Council Structure

In December 2009 the Privy Council agreed changes to the College’s Supplemental Charter and Bye-Laws. Amongst these changes were the reversion to the title “Council” from “Central Executive Committee” (reflecting the College’s heritage and the  general practice in other Medical Royal Colleges) , the clarification of the role of the Education, Training and Standards Committee (which is a Sub-Committee of Council and responsible for educational policy and practice within the College), the establishment of a new Disciplinary and Complaints Committee as a new Sub-Committee of Council to deal with complaints against College members in the course of their College business, and to deal with matters no longer appropriately within the remit of ETSC.

Council is the Trustee body of the College, chaired by the President, and has full management and control of the College and its affairs. The Finance Management Committee, the third sub-committee of Council, advises the Council on all matters relating to the financial management of the College.

The Council thus co-ordinates the work of all parts of the College – for further details see “Standing Committees”, "Special Committees” and other links on this page.

Council normally meets seven times a year. Its members are:

• The Honorary Officers of the College
• The Chair of each Division
• The Chair of each Faculty and Section
• The Chair of the Professional Governance and Ethics Committee
• The Director of Conferences
• The Director of Public Education
• The Chair of the Psychiatric Trainees’ Committee
• One Affiliate
• One patient and one carer
• Four directly elected members (who must be Members or Fellows of the College)

It has three permanent Standing Committees:

• The Education, Training and Standards Committee
• The Disciplinary and Complaints Committee
• The Finance Management Committee