Nominations open: BGS President Elect (2024-26)

This is a crucial, honorary role at the highest level of the BGS. The post holder serves for two years as President-Elect, followed immediately by two further years as President. The precise responsibilities will be agreed between the new President-Elect and the President, and what follows is an outline of the role. As well as the duties outlined below, the President-Elect will be shadowing the President in preparation for her or his own term as President.

Term

The new President-Elect will take office at the BGS Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 15 November 2024.
 
She or he will serve as President-Elect for two years ending at the AGM in 2026, on which date s/he will succeed automatically to the post of President and serve for two years in that role.

Duties

  • Member and Vice-Chair of the BGS Trustee Board
  • Member of several BGS standing committees
  • Attends BGS at biannual national conferences, chairing sessions and introducing guest speakers
  • Member of the Age and Ageing Executive Committee
  • Represents the BGS at meetings of other professional organisations and government/NHS bodies as necessary
  • Deputises for the President at regional BGS meetings as necessary
  • Attends and possibly chairs any special working parties that may be set up
  • Represents the BGS on the RCP Medical Specialties Board
  • Provides guidance to the BGS Chief Executive and other staff when the President is not available.

Time involved

The overall time commitment is roughly half a day per week on average, but varies considerably from week to week, and includes the following regular meetings:
  • Trustee Board: four meetings a year, each usually lasting approx. 4.5 hours (with a full day awayday in July) – (currently 3 in person, 1 online)
  • Age and Ageing Executive Committee: four conference calls a year, lasting approx. 1.5 hours (online)
  • RCP/BGS liaison meetings: two/three per year lasting 2 hours (currently online)

Other work

The President-Elect may, in agreement with the President, use some time in the two years leading up to her/his presidency to plan future projects.

Workload of President

The President-Elect should be aware of the subsequent workload associated with the position of President:
  • Raising the profile of the BGS and enhancing its impact and influence; being the national figurehead of BGS
  • Advocating for high standards of healthcare for older people, and for the specialist professions delivering high-quality, person-centred care for older people
  • Working closely with, supporting, motivating and constructively challenging the Chief Executive, and leading on recruiting his/her successor
  • Representing the BGS at meetings of other professional organisations and government/NHS bodies as necessary
  • Leading, chairing and developing the Trustee Board in its governance and strategic leadership of the BGS
  • Actively promoting the BGS and the benefits of membership to all healthcare working with older people in different care settings across the four nations
  • Helping to formulate BGS policy on a wide range of issues, in line with the Strategic Plan agreed by the Trustee Board and the membership
  • Making addresses to, and chairing sessions at BGS conferences; chairing the BGS AGM and presiding at BGS Meeting dinners and at other events
  • Providing urgent responses to national political issues related to the health and wellbeing of older people
  • Acting as a spokesperson for the BGS in media and press interviews and articles
  • Signing off reports, position statements and press releases (in conjunction with the Honorary Secretary)
  • Charing the BGS/RCP liaison meetings three times a year
  • Communicating with the BGS membership by contributing a regular column to the two-monthly BGS newsletter, AGEnda, and short introductions to monthly e-bulletins.
The following may arise from time to time for both the President and President-Elect
  • Giving lectures/presentations on geriatric medicine and the care of older people in response to invitations from other professional organisations and representing the BGS at their meetings
  • Liaising with government departments, senior civil servants, ministers and NHS leaders on issues related to healthcare of older people
  • Liaising with other geriatrics societies
  • Liaising with the Royal Colleges in the UK
  • Liaising with other professional organisations such as the BMA
  • Liaising with voluntary sector organisations
  • Maintaining regular contact with BGS regions, nations and Special Interest Groups and with professional groups

Time commitment: President

It is difficult to predict, and work pressure ebbs and flows, but over the course of a year the role takes an average of at least one day a week, including responding to correspondence, emails etc., but with online meetings, occasional visits all round the UK and the odd one abroad. It is necessary to be contactable by the Chief Executive and Communications Manager even during the holiday periods in case any urgent issues arise.
 
The post provides substantial scope to influence the development of the BGS, the specialty and the care of older people.
 
The post of President-Elect, and in due course the post of President, does require a heavy commitment to the Society and will involve a considerable responsibility on top of clinical commitments. Successful presidents provide leadership for the BGS to achieve more impact, influence and member value; invest in building a mutually supportive relationship with their chief executive; have skills and experience as a good advocate, communicator, and strategist; are well organised, and are able to delegate and collaborate effectively.

Past President

The BGS Trustee Board has agreed that the President on completing two years in office may use the title ‘Past President BGS’ for a further period of two years and undertake specific representation or project tasks in agreement with the incoming President and the CEO.

Election process 2022

Self-nominations are invited for the post of President-Elect, who would take office on 15 November 2024.
 
Anyone considering self-nominating is welcome to discuss the role with the current President, Professor Adam Gordon, or the President-Elect, Professor Jugdeep Dhesi. This can be arranged by emailing the BGS Chief Executive, Sarah Mistry S [dot] Mistry [at] bgs [dot] org [dot] uk

Self-nominations procedure

Prospective candidates (who must be full members of the BGS) should self-nominate; there is no requirement to apply via your Region or Council. The self-nomination must be supported, in writing, by at least five other BGS members who are eligible to vote at an AGM of the Society.

How to self-nominate

The candidate must submit a statement of consent, in writing, to the effect that: "I, XX, do hereby consent that my name be put forward for nomination to the post of President-Elect of the British Geriatrics Society for the period 2024-2026". Candidates must also submit a statement supporting their nomination, not exceeding 400 words.
 
The statement of consent must be supported by statements of support from five other members of the BGS. These need to say: ‘I support XX’s nomination for the post of President-Elect of the BGS,” and should be accompanied by a recommendation of up to 250 words detailing why the candidate, in the view of the supporting member, would be an effective BGS President.
 
The self-nomination and five statements of support must be received by the Office and Business Manager, Mark Stewart, by email (M [dot] Stewart [at] bgs [dot] org [dot] uk) no later than midnight on 31 May 2024. Late or incomplete nominations will not be accepted. Your self-nomination will be acknowledged by midday the following day.
 
If only one self-nomination which fulfils the rules is received by the closing date and time, that candidate will be deemed to have been elected unopposed. If an election is to be held, we will notify candidates by the end of 1 June.

Election ballot

Should there be more than one nomination, a ballot of members will be held in June/July 2022.
 
If an election is to be held, all candidates will be encouraged to convert their written statement into a manifesto, not exceeding 400 words, together with a photograph, which will be published on the BGS website as part of the election process. They will also be invited to film a short video about what they would bring to the role. The manifesto and videos need to be completed by 28 June. Voting will open on 1 July and close on 28 July.