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Welsh Consultants Committee

March 2004

The Welsh Consultants Committee, as part of the UK British Medical Association structure, represents the interests of all senior career grade doctors employed in the hospital related to Community and Public Health roles in Wales.

The Committee's membership is drawn from all the Welsh Trusts and in addition members representing General Practitioners, Public Health Medicine and Community Health doctors, Hospital Dental Services, Welsh Medical Committee and Welsh Junior Doctors.

Through it's links with the central bodies of the BMA, WCC is able to contribute to the development of UK BMA policy across a wide range of matters.

WCC, together with the other national and UK committees have a key role in protecting and supporting the professional interests of doctors in their working environment, but their role extends beyond "trade union" matters. The Committee has a further important role in helping to influence and develop the wider practice of medicine in the UK and Wales. The Committee is able to consider and comment upon initiatives originating both from Governmental and other agencies and bodies, and through this comment and its membership of working parties and advisory bodies, influence the practice of medicine in relevant areas.

For some years, under the influence of successive Government policies, the delivery of healthcare in Wales has been subject to a degree of autonomy leading to some divergence in detail when compared with other parts of the United Kingdom. With the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales and its devolved responsibility for health, it is likely that the NHS in Wales will continue to develop in a distinctive way. The BMA in Wales has recognised that devolution requires a new approach in the relationship between the medical profession and Government in Wales. WCSC officers have already met the First Secretary and Assembly Secretary for Health and Social Services on a number of occasions.

The Assembly Secretary for Health has indicated a wish to have regular meetings with the full Committee in the future. In conjunction with senior officials in the Health Division, we have also established a new body, Hospital Forum, which will develop close links between the profession represented by WCSC and the NHS in Wales. The process is likely to be evolutionary providing a mechanism which, while retaining strong connections with the profession throughout the UK, can allow the service in Wales to develop in a way which is beneficial for both patients and staff.

We are all working through a period of considerable change and it is important that WCC, through all it's Committee members and your representatives on the Local Negotiating Committees in each Trust, are kept fully aware of the views of senior doctors in Wales. The regular meetings of WCSC and it's various sub-committees have, and continue to provide, routes through which WCSC can remain informed of opinion.

We hope the establishment of a WCSC website will further enhance the process of debate in Wales, and we encourage you to use the site as a source of information for yourself and also to let us know of your views, concerns and opinions.

Terms of reference
To consider all matters concerning hospital medical staff in Wales; and to make representations to the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales. To keep the Central Consultants and Specialists Committee informed as to the working of the hospital service in Wales and liaise, collaborate and co-ordinate with them on UK matters.

Membership
WCC is directly elected annually by its' constituent membership, as follows:

• Three Representatives from Bro Morgannwg Trust
• Two Representatives from Cardiff Community & Dental NHS Trust
• Three Representatives from Carmarthen NHS Trust (including Llanelli)
• One Representative from Ceredigion and Mid Wales NHS Trust
• Three Representatives from Conwy & Denbighshire NHS Trust
• Six Representatives from Gwent

- Three from Gwent South (including Caerphilly)
- Three from Gwent North and including one representative from Psychiatry

• Three Representatives from North East Wales NHS Trust (including Psychiatry)
• Three Representatives from North West Wales NHS Trust
• Three Representatives from North Glamorgan NHS Trust
• Two Representatives from Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust
• Three Representatives from Pontypridd and Rhondda NHS Trust
• One Representative from Powys Health Care NHS Trust
• Four Representatives from Swansea NHS Trust (including Psychiatry Glan-y-Mor)
• Six Representatives from UHW & Llandough NHS Trust
• One Representative from Velindre NHS Trust

Constitution
The Committee shall have full delegated authority to negotiate on devolved matters.

Voting
Representatives of Medical Staff Committees

Non-voting
Chairman or Vice-Chairman of Welsh Council (ex-officio)
Members of the CCSC resident and practising in Wales (ex-officio)
Chairman, Welsh Services Subcommittee of MEDMEC (ex-officio)
One by the General Practitioner Committee (Wales)
One by the Welsh Committee for Public Health Medicine and Community Health
One by the Welsh Staff and Associate Specialists Committee
One by the Welsh Committee for Hospital Dental Services
Three from the Forum of Welsh Local Negotiating Committees
Director and Dean of Postgraduate Studies or his representative of the University of Wales College of Medicine
Two representatives of Junior Doctors
Four co-opted members -
- Chairman Welsh Medical Committee
-Consultant representative on the General Medical Council
- Plus two others invited as the Chairman's Discretion

Reports of Sub-committees
At each meeting of Welsh Consultants and Specialists Committee reports of any meeting of the Forum of Welsh Local Negotiating Committees and Welsh Medical Directors Committee held since the date of the previous meeting will be submitted to the Committee.

Office bearers
The term of office for the Chairman of Welsh Consultants Committee is normally three years. The Vice-Chairman is appointed annually by the Committee.

Meetings
The annual session of Welsh Consultants Committee runs for 12 months from the end of the Annual Representative Meeting each year and normally meets in September, December, March and June.