Rural Programme Lead

Title: Rural Programme Lead  

Reporting to: Head of Research, Policy and Information

Department: Research, Policy & Information Dept

Location: ICGP, 4-5 Lincoln Place, Dublin 2 / Hybrid

Contract type:12 months - Fixed term

Days per week: 2 / 2.5 days 

Closing date: Friday 10th May - 5pm

About the ICGP

The Irish College of General Practitioners is the postgraduate training body (PGTB) responsible for postgraduate education, training and research in the specialty of General Practice. The College has a national advisory role in relation to medical standards and engages with the Medical Council, Department of Health and Children, the Health Service Executive and the Health Information & Quality Authority among others. As a membership organisation, the ICGP is responsible for providing and supporting continuous professional development for general practitioners, numbering over 4,000. The ICGP is the PGTB accredited by the Medical Council to provide professional training for approximately 1,000 doctors wishing to enter the specialty of General Practice.

ICGP Rural General Practice Standing Committee

The Rural General Practice Standing Committee was constituted by resolution of the Board of Directors passed on June 17, 2023, in accordance with Article 11.1.1 of the Constitution of the ICGP.

The purpose of the Rural General Practice Committee is to provide strategic guidance and leadership for Irish Rural General Practice and to help rural proof the activities of the College. The Committee will ensure that specific focus is given to creating a rural pipeline by providing rural general practice exposure to medical students, interns, trainees, fellows, EU and non-EU GPs.

This is a standing Committee of the Board of the ICGP with the Chair being a member of the Executive Board. Using strategic management, effective decision making and governance frameworks, the Committee will support the advocacy, policy, training, education, and research efforts of the ICGP to enhance the working realities of general practitioners, especially in rural Ireland. The Committee under the direction of the Board of the ICGP and in line with the ICGP strategy and policy will act as a governance body and oversee the integration of rural general practice to existing and new efforts in advocacy, policy, clinical training, research, and education.

The Committee will be responsible for collaborating with other standing Committees of the ICGP and ensuring a high standard and critical appraisal of relevant programmes and initiatives. The Committee will also be responsible for creating novel opportunities and avenues for the current and future members of the College.

Job Purpose 

This post plays an important role in supporting the College to rural proof its activities. Working alongside others in the College, the incumbent will work with the Chair of the Committee to develop a 3-year project plan, with specific targets, deliverables and outcomes as recommended by the Committee and approved the senior leadership team in the College. 

In the initial phase, a scoping exercise will be undertaken on the challenges of supporting rural communities and to identify internationally comparable initiatives and approaches to ensuring continued equity of access to primary care for those living in rural communities.

On completion of this exercise, this role will develop a targeted needs assessment to examine the threats and challenges to rural general practice in Ireland which will help to inform a strategic plan to address those challenges across the three areas of communication, education and data and evidence.

Key result areas

1. Prepare background work to facilitate ongoing discussion and constructive feedback to the ICGP and the standing Committee in rural general practice.
2. Co-ordinate the Committees' activities, in particular prepare agendas, collate information and prepare items for discussion for all Committee meetings.
3. Conduct regular needs assessment to identify ways to improve rural general practice in Ireland.
4. Review proposals from government agencies, other standing Committees of the ICGP, and relevant others and inform the ICGP's representation of rural general practice in the strategic environment pertaining to advocacy, policy, clinical training, educational, and research needs of the profession.
5. Oversee and evaluate initiatives in rural general practice e.g. the Rural Fellowship program.
6. Monitor and evaluate the initiatives of the Committee and ensure that agreed projects, goals and milestones are concluded in a timely manner.
7. Respond to and incorporate feedback on Committee initiatives from the ICGP Executive Board, senior leadership team and members.
8. Manage Committee budgets and co-ordinate and draft annual reporting of the Committee's activities and quarterly reports of Committee's activities to the ICGP Board
9. Write grant proposals for funding from external bodies.
10. Coordinate and deliver research activities relating to rural general practice including ethics applications, study preparation and delivery and write-up and submission for peer-reviewed publication.
11. Formulate, monitor and data collect for Committee KPIs.
12. Liaise with other members of the research, policy and information department, education department and medical directorate.

Person specification

Qualifications & experience

• Minimum master's level in a relevant discipline.
• Demonstrated experience in a similar project management/research role - minimum five years.
• Experience and at ease with the drafting of accurate, accessibly written and concise meeting minutes, policies and reports.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills, writing and editing abilities with a strong attention to detail.
• High level writing skills with previous experience performing literature reviews, preparing written reports or equivalent documents.
• High level organisational skills: This person is expected to handle a varied workload across programmes to meet deadlines while ensuring accuracy, timeliness and attention to detail.
• Ability to develop strategic targets, deliverables and objectives.

Technical competencies

• High level computer literacy skills. Advanced user of MS Office Suite, especially PowerPoint & Word.
• Excellent ICT skills with capacity to maximise technology to increase efficiency.
• Experience with statistical analyses including demonstrated ability to use a data analysis package desirable but not essential.
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Behavioural Competencies

• Exemplary organisational, multi-tasking and project management capabilities. 
• Strong work ethic, personal drive, and commitment to attaining results.
• Ability to work effectively on own initiative and collaboratively with ICGP teams, Board and Committees. 
• Ability to problem-solve, analyse and interpret complex information and recommendations and contribute to decisions.
• Flexibility to undertake other duties to support ICGP's strategic objectives and staff when required.
• Proven highly motivated, energetic, and results-driven team player. 

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