The College has now launched elections for five seats on the RCOG Council. Eligible members are invited to submit their election nominations by midday on Monday 15 April 2024.
To help us make the best decisions that work for the benefit of our members and the quality of maternity and gynaecological care in the UK and around the world, we need a wide range of skills, experience and knowledge within our Council.
The RCOG’s Council consists of 33 elected Fellow and Member Representatives from all of the UK, ROI regional constituencies, as well as our international regions. Each Council member plays a key role in the development and implementation of our policy and strategy, contributes to our work and represents the views of their constituents.
Working with Officers, Trustees and Council colleagues, and supported by our dedicated and expert staff, these roles will put you at the heart of the College offering you the opportunity to influence local, national and international policy.
To be truly democratic, we need to be representative of all the communities and constituencies we represent. We value diversity and recognise how important it is that our Council reflects both the diverse specialty of our members as well as the populations they serve. As an inclusive organisation, our members’ participation is essential; it helps us to remain relevant to our membership and the women we serve.
We currently have five vacancies for the following representative seats. Members belonging to the named constituencies and who fulfil the College’s eligibility criteria (detailed below) are invited to stand for election.
|
Constituency |
Current vacancies for Members |
|
London: North, Central, East and North West |
1 |
|
Northern, Yorkshire and Humber |
1 |
|
Thames Valley and Wessex |
1 |
|
Ireland – Northern Ireland* |
1 |
|
Wales |
1 |
*In accordance with the RCOG Regulations, the Member to represent Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland shall be elected on rotation by Members in Ireland (NI and RoI).
Eligibility
RCOG Members standing for election to Council as a UK/ROI Members’ Regional Representative must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- To be a Member of the College, whose main or principal appointment is in the same constituency as the vacancy for which they are applying
- To be in active practice, up to and including the date of installation of new Council representatives
- To be up to date with their RCOG membership subscription
- To be nominated in writing by three Members of the same constituency, all of whom must be up to date with their membership subscription
Please note that a person may only be nominated as a candidate for one constituency in any one year.
Role description
The role description includes information about the responsibilities, time commitment and eligibility of RCOG Council members.
- Regional Council Member role description
You can read more about the RCOG Council, including terms of reference and meeting dates. Please also see the RCOG Regulations, which guide the governance, management and business arrangements of the College.
All members of Council undertake to abide by the RCOG Code of Conduct.
Why stand for Council
Being a member of Council is a wonderful opportunity to get involved with a wide range of projects across the RCOG, and to ensure your colleagues’ voices are represented in the College’s decisions.
You can read about the experiences of past RCOG Council member Tim Overton in our blog here, where he talks about his time on Council, why he joined, what he learned and how it benefited him.
Some Council members have also shared their experiences of being on Council, which we hope will inspire you to put yourself forward:
"Being on Council is an opportunity to use one’s skills and experiences to support women’s health and at the same time seeing the positive impact on one’s personal and professional development. No matter what your passion is in women’s health, the College provides us with the opportunity to make a difference and improve women’s and girls’ health."
"I’m proud to be part of the College and am on Council because it’s important that the College keeps evolving to be the best resource possible for all of us. I also get to network with inspirational colleagues from around the country."
"The College has formed a big part of my career. Being a member gave me opportunities, progression in the specialty, continuous professional development and guidelines. I felt that the time has come to give something back to my College."
"Council is an opportunity to discuss key topics relevant to the specialty as well as understand the work of the RCOG throughout the world. I enjoy meeting collegues from the UK as well as abroad and understanding the challenges faced in different environments."
"I have enjoyed learning from others through shared experiences. The opportunity to talk to colleagues is an informal way to explore ways to develop services and understand how they manage the same challenges you face. You will make friends and gain opportunities, which will create valuable memories."
"Being involved in admission ceremonies and seeing the happiness and hopes of the new Members who will secure the future of this College and the specialty is a heart-warming experience."
How to apply
Candidates for these vacancies must email their completed nomination to RCOGelections@RCOG.ORG.UK by 12pm on Monday 15 April 2024.
To request a nomination form, please email RCOGelections@RCOG.ORG.UK including your name and RCOG membership number.
The documents required are as follows:
- Candidate nomination form
- Declaration of interests and good standing
- Curriculum vitae form
- Photograph
Please note that late and/or incomplete submissions will not be accepted.
Voting process
The ballots will be circulated electronically by CES (Civica Election Services) according to the timeline below to:
- All Members (MRCOG) in London North, Central, East and North West
- All Members (MRCOG) in Northern, Yorkshire and Humber
- All Members (MRCOG) in Thames Valley and Wessex
- All Members (MRCOG) in Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland
- All Members (MRCOG) in Wales
Please note that the email containing ballot information will be circulated by CES and not via an RCOG email address.
Only those ballot papers from Members who are up to date or exempt from paying subscriptions will be included in the election process.
The elections are held using the single transferable vote (STV) system.
Please note no Member (MRCOG) may canvass for election to Council other than through the nomination form approved by Council.
The RCOG Chief Executive is the Returning Officer and has ultimate responsibility for the Council election process.
Timetable
| 12pm UK time on Monday 15 April 2024 | Closing date for receipt of nominations |
| Tuesday 28 May 2024 | Ballots circulated by CES |
| Thursday 27 June 2024 | Closing date for receipt of ballots |
| Thursday 4 July 2024 | Votes counted by CES |
| Friday 5 July 2024 | Results announced and new members take office |
| Thursday 5 September 2024 | Induction for new Council members |
| Friday 13 September 2024 | Attendance at first Council meeting |
Contact us
If you have any questions about the process, please contact:
- Email: rcogelections@rcog.org.uk
- Tel: +44 20 7772 6345
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
The RCOG Regulations Section 1.1 state that “Active Practice” in respect of a Fellow or Member, she or he:
- has a valid licence to practise as a medical practitioner from the UK General Medical Council or the Medical Council of Ireland (or any statutory successor to such bodies); and
- is engaged as a medical practitioner in the UK or the Republic of Ireland in the practice of obstetrics and/or gynaecology for which a licence to practice is required in terms of (i) above; and
- is not in arrears with her or his subscription to the College
A person shall only be eligible to be a candidate for an Elected member if she or he is in Active Practice throughout the period from the date of her or his nomination to the date of taking office.
Members:
RCOG Regulations state that any Member elected to Council shall serve a term of four years in office. After this, the Member is not eligible for re-election to Council unless they become a Fellow of the College, at which point they are eligible to be elected as a Fellow representative.
Fellows:
Fellows elected to Council serve a three-year term in office. After this term, they may stand for re-election as a Fellow for one further term of three years.
Officers:
Officers retiring from Council are eligible to stand for election as a Member or Fellow representative, but only after three years have elapsed from the end of their Officer term.