Overview
The Rouleaux Club represents the views of trainees in vascular surgery. We are the only representative voice for vascular surgical training in Great Britain and Ireland. The Rouleaux Club Constitution can be read here.
Mission Statement
The Rouleaux Club aims to represent all doctors training in Vascular Surgery, regardless of grade or seniority, including those wanting to train and medical students. We want everyone to be able to thrive in their roles regardless of race, ethnicity, age, faith, gender, sexual orientation or disability. We strive to be inclusive to our current members and to invite those not yet involved to join so that we can work together to advocate for training and welfare issues.
Membership
Membership of the Rouleaux Club is free to junior doctors and consultants interested in vascular surgery training in Great Britain and Ireland. Affiliate memberships are also available for students and allied health professionals. In addition, we offer membership to international trainees and consultants.
Executive Committee Roles
All Executive Committee roles are elected by the Rouleaux Club membership immediately prior to the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The AGM is held each year the Vascular Society’s Annual Scientific Meeting. The roles and their responsibility on the committee are outlined below.
In a small number of roles, eligibility to vote for a position is limited by membership type (Ordinary or Affiliate). Likewise, eligibility to stand for a small number of roles is limited by the member either holding a national training number (NTN), being a specialty and associate specialist (SAS)/locally employed doctor (LED) or by level of experience, given the nature of that position.
For the purposes of brevity, for each committee position a maximum of three candidates will be entered for election. Where more than three candidates apply for a particular committee role, shortlisting will be undertaken jointly by the President and Vice President as they are not permitted to vote in the main election. The role of Vice President will not be subject to this limitation and all eligible candidates will be entered for election.
Tenure: 1 Year
Pre-requisites: Vice President (follows on without further election)
The President co-ordinates the Rouleaux Club Executive and trainee representation on a number of committees and societies (Vascular Society, ASiT, BSET and the Circulation Foundation). The President is an ambassador for the club and the specialty, ensuring trainees’ voices are heard and our views are represented. The President sits on the Vascular Society Council (four meetings per year) to represent the opinions and concerns of trainees to the Vascular Society. The President cannot vote in the election of the Executive Committee.
Tenure: 1 Year
Pre-requisites: Previously held a position on the Executive Committee. Open to all Ordinary Members. Ideally this candidate should be senior (ST5+ or equivalent) given the nature of the role.
Holds a central position in the running of the society, raising its profile, and communicating with the President regarding all aspects of the Rouleaux Club. They may continue to hold another position on the committee during this year if tenure extends into this period. The role also involves covering other committee members when they are unable to attend meetings. The Vice President cannot vote in the election of the Executive Committee.
Tenure: 2 Years
Pre-requisites: NTN ST5 and above
The role of SAC Representative involves attending three meetings per year (Feb/June/Sept) with the Vascular Specialty Advisory Committee (SAC). One of these meetings will be in person. The role involves liaising with trainees regarding any training issues and feeding back to the Vascular SAC. The SAC representative may be asked to give opinions on behalf of trainees are about developing training issues. The role provides opportunities to be involved with the curriculum, quality improvement and improving the training programme. The SAC representative is also invited to sit on the BSIR Education and Research Committee. Other opportunities may arise as a result of this role in matters related to training.
Tenure: 2 Years
Pre-requisites: Open to all members
The Secretary role is to take minutes at all committee meetings and to coordinate communication between committee members, as well as between committee members and the Rouleaux Membership. They are the first point of contact for the Rouleaux Club. They also maintain stability on the finances, developing a steady and regular income stream in the future is an ongoing medium to long term aim.
Tenure: 2 years (one post per year)
Pre-requisites: None, except one of these two posts must be an NTN
The Education Representatives will role focuses on directing and supporting all audit and survey projects run through Rouleaux, as well as getting involved with the development and implementation of national vascular projects (e.g., with the Vascular Endovascular Research Network). The role also involves sitting on the Vascular Society Education Committee (four meetings per year), helping to deliver the ASPIRE Juniors programmes and advising on the development of the ASPIRE programme for vascular trainees. The Education Representatives will also develop podcasts in conjunction with Vascular Society, Audible Bleeding and industry to promote vascular surgery. They will co-ordinate the running of the Introduction to Vascular Surgery course alongside the ASiT, BSET and Circulation Foundation Representatives.
