The Department of Health reviewed its procedures, operation and practice of the award scheme in October 2003. The following paper describes the College's current nomination procedure in England and Wales for 2004/2005.

The College's Clinical Excellence Awards Committee (CEAC) consists of representatives who have been elected to office. This includes those Honorary Officers who have awards and the Chairmen (or alternate representatives) of Divisions, Faculties and Sections. If the Chairman of a Division, Faculty and Section does not have an award then the relevant Executive Committee, as the appropriate elected body, will appoint an alternate representative. The CEAC is chaired by the President.

Any member requiring the names of those on the College's Awards Committee should contact Sue Duncan on 0207 201 2600 or e-mail [email protected].

Statistics showing the gender and ethnic backgrounds of those consultants put forward for awards are produced each year by the College Secretariat and posted on the College's website. Although awards continue to be made on merit, Divisions, Faculties and Sections are asked to consider these statistics when submitting their list of recommendations.

Chairmen of Divisions, Faculties and Sections, in consultation with their Executive Committee, or in some cases at meetings of award holders, will consider all eligible members and produce a list of nominations in rank order for their Division, Faculty or Section. These various nomination lists will then be sent to the College and are merged to form one composite list. This list is then sent to all the members of the College's CEAC, together with the CV questionnaires (but not the citations) shortly before the College's annual Awards Meeting. This is usually held at the end of January.

Only the names on the composite list of nominations are considered at the meeting, and then only if the CV questionnaires and citations have been received in advance of the meeting. The Committee member who has made the nomination will speak briefly on behalf of each candidate. Some names are removed from the list at this stage. The Committee are given ample time to consider the paperwork, together with the relevant statistics, and finally to cast their votes.

The final list of College nominations is then submitted to the Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards (ACCEA). Further information of the awards procedures can be viewed at www.doh.gov.uk/accea.

How to be nominated for an award

College Members who wish to be considered for an award have the following options. They may submit a 2005 ACCEA CV questionnaire (these can be downloaded, when available, from the ACCEA website at the above address) to one of the following:

1. • The Chairman (or alternate) of their Division

2. • The Chairman (or alternate) of their Faculty

3. • The Chairman (or alternate) of their Section

4. • The Chief Executive of the College, for consideration by the Honorary Officers no later than 1 November 2004. The Honorary Officers meet to consider individual nominations from College members concerned that they have been overlooked.

When applying, Members must also give the name of a senior colleague willing to write a citation on their behalf.