UKIHMA Member Code of Conduct

Welcome to UKIHMA

We are delighted that you have chosen to join or renew your membership with UKIHMA. We are a membership trade organisation established to offer UK healthcare expertise to international clients and our aim is to ensure that you regularly receive communication regarding potential commercial opportunities.

Our diverse membership base means that we can tailor our advice and support for each individual client, creating consortia of our members, where required.

We have set out the expectations of each UKIHMA member in this Code of Conduct in order that all our members can be assured of the integrity of their fellow members and that we demonstrate a high standard of business conduct to our international partners.

Declaration of Interests

Many of our members are already active in international markets and it is therefore important that there is transparency in the declaration of any interests in specific opportunities.

We ask that all our members declare if they:

1. Have secured the specific opportunity that is under discussion
2. Have worked previously with the potential client
3. Are in a competitor bid to the potential client.

Members are asked to notify the UKIHMA Membership Manager of any of these by e mailing membership@ukihma.co.uk

Confidentiality

As all opportunities are commercially sensitive, we ask our members to respect the confidential nature of the information they may receive and not to divulge this to a third party. Once an opportunity is being actively progressed, it may be that individual members are required to sign a Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA).

Equality and Diversity

UKIHMA is committed to equality and diversity, both in terms of its governing body and its membership.

Members are required to be respectful to all other members and clients irrespective of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious belief or disability.

UKIHMA is also committed to full compliance with the Modern Slavery Act (2015).

Legal Considerations

All members must act in accordance with the law within the country where business is being undertaken as well as elements of UK law that apply internationally (such as anti-bribery and money laundering) and abiding by UKIHMAs constitution.

Ethical Considerations

All UKIHMA business activity should be undertaken with full consideration of ethical issues in relation to the country and client involved as well as those of the UK. Guidance relating to international sanctions will be fully taken into account.

Professional Conduct

When conducting business under UKIHMA, all members should identify that they are a member of UKIHMA and should not do anything that would misrepresent UKIHMA or bring it into disrepute.

All members should act professionally and with integrity and should conduct their business in an honest and honourable way.

When submitting bid proposals, UKIHMA members must respond honestly, only submitting information that is factual and true.

Financial

Membership fees should be paid within 30 working days of receipt of an invoice. The fee covers a 12 month membership commencing when the individual members joins UKIHMA. A flexible payment plan for membership fees is available.

Each member will be notified in writing by the Membership Manager 3 months before the end of their annual membership. Should a member wish to cancel their membership, they should notify the Membership Manager by e mail, giving 30 days notice.

UKIHMA Commission

As part of the commitment to UKIHMA’s sustainability and to enable the funding of new trade activities for our members, there is a requirement on all individual members who secure new international trade opportunities from a UKIHMA sourced lead or support to pay commission on the contract value against an invoice from UKIHMA. This will be calculated according to the contract value to the individual member as shown (payable + VAT when the client pays the member):

Contract Value to individual UKIHMA Member	% commission paid by individual UKIHMA Member
Up to £1 million	1%
Between £1-5 million	0.75%
Over £5 million	0.5%

Forming Consortia

If a consortium is required to bid for an opportunity, the group of interested members involved will collectively decide on a consortium lead.

If there is more than one organisation offering to provide the same service to a client, a meeting of consortium group members will be held to discuss any offer duplication or conflicts of interest. After due consideration, the consortium members will select the most appropriate member for that particular opportunity. While UKIHMA cannot prevent any organisation or group of organisations bidding to avoid competition between UKIHMA branded entries, only one UKIHMA branded response per opportunity will be allowed. Any dispute regarding this will be referred to the UKIHMA Co-Chairs and Board of Directors for arbitration and resolution.

Withdrawal from an Opportunity

In cases where a member wishes to withdraw mid way through a consortium bid, they are required to inform other consortium members as well as submitting in writing the reasons for this to the UKIHMA Co Chairs.

Breach of Code of Conduct

If a member is considered to be in breach of the UKIHMA Code of Conduct, the matter will be referred to the Co Chairs and Board of Directors for due consideration and this may result in their membership being temporarily suspended or permanently terminated.