In order to provide greater consistency, from 2023 the roles will be split with the election of one representative every year. It is expected that the representative will sit on the Vascular Society Education Committee within the second year of the role.
Tenure: 2 Years
Pre-requisites: Must hold a National Training Number (ST3+)
The ASiT Representative will sit on the ASIT Council to represent the viewpoint of vascular trainees in matters pertaining to surgical training in general. ASIT council meets up to eight times a year and holds a national conference annually. The Representative will take an active role in all aspects of ASIT work, organises a vascular pre-conference course for trainees, and provides a link with the Rouleaux Executive. Over the last few years, the Rouleaux club has developed an excellent working relationship with ASIT, which we hope to continue in the coming years. The ASIT representative will also provide representation for Vascular Surgery on the National Selection steering group.
Tenure: 2 Years
Pre-requisites: Open to all members
Website & Communications Representative maintains the Rouleaux Club website and social media accounts and provides regular communication with the membership. Alongside this they operate the club’s social media accounts and are central in interacting with members.
Tenure: 2 Years
Pre-requisites: Must be an active under-/postgraduate medical student studying within the UK or Ireland
The Medical Student Representative leads the promotion of vascular surgery and the Rouleaux Club within UK/Ireland medical schools. The Representatives runs the Surgical Society Affiliate programme and handles queries and advertisements from medical schools. The role also requires supporting website and communications.
Tenure: 2 Years (1 post per year)
Pre-requisites: Open to Ordinary Members (ST3+ or equivalent)
The Representatives assist with representing the Rouleaux Club at the British Society of Endovascular Therapy (BSET) and assisting with the running of the National Vascular Training Day (NVTD). In the first year, the representative will sit on the BSET Council and assist with the running of the NVTD. In the second year they will be expected to be lead organiser for the NVTD.
Tenure: 2 Years
Pre-requisites: Open to all Ordinary Members
The Circulation Foundation Representative is the link between the UK’s only vascular charity and vascular trainees. The role involves advising the charity on clinical matters as well as providing support in writing advertisements, articles as well as with fundraising ideas. It is expected that they attend several charity meetings per year. The role also involves being the society’s venous representative, working with the Royal Society of Medicine’s Venous Forum.
Tenure: 2 years
Pre-requisites: Open to Ordinary Members (ST3+ or equivalent)
The Welfare Representative role was created in 2021 in response to the unacceptable results of the Rouleaux Club’s bullying, undermining and harassment surveys. The role involves working with the Vascular Society’s Workforce Committee to help develop initiatives to help take BUH behaviours in vascular surgery.
Tenure: 2 Years
Pre-requisites: Open to Ordinary Members who have passed the FRCS (Vascular) examination.
The FRCS Examination Representative represents trainees’ views on the FRCS (Vascular) society to the and helps support standard setting for the Part One exam. Given the nature of the role, this is only open to ordinary members who have passed both parts of the FRCS (Vascular) exam.
Tenure: 2 years
Pre-requisites: Open to Ordinary Members with at least five years’ experience as a doctor (currently working within a vascular surgery SAS/LED role). Must not hold a current NTN or have applied for CESR.
New for 2023, the SAS/LED Representative will promote engagement and representation of SAS and LED members within the Rouleaux Club. The Representative will feedback issues affecting SAS and LED members to the Club and work with the Vascular Society’s SAS/LED Representatives to help highlight training and workforce issues with the wider vascular community.
Occasionally the Rouleaux Club are invited to provide trainee representation on committees and panels. Co-opted roles, as outlined below, are additional roles which do not require a full Executive Committee role and are therefore undertaken by committee members in addition to their existing role. Committee members can volunteer for these roles and are elected by the Executive Committee. They will continue in these roles until they demit from the Committee or resign from the role.
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Vascular Surgical Specialty Board (VSSB) – The VSSB committee member sites on the RCS(Ed) VSSB committee to provide representation from the Rouleaux Club. Only RCS(Ed) members can be elected to this role. Current representative: Dominic Pang
Journal of Vascular Societies Great Britain and Ireland Editorial Board – This role involves sitting on the JVSGBI’s Editorial Board and providing active engagement with the running of the journal. Current representative: Andrew Nickinson
Meeting of Executive Committee Members
The Executive Committee will meet in person two times a year at the Vascular Society’s Annual Scientific Meeting (VSASM), and at the BSET Annual Meeting. In between these periods, Executive Committee members attend telephone conference meetings every 4 to 6 weeks.