Vacancies: Chair and Deputy Chair of the BGS Nurse and AHP Council

The BGS is a multidisciplinary Society, welcoming all healthcare professionals working with older people across health and social care as members. Membership of the BGS Nurses and Allied Health Professionals (NAHP) Council currently stands at over 900. 

The NAHP Council acts as a forum for the engagement and participation of Nurses and AHPs in the Society’s mission to improve healthcare for older people. The BGS values participation from different professions, from the four nations of the UK and from different care settings. These diverse perspectives inform its strategic objectives of improving clinical quality, research, education and training, and policy; and its support for members.  

We are now recruiting a Chair and Deputy Chair to lead the work of the NAHP Council and its committee.  

Roles and responsibilities

The Chair and the Deputy Chair of the NAHP Council lead an enthusiastic and proactive group through the Council committee. This involves planning agendas, coordinating with BGS staff on meeting arrangements, liaising with key organisations, ensuring our professional voices are heard in discussions relating to current issues and policy relating to older people’s heath and social care, delegating tasks to office-bearers and committee members and overseeing follow-up outputs, promoting peer support and professional development opportunities for the wider council through the new communities of practice.

It is an exciting time to take on these leadership roles within the Society, given the importance of MDT working and policy developments relating to older adults in the NHS and social care.   There is considerable potential to contribute to the Society’s influence on NHS and social care policy, and to help shape better services for older people.

Responsibilities of the NAHP Council Chair

  • Chairing the NAHP Council committee meetings (four meetings a year)
  • Serving as a charity Trustee on the BGS Board of Trustees. 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
  • Developing and delivering an annual workplan with the NAHP Committee in line with BGS strategic priorities
  • Providing input to the national BGS Spring and Autumn meetings, both educational sessions and NAHP networking meetings; ensuring that the programmes for all BGS meetings are aimed at MDT working where applicable
  • Encouraging Nurse and AHPs to join the BGS and to be proactive members; acting as an ambassador to promote the BGS and its work
  • Maintaining communications with the Nurses and AHPs in the BGS with the assistance of other members of the NAHP Council and BGS staff, reporting on activities, projects and future plans of the Nurse and AHP Council via e-bulletins and website information.  Communicating NAHP related activity via the BGS newsletter and writing blogs.
  • Supporting Nurses and AHPs to be active members of the BGS through peer support, communities of practice, and encouragement to take on roles at local, regional and national level.
  • Representing the NAHP Council in stakeholder meetings as requested by senior BGS officers.

Representation at meetings: BGS NAHP Council Committee (4 x per year), BGS Board of Trustees (4 x per year), BGS conferences (2 x per year).
Time Commitment: Approximately two to three hours a week, spread unevenly.

Responsibilities of the NAHP Council Deputy Chair

  • Supporting the Chair to deliver the NAHP Council aims
  • Managing specific projects, as agreed with the NAHP Council Chair
  • Deputising for the Chair as required
  • Acting as an ambassador and promoting the work of the NAHP Council and the BGS
  • Responsible for Strategy and Support for the NAHP Council Communities of Practice.

Representation at meetings: BGS NAHP Council Committee (4 x per year) and BGS conferences (2 x per year).
Time Commitment: One to two hours a week, spread unevenly.

How to apply for either post

Self-nominations, in the form of a covering email and statement (500 words max) 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 Friday 26 May 2023 (midnight).

If you would like to learn more about the roles, do take up the offer of an informal discussion ahead of application with Esther Clift (current Chair) or Lyndsey Dunn (current Deputy Chair). Please contact Joanna Gough to arrange this j.gough@bgs.org.uk.

In the event that more than one candidate comes forward for either post, an election will be held in August/September 2023, with votes cast by members of the BGS Nurses and Allied Health Professionals Council.

The successful candidates will take up their roles after ratification at the BGS AGM in November 2023. The appointments will be for 2 years. The roles are unpaid. Reasonable expenses for travel will be reimbursed in accordance with BGS policy.

More information

Nurses are an essential element in older people's care

Nurse and AHPs Council

The BGS Nurse and Allied Health Professions (NAHPs) Council is a forum for the engagement and participation of Nurses and AHPs in the Society’s mission to improve healthcare for older people. The Council is committed to raising the voice of the individuals and the professions it represents.