RA Clinical Affairs Working Party
Corpus Christi College, Oxford, 2003
From left: Donal O’Donoghue, Stuart Rodger, John Feehally, Alison Macleod, Kate Verrier-Jones, Chris Winearls (Chair); behind: Steve Powis, Terry Feest.
Clinical Affairs Working Party
Establishing the Renal Association Clinical Affairs Board and Clinical Vice-President
2003-2004
In 2003, the Renal Association (RA) President, Andy Rees, realised the need for stronger coordination and leadership in the clinical arena. The RA had three relevant sub-committees: Clinical Services, Standards, and Registry. But opportunities were not being grasped for more integrated work between them, and for ensuring the RA had the strongest possible expert voice in the clinical arena.
Rees therefore convened a ’task and finish’ Clinical Affairs Working Party to make recommendations.
The Working Party held two face-to-face meetings, making an interim report to the RA Executive Committee in October 2003 and a final report in February 2004.
Its recommendations to establish a Clinical Affairs Board chaired by a Clinical Vice-President were accepted in full, and later that year Chris Winearls became the first RA Clinical Vice-President following election by the RA membership.