March 2024 Board Communiqué

RANZCR Board Meeting Outcomes: 14-15 March 2024

 

The RANZCR Board is committed to improving its visibility to our members.  As part of this commitment, the Board will, when significant decisions are made, release a communique to our members.

The board held an offsite Strategy Planning Day with the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) present and a Board meeting on 14-15 March 2024 at the RANZCR Sydney Office.  Significant outcomes from the Strategy Planning session and board meeting include:

Thursday Strategy Planning Day

• Planning for the new RANZCR Strategic Plan began at the May 2023 RANZCR Board meeting, with presentations from an independent Strategy Consultant Dr Norman Chorn and the RANZCR CEO. From this meeting, the Board offered support and direction to the CEO and the ELT to develop the new strategic plan. At the recent offsite strategic planning day, Dr Norman Chorn reprised an updated version of his May 2023 presentation.  The RANZCR CEO then presented the draft strategic plan to the Board.  The draft RANZCR Strategic Plan covers 3 planning horizons from 2025 through to 2040. 

• The Board offered their insights into the draft plan, and it was agreed the CEO would incorporate these insights into the plan and present these at the May 2024 Board meeting. Once approved by the Board, the draft plan will be distributed to RANZCR members for comment and feedback before formal adoption at the 2024 AGM.

Friday Board meeting

• The Board noted the increasing requirements placed upon the College by external regulators, the associated costs associated with implementing these changes and importantly, the impact upon members. Following discussion, it was agreed that a better understanding of which members (e.g. DOTs, NTDs, HODs) were most affected and the nature of impacts was required if issues were to be addressed. The Board resolved that the CEO commission a process and work with staff to investigate difficulties encountered by front line member volunteers and suggest improvements.

• The Board noted considerable discussion, debate, and a variety of opinion within the membership during recent years on the issues of support for trainee fees and support for indigenous members. Rather than mandate a level of contribution from all members who have a variety of opinion on these issues, the Board resolved to introduce the option of two new voluntary member contributions to be offered on the membership renewal letter for 2024. Such donations will be along the line of the longstanding RANZCR Research fund made available as an option at the time of annual renewal subscriptions.
  
  These voluntary contributions are for an indigenous member support fund and for a trainee support fund.  Member donations to the trainee support fund would be quarantined and used to offset membership fees paid by all trainees in the year after the donation. Funds for the indigenous member support fund would also be quarantined and used to provide support for fees and other training costs.
  
  
• The Board approved the Governance Committee’s recommendations to appoint members of the Nominations Committee:

• Prof Alan Coulthard (CR in Aus), Prof Liz Kenny (RO in Aus) and Dr David Milne (CR in NZ) to the three positions for a three-year term (from 1 January 2024).
• Dr Lance Lawler (CR in Aus) and A/Prof Tom Sutherland (CR in Aus) to the two positions for a two-year term (from 1 January 2024).
• Prof Alan Coulthard (CR in Aus) as the Nominations Committee Chair for a one (1) year term.

• The Board approved the Governance Committee’s recommendation to add Board casual vacancies (excluding Dean positions) to the Nominations Committee terms of reference under ‘Duties and Responsibilities’. The Board agreed that Council elections could be considered in future as potential work of the Nominations Committee.

• Membership terminations for unpaid subscriptions were approved, as well as membership reinstatements.

• The CEO report was delivered to the Board.

• The Board approved a member reinstatement fee of $1,000 for those who had allowed membership to lapse due to non-payment of fees over a prolonged period.

• Approval was given to extend the current RANZCR publications contract with Wiley publishing.

• The Board approved amendments to the Awards and Honours Guidelines.

• The Board confirmed the college approach to Faculty Council research grant processes, while confirming the decision of the November 2023 board meeting to offer a one-off extra amount to the Radiology Research Committee, to maintain parity with the extra grant amount offered to the Radiation Oncology Research committee in 2023.
  
  
• The Board has endorsed the pricing structure for RANZCR's Selection into Training policy. Furthermore, it has been confirmed that individuals who apply for an interview, but are not selected for a training position, will be granted entry to RANZCR’s Associate category for the duration of the year they applied, as well as the subsequent year. If an applicant obtains a CRVN, it will be valid for use within the same calendar year. However, in exceptional circumstances where an accredited training position is offered but cannot proceed (such as due to the unavailability of training positions in the relevant jurisdiction(s) for that year), the College will consider the possibility of extending the validity of the CRVN into the following calendar year.
  
  
• The Board resolved to sign a letter to all non-CPD-compliant members, cautioning them of the potential implications from AHPRA and NZMC of non-compliance and that a reinstatement fee of $1,000 would apply to non-compliant members who need to reapply for RANZCR membership. Members who remain non-compliant post the Board letter will receive a further letter from the President.
  
  
• Nick Brown presented to the Board about the latest developments and Interventional Radiology Committee activity in the pursuit of IR/INR sub-specialty recognition.
  
  
• The Board reviewed the financial and risk position of the college as at end Q2 of the 2023-2024 financial year.

 

Regards

Clinical Professor John Slavotinek

President | RANZCR