Who represents members on the Federation?


As a companion blog to the previous one, it might be helpful for members to know how they are represented and the affiliations of directors.

 

 

Name                                       Fed role                         Affiliation

Dr Deb Banerjee                       Director                         Ipswich Primary Care

Dr Andrea Clarke                      Director                         Ipswich Primary Care

Dr Paul Driscoll                         Chair                              Suffolk Primary Care

Dr Crispin Dunn                       Director                         Bury collaboration

Dr John Lynch                          Director                         Considering Suffolk Primary Care

Marilyn Martin                         Director                          Independent

David Pannell                           CEO                                 Independent, working with Ipswich & Suffolk Primary Care non-exec

Dr Matt Piccaver                      Director                          None

Dr Nick Rayner                        Executive Director       Suffolk Primary Care

Dr Simon Rudland                  Director                         Suffolk Primary Care

Jane Wallace                            Director                         Deben Health Group

Dr David Ward                         Director                          Considering Suffolk Primary Care

Salaried post                            Co-opted                       Vacant

Forest Health/Mildenhall                                              Vacant

West PM                                                                               Vacant

 

How is the Board elected?

The Federation Members Agreement Clinicians sets out the composition of the Board and how they are elected.  GPs have to be the majority on the board.

GPs are elected on a locality basis. The six electoral areas are Bury/Blackbourne, CIA (Felixstowe and Aldeburgh, Saxmundham and Leiston), Deben Health Group (practices around Woodbridge), Forest Heath, Mildenhall, Haverhill and Sudbury, Ipswich and Brett Stour (practices around Stowmarket).

We also currently have three non-elected board members. Marilyn Martin, an ex-senior partner at BDO who brings financial expertise, a salaried post (currently vacant) and David Pannell our Chief Executive.

GP and practice manager Board members stand for re-election every three years in a democratic process involving all members.  Candidates from a locality nominate themselves but the electorate is all partners, salaried GPs and locums from member practices in the Federation.

Our most recent election was of Dr John Lynch for the Deben Health Group area. This was the closest election we have had so far and had the highest turnout. I do encourage members to get involved with the voting process. The next round will be in the New Year.

Our representation challenge

Clearly how we elect our Board does throw up some challenges.  The most obvious one is the new collaborative grouping of Coast & Country is not represented.  At our July meeting, the Board considered changing from localities to collaborative groupings (Coast & Country, DHG, SPC etc). However, in rapidly changing times it is uncertain how that landscape will look going forward and so the decision was made to continue representation as it stands for the time being.

If we did make changes it would require 70% members’ approval by shareholding.  This is quite a challenge – even getting the Members’ Agreement approved took 18 months and so we need to be sure any new approach has longevity.

 

Paul

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