College Governance
Governance
We are committed to advancing surgical care worldwide. With over 25,000 members in more than 90 countries, we deliver an internationally-renowned programme of activities and collaborations.
The RCS recognises that the movement of doctors, patients and surgical innovation across borders greatly impacts surgery in the UK. Active engagement in international affairs benefits our members and their patients.
Board of Trustees
The College's governing body is its Board of Trustees, which is comprised of the:
- President;
- Vice Presidents;
- Deans of the Faculty of Dental Surgery and the Faculty of General Dental Practice;
- three surgical Trustees elected from and by Council;
- four lay Trustees.
Under its Charter, the Board delegates matters relating to professional and public policy, and matters which support members, to the College’s Council.
Council
The Council is comprised of 24 surgeons elected by Fellows and Members of the College, with two dental surgery Fellows elected by the Board of the Faculty of Dental Surgery.
From July 2015 a further ten have been selected by Surgical Specialty Associations (SSA). These ten SSA Council Members are full Council Members, replacing the Presidents of the SSAs who were previously Invited Members of Council.
All meetings of the Board and Council are chaired by the President.
The College delegates the coordination of a number of its main functions to various Committees. The activities of these Committees are reported to Council on a regular basis. In terms of structure, the College is made up of ten Directorates.
Invited Members of Council
The Invited Members of Council include the:
- College’s Court of Examiners
- Schools of Surgery
- Directors for Professional Affairs Forum
- College’s Professor for Surgical Education
- President of the Federation of Surgical Specialty Associations (FSSA)
- President representing Surgeons-In-Training (alternating between ASiT and BOTA, with the other sitting as an observer).
A member of the College’s Patient Liaison Group (PLG) also sits on the Council to represent the views of patients.