Dr Ruth Law
I am standing for the post of President Elect as it brings together my love of the specialty and my skills in leadership, influencing and teamwork with my significant experience of the BGS. I understand the challenges you are facing on the ground and will continue to speak up for you as President Elect.
I am a clinically practising geriatrician and past Vice President for Policy of The British Geriatrics Society. I work across the patient pathway in multidisciplinary teams in both community and acute settings and am actively involved in service redevelopment based across this interface. I am an experienced and resilient systems leader and have held additional national roles at The Royal College of Physicians most recently in governance and education as an RCP Censor. I am currently Associate Medical Director for Quality and Clinical Effectiveness at my Trust.
I am well respected both on the shop floor and at the top table and can bring my lived clinical experience to leverage change at the highest level in the following way:
Representation: I have the advocacy skills needed to speak up loudly for our patients and profession.
During my time as Vice President, I supported the publication of the landmark frailty blueprint ‘Joining the Dots’, facilitated at BGS round-table events alongside senior NHS England representatives and third sector colleagues, and advised the National Audit Office on frailty publications. In this role I advocated at national governmental level, gave evidence at Select Committees and to the House of Lords commission into end of life care, attended lobbying events on corridor care, and participated at party conferences. I am known for consistently bringing the voice of the geriatrician into the generalist space at RCP and beyond: in policy conversations, research opportunities, workforce planning and education.
Collaboration: I am a collaborative and inclusive leader who actively listens and ensures all views are represented.
I work daily with an MDT and local GPs, and believe that we are stronger as a profession when we work together. I have built an extensive network of colleagues across neighbouring organisations such as the Royal Colleges through my leadership work to date. Key strategic partnerships are essential for successful advocacy and I would continue to develop these as President Elect. Thanks to my previous roles, I have a clear understanding of the processes that keep the BGS running and will work effectively with the incoming President to deliver the BGS Strategy. I supervise trainees of all disciplines daily, and understand the workforce, training and development needs of our profession at each career stage through national level experience of the delivery of educational pathways. I will work to ensure that BGS continues to be a leader in frailty education for all clinicians working with older people.
Celebration: Understanding the value we add as specialists in older people’s care should be something we celebrate
Finally, as BGS approaches its 80th anniversary this is the perfect opportunity to look to the future through our new strategy, without losing sight of the rich heritage our speciality already has. I am someone who appreciates the core values at the heart of geriatric medicine and practice, but is able to incorporate the potential of new ways of working and bring people with me. If elected, I will be a strong and optimistic advocate for older people through policy and influencing, as well as for the healthcare workforce at all stages of career and across the four nations. There is so much to celebrate about our profession- and I look forward to bringing my positive energy to the role.
