Heads of Department (HODs)
HODS are responsible for overseeing the strategic delivery of academic activity related to University departments
HODS is made up of the heads of departments of general practice and primary care in medical schools in the UK and Ireland. The current Chair is Professor John Campbell, and the Secretary Professor Christian Mallen.
HODS meet formally twice a year with regular email communication between. The Chair of HODS is a member of the SAPC Executive and the Chair of SAPC attends HODs meetings.
HODS Constitution
The group shall comprise the heads of departments of general practice and primary care in medical schools in the UK and Ireland; hereinafter referred to as the HODS group.
In general HODS (as HODS, rather than as individual academics) are mainly involved in the following tasks.
- Managing the resources of university departments
- Building academic capacity, including support for individual academic careers
- Promoting the role of academic general practice and primary care within medical schools
- Leading local programmes of high quality, mainly undergraduate, but also postgraduate education in general practice and primary care
- Leading local, national and international programmes of high quality research and development in general practice and primary care
- Linking with NHS general practice and primary care, mainly via local education and research networks
Aim
To support the development of general practice and primary care via university centres of excellence in research and education.
Objectives
- To provide academic support for the generalist clinical function
- To promote multidisciplinary university centres of excellence in research and education for general practice and primary care
- To integrate university centres within broader networks for education, research and service development in general practice and primary care
- To influence national policies concerning academic medicine and academic general practice and primary care
- To provide mutual support for heads of department
Activities
- sharing information and experience
- co-ordinating reviews and the development of policy advice
- responding to requests for advice and comment
- advising other bodies on matters affecting university centres of general practice and primary care
The group works as a confederation of individuals with common responsibilities in different university contexts. The group may agree particular positions and policies on matters affecting academic general practice and primary care but decisions of the group are not binding in relation to the discharge of local responsibilities
Chair: Professor John Campbell
Secretary: Professor Christian Mallen
Admin: Sue Stewart