Read the highlights of key issues discussed at the RACP Board meeting on 11 September 2020.
The Board held the:
- RACP Strategy Workshop
- RACP Strategic Risk Workshop
- Board meeting
Constitution Review – Outcome of initial consultations
An outline of the range of feedback from the initial consultations on the Constitution were provided to the Board. Members and committees sought more than 3 weeks to respond, which presents a challenge to develop the concepts for consideration at the 2021 Annual General Meeting. Directors noted the importance of gaining agreement of the membership on the structure.
The desired criteria and resultant governance model will require the consensus of a majority of members, via surveys or plebiscites to gain members’ views.
Indigenous Strategic Framework
The College needs to swiftly progress some identified priorities that are central to implementing the Indigenous Strategic Framework:
- Progression of the Indigenous Member video project, which supports the Framework’s workforce priority will elevate Indigenous voices and experiences within the College and strengthen ties between the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander and Maori Health Committees through sharing of lived experiences.
- Identification of Indigenous Members of the College, which is essential to grow the Indigenous physician workforce.
- Engage Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) as trans-Tasman experts in Indigenous medical education and strategy, seeking a long-term relationship.
- Guidelines for expression of Māori and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures across the 2 countries.
We noted that RACP may currently be more progressive than other Colleges.
Physician Health and Wellbeing Reference Group update
The Physician Health and Wellbeing Strategy is now operational.
Potential local, national and international partners and key stakeholders will promote the initiative in the workplace. The implementation of the Strategy leads to a natural conclusion of the Reference Group in October 2020.
The College partnered with the University of NSW and the Black Dog Institute to develop and deliver an online mental health training program to assist supervisors to gain knowledge and confidence regarding difficult conversations with trainees concerning mental health. This has been running from November 2019 to September 2020, with results scheduled to be available in October 2020.
The Board expressed its thanks to Dr Beata Byok and the Reference Group for their important work.
ATSM Service 2020 update and proposal for 2021
We considered issues with the delivery of the 2020 Advanced Training Selection and Matching (ATSM) service and asked that this be considered as part of the budget process for the 2021 financial year.
The service is stable with a sense of a greater demand. Directors noted the benefit the service offered trainees and considered how the College may afford to offer the service across specialities, considering the application of a fee for service to offset cost in 2022.
The Board resolved to:
- approve capping the 2021 ATSM service at 25 matches requiring funds of $325k to be committed in the 2021 operating budget
- request modelling be undertaken on an open access ATSM delivery model for commencement in 2022
- funding of $325k to be considered as part of the 2021 Budget process
Wiley Blackwell 2020 proposal
The Board approved a fixed price publishing fee proposal from Wiley for the Internal Medicine Journal and Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health.
While this committed us to only online publication of the journals, we noted it was consistent with our policies on climate change and saved the College $193k in publishing costs.
Financial reporting update
We noted the underspend on major projects. Some projects are not progressing to timelines due to COVID-19. Project costs will be reviewed as part of budget development and forward planning.
The Board accepted Management Reports for year to date 31 July 2020 and noted:
- a net surplus of $4.9m (2019 $7.8m)
- a net asset position of $105.5m (2019 $105m)
- the College has sufficient cash and other assets to pay its debts as and when they are due
ACNC