Integrated Academic Training Advisory Committee (InterACt)
CONSTITUTION
1. Purpose of InterACt
The role of InterACt is:
- To provide input to the strategy for development of the IAT pathway and integrated academic training in general at a national level.
- This will involve interactions with the National Institute for Health Research Trainees Coordinating Centre (NIHR TCC) and interactions with other groups who oversee / advise on integrated academic training or clinical training in general, including the General Medical Council (GMC), the Committee of English Deans, relevant Royal Colleges, Health Education England, the Academy of Medical Sciences, etc..
- To provide coordinated feedback of local progress and issues relating to the IAT pathway to the NIHR TCC and, where appropriate, to other relevant bodies.
- To aid understanding of the challenges of academic training within the current training environment and to engender a supportive environment in clinical departments and research institutions where clinical academic training takes place.
- To provide a forum for sharing best practice in management on the IAT pathway by academic leads.
- To engage with funders of the clinical and / or academic components of clinical academic training as appropriate.
- To interact with relevant bodies in the devolved nations (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) to ensure that a co-ordinated and, where relevant unified, approach involving those organisations is established to benefit clinical academic training in England and the wider UK.
- To interact with other organisations who encourage / support the clinical academic training agenda.
2. Membership of InterACt
- InterACt will be composed of the following members:
- IAT Leads for the Medical Schools / Universities which offer clinical academic training along the IAT pathway; in general, these members will be senior clinical academics.
- Senior IAT administrative staff from the Medical Schools which offer clinical academic training along the IAT pathway
- Programme Managers who are responsible for clinical academic training along the IAT pathway in Deaneries
- Representatives from NIHR
- Post-Graduate Dean for Academic Affairs
- Chair of the Committee of English Deans
- Chair of the Academy of Medical Sciences Academic Careers Committee
- Representatives from the Centre for Workforce Intelligence
- Representatives from the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
- Representatives from Health Education England
- Representatives from the devolved nations within the UK (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland)
- Representatives from clinical academic training research funding organisations who fund across all specialties (e.g. Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust)
- Clinical Academic Trainee Representatives
InterACt members shall elect a Chairman and Deputy Chairman from the IAT Leads component of the membership. The terms of office of the Chairman will be for 3 years and the Deputy Chairman for 3 years, with the elections of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman separated temporarily (e.g. usually by 12 months) so that there is overlap by the Deputy Chairman when a new Chairman is elected, and vice versa when a new Deputy Chairman is elected. The Chairman and Deputy Chairman will step down from office when his/her term of office is completed, but may be considered for re-election to either of these posts after a further 3 years. The Chairman and Deputy Chairman should be from separate Medical Schools / Universities and from different Local Education and Training Boards/Deanery regions. If more than one member stands for Chairman or Deputy Chairman, InterACt will hold a ballot using the single transferable vote system. Voting for election to Chairman and Deputy Chairman will be restricted to the IAT Lead members of InterACt. The Chairman shall cease to hold the office of Chairman if he/she fails to attend at least two meetings in a two year period or if he/she notifies InterACt of a wish to resign; these same restrictions will apply to the post of Deputy Chairman.
3. Frequency of Meetings
InterACt meetings, which are open to all members of InterACt, will be held twice per annum. However, there will be the option to hold additional InterACt meetings if approved (i) by more than 50% of the IAT Leads through e-mail correspondence or (ii) by more than 50% of the IAT Lead attendees at any InterACt meeting; these additional InterACt meetings will be open to all members of InterACt.
The option will also exist for supplementary Inter-Organisation meetings to be held at the agreement of (i) more than 50% of the IAT Leads through e-mail correspondence or (ii) by more than 50% of the IAT Lead attendees at any InterACt meeting. These Inter-Organisation meetings will allow discussions of topics pertinent to InterACt and the relevant organisation; the timing and frequency of these meetings will be decided according to the availability of both parties and the composition of these meetings (i.e. members of InterACt who attend) will be decided by agreement of (i) more than 50% of the IAT Leads through e-mail correspondence or (ii) by more than 50% of the IAT Lead attendees at any InterACt meeting. The preferred option will be that these Inter-Organisation meetings will be open to all members of InterACt, but it is recognised that in a number of cases the nature of the business to be discussed may mean that it is preferable for a smaller representative group of InterACt to attend.
4. Agenda and Minutes
The Chairman and Deputy Chairman shall prepare the agenda for meetings. Minutes will be taken by the InterACt administrator and distributed to members of InterACt in a timely fashion.
5. Financial Arrangements
The hosting university shall bear the costs of a meeting room and facilities; these shall be arranged through the InterACt administrator. Appropriate travel expenses shall be covered by funds for clinical academic training from the members’ local University and/or Local Education an