2018 is a big year for HESG. During the last Members’ Meeting at City, Profs Steve Morris and Matt Sutton announced the end of their term as joint National Organisers. The process has therefore begun to identify their replacements.

Here’s what Matt and Steve had to say in an email to the HESG mailing list.

As announced at the Members’ Meeting at the City HESG conference, we have now completed our fixed-term appointment. We have both thoroughly enjoyed the role. It is now time to refresh the leadership and organisation of the Group.

We both feel that it has been useful to share the role over the last five years, to provide continuous cover and to have a second opinion on more contentious issues. We are therefore suggesting that potential candidates consider carefully whether they would like to do the role as a job share.

Although HESG has a good record of promoting equality and diversity, we note that HESG has never had a female National Organiser. We therefore believe that expressions of interest from women would be particularly welcome.

HESG is therefore seeking volunteers to take on the role.

The nature of the role

The role of National Organiser holds a fixed term of five years. To support the role, HESG has paid £2,000 per year for administration. Responsibilities include:

• Maintaining an administrative system for membership of HESG, including applications for membership, record keeping and subscriptions. There were approximately 340 paid-up members in 2016/17.
• Ensuring that HESG meetings are held, including recruitment of volunteers to be local organisers, maintenance of a forward plan for meetings and advice to and support for local organisers.
• Ensuring that members have access to information that they require – including the maintenance of databases on membership and meeting papers as well as details of forthcoming meetings.
• Maintaining financial accounts for the HESG and exercising control over its finances, including financial support for PhD students to attend HESG meetings. HESG currently has a reserve of approximately £8,000 and an annual turnover of approximately £5,000.
• Holding and chairing a Members’ Meeting at each HESG meeting and ensuring that the decisions agreed by the meeting are implemented.
• Acting as a representative of HESG to the rest of the world.
• Overseeing the organisation of the HESG website.
• Managing the HESG JISCmail email discussion list.

Matt and Steve will be happy to discuss the responsibilities of the role with potential candidates.

Call for volunteers

Expressions of interest must be submitted by 16th February 2018. If the expression of interest is from a single party it should include an indication of willingness (or unwillingness) to job share. Joint expressions of interest from two volunteers will be very welcome.

If it happens that there are multiple expressions of interest (let’s hope that there are), then volunteers will be given the opportunity to withdraw and solo candidates will be given the opportunity to join forces. Then – in a HESG first – a ballot of members will be conducted to select the next National Organiser(s). This is a very good time to make sure you have paid your subscription for 2017/18. The ballot will be supported by statements from candidates.

The new organiser(s) will be in place by the end of May 2018 and must run their inaugural Members’ Meeting in Bristol (20-22 June 2018).

If you are considering volunteering, please contact Matt or Steve, or send a message via the website. And remember that deadline: 16th February 2018.

And, finally, let’s send a big thank you to Steve and Matt for their efforts over the last 5 (ish) years. HESG has continued to develop over their term, with meetings maintaining the collegial atmosphere and high-quality content that make HESG meetings the highlight of many health economists’ year.