association.
6. Membership to the Association automatically applies to members living with Long COVID who join the Long COVID Physio Facebook peer support group. Physiotherapists not living with Long COVID who support and participate in Association objectives are invited into the Association by the executive board.
7. Physiotherapists not living with Long COVID who support and participate in the objectives of the Association, can join the Association by invitation of the Association’s executive board.
8. Membership ceases automatically when members leave the Long COVID Physio Facebook peer support group, stop attending and participating in activities, or when members have done something that goes against the objectives of the Association.
9. The Association is committed to equity, diversity and belonging. The executive board will have roles dedicated to equity, diversity and belonging, plus open executive members, in demonstration of our commitment and determination for inclusion. All executive board positions can also be shared by more than one person, to support membership participation and accommodate episodic disability and fluctuating health challenges.
10. An elected executive board will uphold the objectives of the Association. The executive board positions can be occupied either by one member or shared between members. Positions are flexible depending on health, illness and disability. Positions can be held for a duration up to 2 years. Allies are encouraged to share positions with a person living with Long COVID. All positions should have a minimum of one person living with Long COVID elected. There is no limit to the consecutive number of times an elected position can be held if elected by membership.
11. The executive board is comprised of the following roles:
(a) Chair: The role of the Chair is to provide leadership to the executive board and ensure the executive board is effective in its task of setting and implementing the Association’s objectives, direction and strategy. The Chair will be the leading representative of the Association, determine the composition and structure of the executive board, plan and coordinate board meetings, oversee effective communication within the board, and ensure effective communication with key stakeholders. The Chair will hold overall responsibility for the Association’s communication and social media.
(b) Vice-Chair: The role of the Vice-Chair is to act as the Association’s deputy to the Chair. The Vice-Chair will develop strategic oversight of the Association with the Chair and executive board. The Vice-Chair will know and understand the roles and responsibilities of the Chair and act as deputy leadership in the absence of the Chair. The Vice-Chair will seek to promote the best interests of the Association and will act as a key ambassador.
(c) Secretary: The role of the Secretary is to act as the Association’s chief information office and record keeper. The Secretary will arrange and keep minutes of all meetings, keep records of actions, and coordinate membership lists. The Secretary will also keep copies of stakeholder correspondence. The Secretary will support the Chair with coordinating executive board nominations.
(d) Peer Support Director : The role of the Peer Support Director is to maintain the upkeep of peer support, the primary and founding objective of the Association. The Peer Support Director will welcome all new members, provide direct channels of communication and conflict resolution for members, plus arrange and lead online zoom peer support meetings. The Peer Support Director will draw on their own lived experience to provide authentic engagement and support. The Peer Support Director will work with Communication and Social Media Director in managing the Facebook peer support group and any other future models of peer support.
(e) Research Director: The role of the Research Director is to facilitate members PPI participation in research nationally and internationally. The Research Director will also support members involvement in steering research agendas and participating as community co-researchers. The Research Director will also work with international networks to translate knowledge and build on existing research networks to provide foundational developments for Long COVID rehabilitation research.
(f) Education Director: The role of the Education Director is to facilitate educational outputs from the Association through podcasts, webinars, higher education institutions, and collaboration with key stakeholders. The Education Director will determine the effectiveness of education methods and network to build and sustain professional relationships with members and stakeholders.
(g) Advocacy Director: The role of the Advocacy Director is to provide a voice for the population of people represented by the Association’s membership. The Advocacy Director will advocate for safe and effective rehabilitation programmes, and for people living with and affected by Long COVID to have greater involvement and meaningful engagement in all responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Advocacy Director will collaborate with the Chair in effectively communicating with key stakeholders.
(h) Equity, Diversity and Belonging Director: The role of the Equity, Diversity and Belonging Director will be to lead and accelerate the pace and change of equity, diversity and belonging within the Association for all members, beyond the Association with stakeholders, and further to the communities of people living with Long COVID. The Equity, Diversity and Belonging Director will provide training, advice and support to the executive board and Association members, and evaluate existing objectives of the Association.
(i) AHP Director: The role of the Allied Health Profession (AHP) Director will be for non-physiotherapy members to coordinate and support inclusion of AHPs within the Association. The AHP Director will network with professionals and professional associations of other AHPs, providing a space and a voice for inter-professional collaboration of AHPs in Long COVID peer support, education, research, and advocacy.
(j) Disability and Rehabilitation Director: The role of the Disability and Rehabilitation Director is to centre and elevate disability (including episodic disability) inclusion in all Association activities, and more broadly to advocate for disability inclusion across responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Disability and Rehabilitation Director will support the Advocacy Director in advocating for safe and effective rehabilitation programmes.
(k) Communication and Social Media Director: The role of the Communication and Social Media Director will be to coordinate and advance the association’s communication and social media strategy. Social media includes public facing accounts (Twitter, Facebook page, Instagram). Communications includes website and communication strategies with key stakeholders. The Communication and Social Media Director will work with the Advocacy Director and Chair in effectively communicating with key stakeholders. The Communications and Social Media Director will work with the Peer Support Director in coordinating peer support channels.
(l) Open Executive Members: The role of Open Executive Members is for up to 4 members with episodic disability and fluctuating health challenges, to collectively represent a diverse range of topics relevant to the Association’s membership. The role is flexible, with no time or role commitments, and supported by all executive board members.
12. An annual general meeting (AGM) will take place in November yearly, to coincide with the creation of the association in November 2020. The AGM will inform members of the association’s work, objectives and intentions. The AGM will be an opportunity to involve members in celebrating the achievements of the Association. The AGM will be the location for executive board elections. Elections will pass by majority. The quorum is 30% of membership, being the minimum number of members required to be in attendance to elect the executive board, and vote on decisions such as constitution change. Members will be notified of the date, time and location of the AGM via Association social media channels, with 4 weeks’ notice. The maximum time between AGMs is 15 months. Items for discussion can be submitted by members up to 24 hours in advance of the AGM. Executive board nominations will be conducted through the Secretary.
13. Executive board meetings will take place every 2 months by Zoom.
14. General meetings for full membership participation will take place annually, 6 months after the AGM. General meetings can vote on decisions and update membership on actions.
15. Special general meetings can be called for urgent matters of interest, such as amendment to the constitution, executive board, Association objectives, or dissemination of vital information. Members will be notified with 1 weeks’ notice via social media channels.
16. Changes to the constitution require membership voting at the AGM or special general meeting. As with all votes and elections, majority passes, with quorum 30% membership.
17. Dissolution of the Association can be called by unanimous request of the executive board, and requires membership voting at AGM or special general meeting.
18. The Association is a voluntary, non-profit-making organisation and not a private business. The Association is one which is not driven by profit, but by dedication to the Association’s objectives, values and principles. Any and all income beyond what it takes to run the Association, will be targeted towards Association objectives, values and principles.
19. The Association’s values and principles include: collaboration, partnership, evidence informed approaches, non-discrimination, inclusion, and meaningful engagement of communities living with and affected by Long COVID.
This constitution was first published 17th June 2021 and amended 6th March 2022 with the introduction of items 18 and 19.
Date Last Revised: 6th March 2022