Editorial Board (Clinical Oncology Journal)

Introduction

The College Regulations state:

• "Each Faculty shall appoint an Editorial Board for the management of the Journal produced by the Faculty as a Journal of the College."
• "The constitution and regulation of the Editorial Board of each Faculty, and appointments to the Editorial Board and termination of such appointments shall be at the discretion of the Board of the Faculty."

These terms of reference set out the constitution and regulation of the Clinical Oncology Editorial Board as established by the Board of the Faculty of Clinical Oncology.

Terms of Reference for the Clinical Oncology Editorial Board

1. To ensure that Clinical Oncology maintains its reputation as an independent source of high quality information for members and Fellows of the RCR.
2. To ensure the highest standards of peer review, in line with the current guidelines from relevant bodies (eg, COPE - the Committee on Publication Ethics Ethics and ICMJE – the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors) and in accordance with the policy of the Journal.
3. To commission new material, including review articles, commentaries and editorials in accordance with agreed policy.
4. To define, refine and implement the Journal’s ethical standards, including the principle of Editorial independence.
5. To supply and discuss innovative ideas for the development of Clinical Oncology and ensure that the Journal is of high quality and is developed to the benefit of the College’s members and Fellows.
6. To contribute to the ongoing development of efficient procedures for the peer review and approval processes and for the presentation of clear instructions to any author wishing to submit material to the Journal.
7. To participate in the agreed arrangements for awards and prizes: currently the Frank Ellis Medal and the Early Career investigator Award.
8. To receive and discuss reports from the publishers.
9. To make available clear instructions to any author wishing to submit material to the Journal.
10. To have in place a mechanism to deal promptly with author grievances as/if they arise.
11. To keep the Journal under review.
12. The Clinical Oncology Editorial Board is accountable to the Clinical Oncology Faculty Board.
13. The Editorial Board will report regularly through the Editor (see 22 below) to the Clinical Oncology Faculty Board on its work and will keep the terms of reference under review.

Membership of the Clinical Oncology Editorial Board

14. All members will be appointed by the Editor, following open announcement of vacancies.
15. The number of appointed members will be determined by the Editor in consultation with the Dean, in order to provide suitable representation for the purposes of peer review.
16. Members usually serve for terms of four years, renewable for a further period as required by the Editor to ensure suitable expertise.
17. The membership should where possible reflect the ethnic diversity of the profession, the geographical spread of members and the range of interests of clinical oncologists and closely aligned professions.
18. Members must abide by any stated or implied confidentiality that attaches to the work of the Editorial Board during or after any period of membership.
19. Members must comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 2018 as regards processing and disclosure of any personal data where it is made available to them as part of the work of the Editorial Board.
20. Ex-officio members will be: the President, the Treasurer and all Clinical Oncology Officers.

The Editor

21. The Regulations state (By-Law 28):

• “The Editor of the Journal produced by each Faculty shall be appointed from among Fellows on the roll of the Faculty resident in the United Kingdom in accordance with the procedure and for the term decided by the Board of the Faculty.
• Each Editor shall be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Journal and its publication at such intervals, under such title as may be prescribed by the Council and in accordance with the policy of the Council.
• Each Editor shall ensure that the Journal produced by his Faculty is sent to all members of the Faculty upon such terms as to payment or otherwise as the Council may from time to time prescribe.
• Each Editor shall report the proceedings of his Editorial Board promptly to the Board of the relevant Faculty."

22. The duties of the Editor are:

• To implement the terms of reference and ensure they are observed.
• To be responsible for the editorial control and scientific quality of Clinical Oncologyincluding soliciting, scientific editing and co-ordination of referring and submissions:
  - To oversee the timely publication of Clinical Oncology and to ensure that the content is relevant to clinical oncologists and in line with the educational aims of the College.
  - To ensure a high standard of peer review, commission new material with the help of the Editorial Board, including review articles, commentaries and editorials.
  - To define and refine the Journal’s ethical standards, including the principle of editorial independence.
  - To oversee the correction publisher’s proofs to an agreed timetable.
• To work with the Editorial Office to maintain high standards of editorial processing to ensure that all material submitted to Clinical Oncology is dealt with in a timely manner.
• To make available clear instructions to any author wishing to submit material to the Journal.
• To have in place a mechanism to deal promptly with author grievances as/if they arise.
• To liaise with the publishers of the Journal.
• To liaise regularly with the RCR Faculty Board on its aims and objectives and any implications for the Journal.
• To appoint in consultation with the Dean, Clinical Oncology representative Editorial Board capable of maintaining the highest peer review standards in accordance with the terms of reference.
• To chair all meetings of the Editorial Board.
• To engage all board members in the work of the Editorial Board.
• To provide a forum for members of the Editorial Board to supply and discuss innovative ideas for the development of Clinical Oncology.
• To review the work of the Editorial Board, and the terms of reference at least once during the term of office and make any recommendations arising from the review to the Dean, Clinical Oncology.
• Where a member fails to be active or fails to attend meetings, that member should be invited to vacate his or her place.
• To ensure regular reports are made to the Faculty Board, providing a written report for each meeting and attending in person at least one meeting of the Board each year.
• To ensure that relevant matters are drawn to the attention of the Dean, Clinical Oncology, another Clinical Oncology Officer, the Faculty Board or the Clinical Oncology Officers’ Group as appropriate.

23. The initial term of office of the Editor is four years, renewable thereafter by mutual agreement, to run from the start of the College year in the year of appointment.

The Appointment of the Editor

24. The procedure for appointing the Editor is established by the Board of the Faculty of Clinical Oncology.

Assistant and Deputy Editors

25. Assistant Editors refers to Educational Editors, Editorials Editors, Podcast Editors and Engagement and Social Media Editors. 
26. Deputy Editors include the Special Issues Editor and Editorials Editor.
27.The Editor shall advertise openly for Assistant Editors from amongst the members of the RCR.
28. The Assistant Editors will provide assistance to the Editor in the day-to-day management ofClinical Oncology, and will be allocated specific responsibilities.
29. The Editor will determine the number of Assistant Editors required at any given time for the successful conduct of Clinical Oncology.
30. The Deputy Editors will provide cover for the Editor during any absences by prior agreement.
31. In the absence of the Editor at a particular meeting, the chair of the meeting will be elected from those Deputy Editors present.

Operation of the Clinical Oncology Editorial Board

32. There will normally be up to two meetings in each College year.
33. The quorum shall be not less than three appointed members (that is any member of the Editorial Board - this does not include attendees representing the RCR, editorial office or publisher).
34. The Editorial Board will not express any opinion or make any statement purporting to be the view of the College publicly or to the media without first consulting and agreeing the approach with the Dean, Clinical Oncology.
35. The Editorial Board will not send representatives to other bodies or meetings on behalf of the College unless that has been agreed in advance with the Dean, Clinical Oncology.
36. Members should advise the Editor of any significant conflict of interest.

Agreed by the Editorial Board: 24 May 2007
Approved by the Board of the Faculty of Clinical Oncology: 15 June 2007
Updates approved by the Board of the Faculty of Clinical Oncology: 13 May 2021.