The RACMA is governed by a Board of Directors elected by the College members in accordance with the RACMA Constitution 2009.
The RACMA is a company limited by guarantee and its principal objective is to deliver comprehensive education and training programs to medical managers and other medical practitioners who are training for or occupying management roles and positions. In addition the College has the following subsidiary objects:
- To examine Medical Practitioners seeking recognition as specialist medical administrators and to admit to Fellowship Medical Practitioners who have attained specialist qualifications and/or specialist expertise in medical administration.
- To provide continuing education to Medical Practitioners to assist them to acquire and maintain skills and competence in medical administration.
- To support Medical Practitioners who are not specialist medical administrators to develop leadership and management skills.
- To assess the competence and performance of Fellows and Associate Fellows and to offer education, training, remediation and support to Fellows and Associate Fellows whose competence and/or performance is assessed as being below an acceptable standard.
- To promote and advance the study of the principles and practice of health services leadership and management by Medical Practitioners.
- To educate the public and other health care professionals about health leadership and management and medical administration.
- To support research in the field of health leadership and management and medical administration.
- To provide advice and to make submissions and representations to governments, political parties, authorities and other bodies on issues relevant to health leadership and management and medical administration.
- To liaise with other medical colleges and representative bodies.
- To undertake other activities to promote the specialty of medical administration and/or to provide services to Members.
Selection of Candidate Board Director
Under clauses 11.15 – 11.17 of the RACMA Constitution the Board may appoint a Candidate to the Board for a term of two (2) years or until cessation of Candidacy, whichever is sooner.
The jurisdictional cap does not apply in the case of Candidate Directors.
Registered medical practitioners who are Candidates of RACMA and are financial are eligible to be appointed to the Board. A Candidate will be ineligible to express interest if he/she has failed to pay any monies owing to the College prior to the expression of interest.
The Candidate Board Director will be appointed from among the eligible Candidates.
The Candidate Director will be part of the Board team and may bring a Candidate perspective to discussions and deliberations by the Board. The Candidate Director will be independent of the Candidate body i.e. not required to ‘represent the views of Candidates but have an ability to function as an effective company team member and the ability to add significant value to the RACMA through appropriate governance.
The RACMA Candidate Board Director should have the capacity to engage in:
- Strategy/vision – to provide strategic insight and direction by encouraging innovation, conceptualizing key trends, evaluating strategic decisions and continually challenging the Foundation to sharpen its vision
- Business judgment – A record of making good business decisions
- Management – A good understanding of medical management “best practices” and their application in complex rapidly evolving business environments
- Accounting and finance – Expertise in financial accounting, corporate finance and corporate governance
- Patient, medical/clinical and community expertise
- Crisis response – Ability to perform during both short term and prolonged crises
- Industry knowledge – One or more members with appropriate and relevant medical and health industry specific knowledge and experience
- Leadership – A good understand of empowerment skills and history of motivating high performing talent
- Communications – an ability to articulate ideas, summarise issues and present a candidate perspective indecision making, contribute to company decisions and capacity to provide feedback to the Board and to the candidate body on matters of interest to Candidates.
Role and responsibilities of the Candidate Board Director
The Candidate Board Director will recognise their overriding responsibility to act honestly, fairly, diligently and in accordance with the RACMA Constitution in serving the interests of the College Candidate community, as well as the RACMA’s employees, volunteers and supporters.
As for all RACMA Directors the responsibilities of the Candidate Board of Director include:
- reviewing and approving strategic plans, business plans, the annual budget and financial plans, including available resources and major capital expenditure initiatives
- making decisions in relation to matters of a sensitive, extraordinary or strategic nature
- monitoring and assessing management’s performance in achieving any strategies and budgets approved by the Board
- ensuring best practice corporate governance
- reviewing and approving applications for significant funding; equipment, facility enhancement, and research and education
- reviewing and approving annual statutory accounts and other reporting and monitoring financial results on an ongoing basis
- providing advice and counsel to management on a periodic and ad hoc basis
- appointing and where appropriate removing the CEO and approving succession plans
- ratifying the appointment and, where appropriate the termination of the direct reports to the CEO
- monitoring the performance of the CEO and senior management and approving remuneration policies and practices for such CEO and senior management when appropriate
- enhancing and protecting the reputation of the RACMA
- reporting to its Members and other appropriate key stakeholders
- ensuring appropriate compliance frameworks and controls are in place and are operating effectively
- approving and monitoring the effectiveness of and compliance with policies governing the operations of the College
- monitoring compliance with regulatory requirements and ethical standards
- monitoring the integrity of internal control and reporting systems and the findings of audits undertaken on an annual basis
Additional Expectations of Board Directors
All Board Directors will participate in an Induction program.
All Board Directors will participate in an annual Board review.
All RACMA Board Directors are expected to attend four (4) Board meetings annually. One of these meetings will be held during the Annual Conference.
RACMA will pay the expenses for attendance at three (3) Board meetings (please see the College Travel Policy on the web site). Board Directors will pay their own expenses to the meeting held during the Annual Conference because it is expected Directors will also attend the conference as part of their own CPD requirements.
Board Directors are expected to attend at least 3 meetings each year. Poor attendance will led the President to enquire why the Director in unable to meet their commitment to the RACMA.
All Board Directors will be required to sign a Declaration of Interests and declare conflicts of interest at each meeting of the Board.
