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REVIEW OF OPERATIONS
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Board of Directors Meetings
The Board of Directors convened a total of 12 meetings during the year via teleconference and face to face dealing with the many issues presented for decision as well as regular agenda items such as the nancial reports, approval of new and updated documents for the College Policy Manual, and approval of candidates for Fellowship and other categories of membership. The Board receives monthly reports from each Board member including nancial statements and a report from the CEO.
Major areas of concern for the Board over
the past year continue to be the discussions and preliminary directions for revalidation requirements in Australia and New Zealand, and the ongoing Medical Bene ts Schedule (MBS) Review, and concerns with the MSAC process. CPD non-compliance has been reviewed to ensure that all Fellows understand their responsibilities in this area and the responsibilities of the College where Fellows are non-compliant. The Collection Centre rents issue is now being addressed by government and hopefully will be fully recti ed in the coming year.
Board of Education and Assessment (BEA)
The BEA has been very active with the development of new programs including upskilling and certi cation of Fellows in most disciplines to supervise laboratories offering genomic and molecular pathology testing. Fellowship programs for all disciplines are being updated to incorporate principles
and techniques in genomics and molecular pathology. A new Post-Fellowship Diploma in Dermatopathology is now available. Faculty programs are making encouraging progress with increasing numbers of scientist trainees
completing examinations, and new Faculty of Science Fellowship pathways now available
in Pathology Informatics to recognise existing Fellows’ scienti c achievements. New training sites are being accredited for Clinical Forensic Medicine, and the Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology program received a very favourable report following its ADC/DCNZ assessment for re-accreditation. Trainee numbers saw a slight increase rising to 641 from 630 for the previous year.
Board of Professional Practice and Quality (BPPQ)
The BPPQ has continued to focus on Government related issues such as the MBS Review, Approved Collection Centre arrangements, Federal Budgets (pathology related), Pathology Funding and the MSAC Process. BPPQ continues to liaise with
the Board on other matters such as pathology workforce issues and revalidation.The Committee has an on-going schedule of policy revision and frequently makes recommendations for Position Statements and advice to external stakeholders. Several new documents have been developed over the past year.
Discipline Advisory Committees (ACs)
The Board’s directive for each advisory committee to undertake strategic planning days every two years is proving bene cial for each discipline to rede ne and recon rm its directions. The volume of documentation for comment received by the College continues to grow as does the involvement of the ACs in providing expertise to assist with responses. Advisory Committees also assist in reviewing existing policy manual documents and in drafting new policies on relevant issues. In addition to the advice provided to the College Board, the Board