Faculty Climate and Sustainability Lead

Accountable to:
Faculty Chair

Term of office:
The term of office for this post is three years

Appointment Criteria:
A member or fellow of the faculty in good standing, by self nomination or nomination by Faculty Board member(s). The lead is not expected to be an expert in climate change or sustainability but the role provides an opportunity to develop leadership skills and greater expertise in this area of need..

Election Arrangements:
By appointment (if one candidate) or election by local ballot of a quorate Faculty Board (if more than one candidate). Annual confirmation of appointment at Faculty`s AGM.

Overall Purpose:
To provide leadership on sustainability and escalate action at local, regional, and national level that can mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis.

Responsibilities of all Faculty Officers and Faculty Board members:

• To uphold the aims, objectives and values of RCGP, acting in its best interests and enhancing its reputation as a respected professional and academic body for GPs.
• To represent the interests of members and fellows within the Faculty attending all meetings of the Faculty Board. Non-attendance of >2 Faculty board meetings in any one year, should trigger a faculty review on the capacity of the person to fulfil its role as Faculty Board member.
• To contribute proactively to the Faculty’s annual strategic planning and proposed activity delivery through the Faculty Honorary Treasurer and Faculty Executive Team, supported and guided by the Faculty support team.
• To abide by relevant codes of conduct, the declaration of interests policy and other RCGP protocols, including health and safety, safeguarding, equality and diversity, information security and GDPR. According to the RCGP`s declaration of interests policy, all faculty members are encouraged to declare their interests publicly at Who pays this doctor.

Main Responsibilities of the Faculty Climate and Sustainability Lead:

• To provide leadership on sustainability and escalate action at local, regional, and national level that can mitigate and adapt to Climate Change.
• To work with the RCGP’s national representative for Sustainability, Climate Change and Green Issues, and the network of other Faculty Climate and Sustainability Leads.
• To support the Faculty to disseminate national and RCGP initiatives relating to climate and planetary health.
• To promote and help develop the college’s climate emergency delivery plan and ensure the college’s response at regional and national level is a regular agenda item at Faculty meetings.
• To promote and support the development and use of the RCGPs Green Impact for Health Toolkit and award scheme. This could include collecting and examples of good practice locally and nationally.
• To promote awareness of, and engagement with, the Greener Practice website as a central resource for ideas and inspiration for positive change in General Practice
• To liaise closely with fellow Faculty Climate and Sustainability Leads to coordinate ideas, action and initiatives which help address the response to the climate crisis and its health consequences.
• Be an active member of the RCGP Climate Emergency Advisory Group supporting the delivery of RCGP’s Climate Emergency plan.
• Engage with and support members and medical students interested in planetary health.

Skills required for the Faculty Climate and Sustainability Lead role:

RCGP is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all members with the following attributes:

• Demonstrate understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion and be willing to embed it proactively.
• To contribute proactively to the Faculty’s annual strategic planning and proposed activity delivery
• Be able to maintain objectivity in advising the RCGP faculty, RCGP members and peers
• Willing to collaborate and engage others within the RCGP Faculty and nationally across the Faculty and RCGP network
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a desire to contribute to positive changes within the RCGP Faculty
• Reliable and willing to commit time to attend local and national meetings

To register your interest, please fill out the expression of interest form, and a member of the RCGP faculties team will get back to you.