BGS Vice President Education and Training: self-nominations sought

The Vice President Education and Training plays a vital role within the British Geriatrics Society, leading its work on education and professional development. The BGS delivers a wide programme of educational meetings and webinars, and is the key place for all those with an interest in older people’s healthcare to come for learning opportunities and information. The provision of education and professional development is a core strategic objective for the BGS and is highly valued by its members.

The VP Education and Training chairs the Education and Training Committee (ETC), setting and delivering a workplan, in line with the BGS’s Strategic Plan and its overall mission of improving healthcare for older people. Responsibilities for different parts of the workplan are shared out between Committee members according to interest and experience.

The VP Education and Training works closely with the Director of Learning and Professional Development, who is the staff member responsible for the BGS’s meetings and events and its overall portfolio of educational offerings. The VP ensures the quality and relevance of content for the two BGS national meetings held each year, chairing the Meetings sub-committee.

The VP contributes to the overall governance and strategic direction of the BGS. Although they attend Board meetings, they are not a charity trustee.

This is a great opportunity to take on a strategic role in the BGS, developing your skills in leadership, communication and influencing and giving you an overview of geriatric medicine training and education for wider professions delivering healthcare for older people. It would provide an ideal springboard into other national roles in education and professional development. The job has a wide span, so it is important that you feel comfortable delegating work to others and prioritising from among the many opportunities the BGS could pursue.

The post has become vacant as the current incumbent, Dr Adrian Blundell, has had to step down early.

You are…

  • An experienced geriatrician or senior health professional and a member of the BGS
  • Able to think strategically about the BGS’s role in providing educational opportunities and influencing the training of those involved in older people’s healthcare, so that the workforce is appropriately skilled, and individuals develop their capabilities over time.
  • Someone with experience of training programmes within the NHS and familiarity with the medical trainee curriculum
  • Interested in further developing the BGS’s educational offer, including expanding its e-learning offer and qualifications such as the Diploma in Geriatric Medicine
  • Comfortable chairing meetings and drawing on the skills and experience of different professions
  • Keen to take on a leadership role in the BGS and contribute to its mission.

Through this role, you will be able to...

  • Influence the quality, relevance and accessibility of training in older people’s healthcare provided to doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and other healthcare professionals working in different care settings across the four nations
  • Contribute to national curricula and competency frameworks
  • Oversee the content, quality and design of BGS scientific meetings, ensuring these meet the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) needs of BGS members and cover the core curriculum on a rolling basis
  • Engage with Training Programme Directors and fellow educators to improve the educational experience of medical trainees
  • Influence the provision of education and training for non-specialists to ensure the wider workforce are equipped to care for older people living with frailty and other conditions of older age
  • Gain experience chairing the BGS Education and Training Committee and its sub-committees and acting as a Board member of the BGS

Duties

Job Purpose

  • To raise standards in education and training of doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and other healthcare professionals engaged in the care of older people
  • To facilitate the successful participation and CPD of multidisciplinary professionals working in older people’s healthcare, through the BGS’s programme of scientific meetings and its other learning opportunities.
  • To undertake strategic oversight and development of BGS’s education, training, CPD and learning outputs as a whole, ensuring quality, relevance, accessibility, sustainability and value to BGS members.
  • To advise on and support training in Geriatric Medicine at all levels, including undergraduate, foundation level, Internal Medicine Stage 1 training level, Speciality and Internal Medicine Stage 2 training level, training of other specialty STR trainees in important aspects of care of older people, GP trainees; and to monitor and support the implementation of the new curriculum.
  • To work with the VP Workforce to promote and facilitate professional development for newer roles such as advanced clinical practitioners, physician associates etc and to highlight alternative career pathways e.g. SAS doctors and the Portfolio Pathway route, interface roles etc.
  • To work with the CEO and Director of Learning and Professional Development to balance learning opportunities with the need for financial viability in relation to meetings, e-learning, online courses and learning products; and to help position the BGS as the go-to place for education on all aspects of older people’s healthcare.
  • To evolve the BGS learning offer and education strategy to support flexible and blended learning in accessible, digital forms, working with other education providers as relevant, including through possible expansion of the Diploma in Geriatric Medicine (DGM) and the Specialty Certificate of Education (SCE), and partnership opportunities.
  • To be the BGS’s representative with key education bodies such as NHS England (and the former Health Education England) and equivalent bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Specialty Advisory Committee (which meets on the same day as the BGS Education and Training Committee), the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, and others as arising.
  • To contribute to the BGS Board and the strategic direction of the BGS as the person overseeing the key member benefit of professional development opportunities and the delivery of a third of BGS’s annual income.

Term

The Vice President Education and Training will serve for three years, taking office on the date of appointment. This is a voluntary, unpaid role, although travel costs and other expenses will be covered (in accordance with the BGS expenses policy). You will receive free attendance at the two BGS national meeting each year.

Time Commitment

The VP Education and Training attends

  • Education and Training Committee (4 meetings a year, chaired by the VP; 3 held virtually)
  • Meetings Committee (4 meetings a year; 2 in person at the Spring and Autumn Meetings, the rest virtual)
  • BGS Trustee Board (attending at least 2 of the 4 meetings a year; 2/3 in person including an awayday in July)
  • RCP/BGS officer meetings (2 meetings a year, held virtually)

The time commitment will not normally exceed 2.5 days per month, but this can be spread unevenly. It is not expected the VP Education and Training will attend all the Board and RCP meetings.

How To Apply

Please send a short CV or career summary with a statement of no more than 300 words, setting out how you would approach the role. The closing date is 31 July 2024 (5.00 pm.) and your application should be sent to Mark Stewart m [dot] stewart [at] bgsorg [dot] uk. Interviews are likely to be held on 22 August (to be confirmed).

If you would like to discuss the role, please contact Mark Stewart, who will put you in touch with the BGS CEO, Sarah Mistry, or the current VP Education and Training, Dr Adrian Blundell.