Self-nominations sought for Co-Chairs of the BGS Community and Primary Care Group

The BGS is a multidisciplinary Society, welcoming as members healthcare professionals working with older people from across community, primary and acute care. We are delighted to launch a new Community and Primary Care Group in April 2022, formed from a merger of the former BGS GeriGPs Group and Community Geriatrics SIG. We are now recruiting two Co-Chairs to lead the work of the Community and Primary Care Group (CPCG) and its committee.

Roles and responsibilities

This is a fantastic opportunity to shape the work of the new group and ensure that it influences the quality of healthcare available to older people in community and primary care settings, whether at home, in care homes or in other community settings such as community hospitals.
 
The coming-together of the two existing groups at the BGS provides the chance to strengthen our multidisciplinary collaboration and voice - arguing for better services and more resources to go into care closer to home. The BGS Trustee Board approved the formation of the new Group in January 2022 and the plan is to launch the Group at the BGS Spring Meeting in April 2022. We are keen to have representation from both community and primary care, hence the Co-Chair arrangement. We will undertake recruitment of the Co-Chairs first, and then, with their help, invite applications for the Committee.
 
Please read the full proposal for setting up the Community and Primary Care Group and the terms of reference as background.
 
This is a great opportunity to take on a leadership role at the BGS with access to senior leaders in the NHS and the opportunity to influence the design and implementation of NHS programmes and services delivered outside acute care. We encourage former members of the committees of the GeriGPs Group and the Community Geriatrics SIG to apply. Ideally one Co-Chair will be a healthcare professional working in community care and the other will be a GP working in primary care, but this can be flexible. More important is enthusiasm, energy and the desire to make a difference to care for older people!

Responsibilities of the CPCG Co-Chairs

  • Chairing the CPCG committee meetings (four meetings a year)
  • Developing and delivering an annual workplan with the CPCG Committee in line with BGS strategic priorities
  • Providing input to the national BGS Spring and Autumn meetings, and to other educational events in order to raise awareness and educate on the vital role of community and primary care in the continuum of healthcare for older people
  • Enabling the input of healthcare professionals working in community and primary care into policy-making, helping to ensure frontline experience and community and primary care expertise inform BGS influencing and advocacy activities, particularly in relation to new and emerging NHS programmes
  • Contributing a community and primary care perspective through participating in BGS’s communications outputs; for example by blogging, creating or reviewing copy for the BGS website and other BGS publications, and ensuring members of the CPCG are kept up-to-date with developments.
  • Contributing to BGS policy submissions to external bodies; and encouraging CPCG members to offer examples and case studies to encourage good practice, e.g. in the development of virtual wards or Hospital at Home, urgent care services, improved healthcare for care home residents etc
  • Encouraging and supporting BGS members and others to join the CPCG, and to be active members of it.
  • Working with the BGS staff team to recruit to Committee posts and to support Committee members in undertaking their roles.
  • Serving as a member of the BGS Board (4 meetings per year). This involves working with the President, BGS Office Bearers, other trustees and the BGS staff to guide the strategic direction of the Society and provide governance. One of the Co-Chairs will sit on the Board, with the other acting as Deputy and attending Board meetings as needed in their absence. The CPCG Co-Chair will not be a charity trustee.

Representation at meetings: BGS CPCG Committee (4 x per year), BGS Board of Trustees (4 x per year for one Co-Chair), BGS conferences (2 x per year).

Time Commitment: approximately two hours a week, spread unevenly.

Terms: 3 years, from April 2022; voluntary unremunerated role but necessary expenses covered according to BGS Expenses Policy.

Accountability: The CPCG is accountable to the BGS Board and will provide regular updates on its activity to the Board.

How to apply

Self-nominations, in the form of a covering email and a short 250-word statement on how you would approach the role and your suitability for the position should be sent to Joanna Gough at j.gough@bgs.org.uk by 28 February 2022. Informal interviews will be held in the week of 7 March 2022.
 
If you would like to learn more about the Co-Chair roles, do take up the offer of an informal discussion ahead of application with Sarah Mistry (BGS CEO). Please contact Joanna Gough to arrange this (j.gough@bgs.org.uk).