BASEM & FSEM Joint Working Groups Update – July 2022

Joint working groups involving the Faculty and the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine (BASEM) have begun meeting to discuss the future development of the specialty and the possibility of forming a college of sport and exercise medicine.

In February, we wrote to inform you that the Faculty would be entering into discussions with BASEM on the potential for forming a joint organisation to better represent SEM practitioners, and that we would be setting up a series of working groups to explore various aspects of a potential change. We are pleased to report that these groups have now all held very productive first meetings.

Faculty President Dr Natasha Jones said:

“Our two organisations have enjoyed an extremely close working relationship over the past 15 years, and these discussions offer a chance to explore how we can further develop that relationship in ways that will benefit the entire multi-disciplinary workforce.”

BASEM Chair Dr Eleanor Tillet said:

“Thank you to everyone who volunteered to be part of these groups. The breadth of experience of those involved is enabling us to explore the issues in detail and work towards producing balanced recommendations ready for debate across our memberships.”

To protect those involved, details of the ongoing discussions will remain confidential. However, all groups will produce reports that will be shared with the memberships of both organisations for debate and an ultimate vote intended to be held by Spring 2023.

Working groups have been set up to explore the following topics:

1. Strategic advantages, opportunities and implications of dissolving both organisations, re-forming together as a joint organisation with an aspiration to become a (Royal) College of Sport, Exercise and Musculoskeletal Medicine.

Subcommittees:

a) Membership/fellowship structure and fees

b) Future relationship with the RCPL and RCSEd

c) Legalities

d) Geographical location and roles of current staff

e) Organisational structure (To present options and proposed organisational structure for new organisation including voting rights and representation for different membership categories. To meet once outputs from group 1a and 1b determined)

f) Financial projection of likely costs

2. The advantages, disadvantages, opportunities and implications of remaining as separate organisations, with close working relationships but freedom to explore, and engage in, other strategic partnerships