Dr Diana Walford CBE has been appointed chair of the RCP's board of trustees.
The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has appointed Dr Diana Walford as the new chair of its board of trustees. Dr Walford, a distinguished leader in healthcare, public health and higher education, will play a pivotal role in steering the college through a period of renewal and transformation.
Dr Walford, a haematologist, has held senior positions across the NHS, the civil service and academia, including roles as principal of Mansfield College Oxford, director of the Public Health Laboratory Service and deputy chief medical officer for England.
She has served on the boards of several health institutions including University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the NHS Blood and Transplant Authority, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She currently chairs the Inner Circle Educational Trust and sits on the council of the University of Liverpool.
Speaking on her appointment, Dr Walford said:
‘I am delighted and honoured to have been appointed to chair the RCP Board of Trustees.
‘The college has recently been through a challenging period but has embraced the need to modernise its constitution and governance in the interests of its membership and the patients they serve.
‘I look forward enormously to helping the college deliver its mission of educating and supporting physicians at all career stages, influencing the design and delivery of health care, and reconnecting with our members to ensure their voices are placed front and centre in healthcare reform.’
Dr Mumtaz Patel, the RCP’s vice president for education and training, who is acting as president, said:
‘We warmly welcome Dr Walford as she joins us as chair of the board of trustees. Her leadership experience across the healthcare and education sectors will be instrumental in guiding the college through an important period of change.
‘As we work to reconnect with our members, strengthen our role in improving healthcare delivery and undertake constitutional reform to modernise the college, her expertise and vision will be invaluable.’
‘We look forward to working with Diana to ensure the college remains at the forefront of medical education and professional development.’
Dr Walford officially took up her role on Tuesday 11 March, leading the board of trustees in its governance and oversight of the college’s mission.
The RCP Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is the RCP’s governing body. It meets four times a year and is responsible for:
- agreeing the RCP business plan and monitoring the progress of RCP affairs
- the custody of the RCP, ensuring effective management and administration.
It has the authority to carry out the RCP’s charitable responsibilities and can delegate to the RCP’s boards and committees. It works closely and liaises with the Council but ultimately, all decisions (apart from changes to the bye-laws and regulations) are either taken by, or on behalf of, the Board of Trustees and reported to the fellows at the AGM.
The Board of Trustees comprises:
- An independent chair (one)
- senior officers of the RCP (ex officio – five)
- members nominated from Council (three)
- Independent members appointed by the Board of Trustees (up to six).