The new Constitution allows for the establishment of a skills-based governance Board to underpin the future of the College.
The Board, to be comprised of a majority of surgeons, will be complemented by directors with specific skills to collectively oversee corporate governance, including finance and risk management. This will allow Council to focus on its core business of leading the development of professional standards, research, education and training, as well as its critical role in advocating on behalf of the profession to government.
To be adopted, the proposed new Constitution requires a two-thirds majority vote in a Fellows' ballot. Council issued a Notice of Resolution on 16 August, with voting commencing on 17 September.
College President Associate Professor Kerin Fielding said: "We have engaged in an extensive period of consultation with Fellows, specialty societies and other interested parties to ensure that the new Constitution is fit-for-purpose and meets the robust governance needs of a modern and financially stable organisation.
"The new Constitution addresses key concerns that were raised, chiefly the paramountcy of the surgical voice in guiding our College. My Council colleagues and I have shared this new version with a broad group of stakeholders, and I'm pleased to say that it has met with wide acceptance. I encourage our members to support the future of the College by voting 'yes' in the upcoming ballot".
The new leadership structure proposed in the Constitution comes as the result of an independent review into past financial challenges. The review recommended establishing a stand-alone skills-based Board with strong financial and risk management capabilities.
The Board will carry the fiduciary responsibilities of finance, audit, risk and high-level governance but the core business of RACS will be Council-led.
The Board will comprise no more than 10 directors, appointed by members, and the majority must be surgeons. The Chair of the Board must also be a surgeon.
