In 2021, following discussion at Council, a working party was set up to look at modernising the governance of The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) to ensure it was fit for the future. The working party looked at Charity Commission best practice, the structures in other membership organisations, including medical Royal Colleges, the skills and experience needed to run the RCR, and where responsibilities currently lay.
A proposal was agreed by Council in November 2021, which was then introduced and discussed at our annual general meeting (AGM) on 24 November 2022.
Member vote 2023
The member vote on these proposed changes will take place in Spring 2023, once discussions with the Privy Council are finalised. While Privy Council are happy with the overall principle of the proposals, there are still some matters of detail which need to be given more time to consider. We want to ensure that we get this important work right and to work with Privy Council so that the proposal we put to our Fellows and members is one that has been fully endorsed by Privy Council.
Over the last few months, we’ve been providing updates on how we’re evolving the way our governance works to be more modern and transparent – and ready for the future. This is critical to how we run, how effectively we can make decisions and how agile we can be in responding quickly and decisively to issues that matter most to our Fellows and members.
It’s important that our Fellows and members have their say about how the RCR is run and we will continue to provide updates about how members will be able to cast their vote shortly.
Current structure
Currently, Council comprises the Trustee Board of the RCR, with 18 members and a number of other attendees. Eight of these members are the Officers of the RCR. Best practice says that to run an organisation effectively, the Board should be no larger than 12. Furthermore, Council doesn’t include key skills which would be expected on a Board, such as an accountant.
The eight Officers are naturally heavily involved in the running of the RCR and meet on a monthly basis, in addition to Council meetings to discuss the management of the College and its strategic direction, which allows for quicker, streamlined and relevant decision-making.
Establishing a new Trustee Board
To ensure a governance structure fit for the future, it is proposed that:
- We’d establish a new Trustee Board formed of the eight Officers of the RCR, with space for up to four lay trustees, one of whom should be an accountant. This will make sure that the formal governance of the RCR, through the Trustees, aligns with where most decisions are made.
- Council would continue to represent members and formally scrutinise the work of the Trustee Board on their behalf.
- This arrangement would be mirrored in the Faculty Boards of the RCR.
Please see this document for more detail about the proposals. We have also provided answers to some frequently asked questions.
If you have any questions on the proposals, please email governance@rcr.ac.uk.