The Society has recently reviewed the remit of its Standing Committees and related infrastructure. The main aim of the re-structuring was to make sure that the Committees and associated Advisory Groups and communications systems are effectively aligned to enable the Society to meet its strategic objectives.
Five Committees have emerged from the review process:-
Standards of Care Committee. This Committee has a major responsiblity for Guideline development on specific diseases, procedures and processes of care will remain the primary focus for this Committee, working in partnership with relevant others.
Science and Research Committee. The Committee plans and organises the Society's annual Winter Meeting. It is developing a role in identifying gaps in knowledge and advising on priority areas for research and is tasked with making these known to the UK Respiratory Research Collaborative and the national lead for the comprehensive local Research Networks.
Professional & Organisational Standards Committee. This Committee is charged with monitoring individuals and systems against current standards. For individuals, this will involve the Committee working closely with others (Royal Colleges, for example) in connection with certification, revalidation (re-certification) and governance issues, to ensure that the specialty content is properly represented. In relation to monitoring systems, the Committee will develop a programme of benchmarking and audit in a planned cycle using the new BTS data collection and survey tool, and will monitor respiratory information produced by others.
Education and Training Committee. The aim of this Committee is to help individuals to reach these required standards. The Committee will continue to organise the Society's programme of educational activities, (short courses and the BTS Summer Meeting) and its role is being expanded to include e-learning, according to the Society's agreed strategy. There will be a continued focus on working with others to provide activities which will be of benefit to a multi-disciplinary audience, and the topics offered will be related to training curricula and to dissemination of key messages in the Society's (and other relevant) Guidelines.
Workforce Committee. The purpose of this Committee is to ensure that there are sufficient individuals available to deliver care to agreed standards. Traditionally the BTS Workforce Committee has focussed on the medical workforce, but there will now also be close liaison with other healthcare professional groups regarding their workforces to ensure a synergy of activity. The Committee will also be responsible for taking forward the Society's work in relation to promotion and support of Less Than Full Time Training and Working.
The Society is currently establishing a sixth Committee - a Public Liaison Committee- which will provide Trustees and other Committees with advice and assistance and keep our work "grounded". The Chair of this Committee will be a Trustee of the Society.
Specialist & Professional Advisory Groups
Underpinning the main Committee infrastructure is a network of Specialist and Professional Advisory Groups. These have been established to provide an efficient conduit of information and support to and from Trustees and the Standing Committees. Specialist Advisory Groups (SAGs) will hold an annual open meeting for discussing with the broader membership of the Society developments in the specialism concerned (usually at the Society's Winter Meeting) and may also host a discussion forum (or blog) for interested members. SAGs are asked to suggest topics for educational activities and Winter Meeting symposia; to referee abstracts; to provide expert opinion for NICE and other consultations; and to be involved in "horizon scanning" so that the Society can stay in the forefront of development of standards and research opportunities. A list of existing SAGs can be found here. At present, there are two Professional Advisory Groups (PAG), for Specialist Trainee members, and for Nurse members.
The joint BTS/GPIAG Committee, IMPRESS, exists to provide providers and commissioners of respiratory services with information about delivery of standards of respiratory care across the traditional secondary and primary care boundaries. The IMPRESS website is accessible via the links on the top menu and side menu bars.
Committee Membership
Information about current BTS Committees can be found here.
Useful Information for Committee Members
Declarations of Interest Form
Download a copy (Word format) here
Travel Expenses Claim Form
Download a copy here
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