A photo of Chris Liu on his laptop during a meeting at the RCOphth

Governance

The College was created by Royal Charter in 1988. The Ordinances set out how we should be governed and both documents can only be changed by the Privy Council.

The Trustee Board

The Trustee Board determine the by-laws, which govern the internal affairs of the RCOphth and how we operate as a charity whilst ensuring our finances are managed effectively.  The Trustee Board, made up of the Vice President, Standing Committees Chairs, two Regional Representatives, the Ophthalmologists in Training Group Chair and two lay representatives, is chaired by the President.

Read the Trustee Terms of Reference here.

Executive

The Executive leadership team is responsible for informing both the Trustee Board and Council about development of policy, operational planning and activity and the work the College does with partners.  The Executive team is made up of  the president, vice president, standing committee chairs, honorary secretary, treasurer, chief executive and the senior management team.

Council

The RCOphth Council, made up of College Officers, Regional Representatives and co-opted committee chairs (International, Academic Research), represent our members in the UK and overseas, focusing on clinical management and policy development.  Each Regional Representative is expected to engage actively with their constituents in each region and bring to Council their views and feedback to help inform the College’s clinical and workforce activities.

Committees

Our standing committees, in collaboration with their respective sub-committees and groups, are responsible for policy development and standards in ophthalmology, guiding priorities and activities that meet the strategic objectives of the RCOphth.

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists collaborates with a wide range of stakeholders from ophthalmology to optometry and other partners in the eye health charity and industry sectors.

By getting involved with the RCOphth in various roles and active working groups, members can lead and support development of our guidance and recommendations for all those involved in providing and managing ophthalmic patient care.

Working for the benefit of colleagues, patients and partners

All members of our committees and groups are expected to actively contribute to the work of the RCOphth and will be supported by specialist staff. Members are expected to uphold our values and behaviours in everything they do and work inclusively with our partners and each other.

Our Values