BHPR Council Elections 2010

The following vacancy has arisen on BHPR Council.

Deputy Research Officer: from AGM 2010

Deputise if Research Officer is away

Train up for the role of Research Officer

After serving stipulated time, the Deputy then automatically succeeds to the post of Research Officer for the remainder of the term of office to 2014:

Planning and organising the scientific programme for the BHPR Annual Meeting, and related external initiatives where applicable, in partnership with BSR and staff.

Encouraging clinical or scientific excellence through the facilitation of prizes and awards.

Reporting to/advising BHPR council on research related matters as required (i.e. formulate positions and policies for BHPR on scientific and research matters relevant to rheumatology/musculoskeletal conditions)

Ensuring that the charity meets its strategic aims and objectives in relation to scientific and research related matters.

Membership and participation in the Heberden committee

Co-ordinating the BHPR scientific group (organisation of review of abstracts and prizes and invitation of symposia proposals)

Liaising with other committees, organisations and external bodies to ensure the implementation of a high quality scientific programme, where appropriate.

Trustees are also expected to attend Council meetings which are held four times a year in London and an AGM held at the Spring Conference at various venues across the country. Trustees are expected to make a commitment to attend at least four of these five business meetings for which travel is reimbursed.

The Trustees agree the policy of BHPR: finances, recruitment, conferences, communication, bursaries etc. We are fortunate in being supported by the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) secretariat in organising finances, conferences and membership database.

Trustees of the Council represent the BHPR on a number of important bodies – The Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance, The BSR Clinical Affairs Committee, The BSR Heberden Committee, The Editorial Board of the Journal Musculoskeletal Care, The Musculoskeletal Specialist Library of the National Electronic Library for Health, Arthritis Care and the arc Education Sub-Committee. You will find reports of BHPR activities in the e-newsletter and on our website.

We try to have a range of professions on the Council to reflect the activities of the Society, from head to toe – psychologists to podiatrists as well as pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and rheumatologists. We also invite representatives from other professions when it cannot be done by a serving trustee.

If you are nominated for Council you must be prepared to work hard and be committed to the development of a professional, multidisciplinary BHPR. You will be expected to turn your hand to most things if you join Council – from producing articles for the Newsletter to finding sponsorship from drug companies or organising a three-day conference. On the other hand, sitting on Council will broaden your horizons beyond your own discipline, will make you rise to challenges you didn’t think you could handle and will put you in the forefront of rheumatology.

This is a time of great development for BHPR with membership numbers steadily growing. We need professionals with vision and the commitment to fulfil our potential. On balance I’m sure all the Trustees would say they put a lot of effort into the Council but get an awful lot out of it! We’re a very friendly and supportive team.

The closing date for nominations is noon on the 25th March 2010 and in the event of a tie, members will be balloted. The election results will be announced at the AGM in April 2010 from which the elected member will take up post for four years.

Please contact bhpr@rheumatology.org.uk with the subject header ‘BHPR Elections’ to request an application pack. Alternatively write to us at BHPR, Bride House, 18 – 20 Bride Lane, EC4Y 8EE. The nomination packs will be available from the early January and will also be posted on the website at this time.