to the RCP London

In the November issue of the newsletter, we published guidelines set down by the College regarding regional specialty advisors (RSA) to the RCP London.

There are however, a number of specific points to be made, and some BGS internal issues to be addressed.

These recommendations supersede the November Newsletter in that it had initially been thought that the regional officers could select whom they considered to be the most suitable person for the nomination as an RSA, but it is now apparent that this did not meet with the wishes of many members and hence the system set out in this article should now be the norm.

1. The term of office prescribed by the College for an RSA, be it Service or Training, is three years. It has been drawn to our notice that there are several regions where the incumbent has served substantially longer, with no new mandate. The regions concerned are therefore invited to go through a formal process of either appointing a new RSA or re-appointing the existing RSA, at the earliest opportunity. Where by due process an RSA is re-elected to serve a further term, a total of six years (two terms) is considered to be the maximum period anyone should hold office.

2. Whilst it is the College that invites the Society on behalf of the specialty of geriatric medicine to nominate potential advisers, the Society’s regions are free to recommend to the College that, because of the workload in the region, there should be a Service and a Training Adviser and accordingly, to nominate two RSAs (Service and Training), unless of course, this is already the case.

3. In the past the Society has left it entirely to the Regions as to how they chose their nominees. However, the time has come to provide for continuity across the country and with this in mind, Regions are asked to adhere to the procedure set out in the recommendations below.

4. Appreciating the difference between RSA Service and RSA Training: there are important nuances that have to be taken into account when appointing an RSA.

RSA Training, and RSA Service & Training - combined role. Where the RSA is solely concerned with training, or will fulfil the combined role of both service and training, the finall appointment is made by the College in consultation with the regional Postgraduate Dean. It therefore behoves the Society’s regional officers to discuss any candidates put forward by the membership with the PGD to ensure that the person/s concerned are suitably qualified, before proceeding to a ballot and making a nomination to College, i.e. it is preferable for the Society to make a nomination that has the support of the PGD. Whilst it is possible that there may be physicians who are not members of the Society who are able to fulfil the training aspects of the role, we understand that the College would feel more comfortable with an RSA who can speak with the authority of the Specialist Society, i.e. a member of the Society.

Where with RSA is solely concerned with Service, it is the College’s expressed hope (cited in their guidelines) that the RSA ‘will be the same person as the Specialist Society’s representative’; if it transpired that the appointed individual was not a member of the Society, the College would expect the Society to elect its own local representative, and in this less than ideal situation, the two service representatives would need to work closely together. Anyone serving as an RCP RSA must belong to the College as a collegiate member, affiliate or Fellow.

Richard Lynham
Administrative Director

Recommended Procedure for nominating RSAs

The regions must every three years advertise the intention to nominate replacements for the incumbent RSAs; this can be locally or through the BGS Newsletter. The call for nominations should give members in the Region four weeks notice to submit recommendations. Recommendations can only be made with the consent of the candidate.

• Where there is more than one recommendation a ballot must be held to select the final person of choice. Any proposals for an RSA Training or RSA Service & Training should, as explained above, be discussed with the regional PGD, before proceeding to a ballot. The ballot may be effected by post or at a regional meeting; if the ballot is held at a regional meeting, all members of the Region must have due notice of the meeting and the intention to hold the ballot at the meeting. The ballot paper should provide for a transferable vote, i.e. where there are more than two candidates, the electors must be asked to express a first and second choice. In the event of a tie, there will be a recount based on the second choices. In the event that there is still a tie between two or more persons, the regional chairman shall have a second or casting vote.
• It is recommended that the members of the Region be informed of the role of the RSAs so that they can exercise their judgement in nominating or support a candidate.
• Where the nomination of an RSA is one requiring consultation with the PGD, and in the hopefully unlikely event that no consensus can be reached locally, the matter should be referred to the Registrar at the College, copied to the BGS office, and arrangements will be made to discuss the matter with the Registrar at a meeting of the Joint BGS/RCP Geriatrics Committee.
• It has to be stressed that the final appointments are made by the College.