An invitation to help HL7 UK deliver the services that you and other members require

HL7 UK is a membership organisation – it exists to serve its members. For an organisation to serve anyone it needs people to provide the services. All members help provide the service by taking part in technical development and discussions related to HL7 standards.  However, there are some specific roles and tasks that are essential to the continuing success of HL7 UK. Please consider whether you could fill one of those roles or take on a specific task.

As HL7 UK grows and evolves it continues to generate more opportunities and more work that must be done to realise those opportunities. If you see something HL7 UK should be doing (or doing better) then let us know how you can help us to meet your expectations.

There are several way you can contribute to the work of HL7 UK. HL7 UK is managed by an elected Management Board and every year there are opportunities to stand for election to the board. The notes below outline the roles of the Management Board members and the election process. However, the eleven members of the Management Board are only a small part of the picture.  There are many other opportunities to help HL7 UK with the day to day task of providing a better service to its members. Not only will you be helping HL7 UK, but you will also help your organisation raise its profile in the HL7 community. Whether you just gain the gratitude of other members or make a valuable new business connections – what is good for HL7 UK may well be good for you,.

Management Board Roles

  • Chair
  • Chair-Elect or Immediate-Past-Chair
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Technical Committee Chair
  • Members at Large (6)

To see the current membership of the Management Board click here.

Chair, Chair-Elect or Immediate-Past-Chair

These three roles form parts of a four year term of office that results from a single election held in even years (2018, 2020, …, 2030).

The elected candidate serves as Chair-Elect for one year, then serves as Chair for the next two years and finally fills the role of Immediate Past Chair for a year. At any point in time there is a Chair supported by either a Chair-Elect or anImmediate-Past-Chair. This provides continuity while also ensuring an annual role change within the leadership team.

The responsibilities of the Chair include

  • Overall responsibility for implementing the operating plans of HL7 UK
  • Chairing the meetings and conference calls of the Management Board and General Meetings of HL7 UK.
  • Managing liaisons and affiliations with HL7 and with other organisations. This includes:
    • Representing HL7 UK at the HL7 International Affiliates Committee*.
    • Observer role at HL7 Board Meetings during the each HL7 Working Meeting*.
    • Liaison with other UK bodies with overlapping interest – as determined by the Management Board.
    • Representing HL7 UK at HL7 Affiliate meetings and similar events* – as determined by the Management Board.
  • Acting (in consultation with other Management Board members) as a spokesperson for HL7 UK.
  • Mentoring and supporting to the Chair-Elect to ensure a smooth transition of the role of Chair.

The responsibilities of the Chair-Elect or Immediate-Past-Chair

  • Supporting the Chair in implementing the operating plans of HL7 UK.
  • Attendance at Management Board meetings and conference calls.
  • Acting as a deputy for the Chair and assuming the relevant responsibilities at the request of (or in the absence of) the Chair.
  • As Chair-Elect attending meetings and events as necessary to be introduced to existing contacts and liaisons within HL7 UK and other organisations with relevant interests.
  • As Immediate-Past-Chair facilitating the takeover of responsibilities by the new Chair.

Meetings marked * in the above list of responsibilities usually require attendance at all three the HL7 Working Meetings (usually held in the US) and an average of two other meetings outside the UK during each year of office. Limited support with travel and subsistence expenses may be available subject to Management Board discretion.

Secretary

The Secretary is responsible for providing or arranging for:

  • General administrative support for the Management Board.
  • Creating, publishing and distributing
    • Creating and distributing meeting notices
    • Recording and publishing General Meeting and Management Board meeting agendas and minutes
  • Maintaining and/or managing
    • Ballots
    • Lists of Management Board members,
    • Any records required by law.
  • Attendance at Management Board meetings (3-4 per year) and conference phone calls (10-12 per year).

The Secretary is elected for two years at the AGM in even years (eg 2018, 2020, … , 2030).

Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for providing or arranging for:

  • Collection of subscriptions from members
  • Payment of dues to HL7
  • Other receipts and payments
  • Arranging auditing and preparation reports or returns required by law.
  • Creating, publishing and distributing financial reports as required by the Management Board
  • Attendance at Management Board meetings (3-4 per year) and conference phone calls (10-12 per year).

The Treasurer is elected for two years at the AGM in odd years (eg 2019, 2021, … , 2031).

Technical Committee Chair

The Technical Committee Chair is responsible for:

  • Chairing meetings of the Technical Committee
  • Establishing and managing mechanisms for development, discussion and adoption of
    • Standards that meet the objectives of HL7 UK
    • Technical methods that facilitate future standards development
  • Managing the provision of member accessible documents and technical material including proposals and adopted standard
  • Overseeing the process of balloting UK specific standards.
  • Coordinating input from the HL7 UK into HL7 working meetings and ballots
  • Attendance at Management Board meetings (3-4 per year) and conference phone calls (10-12 per year).

The Technical Committee Chair is elected for two years at the AGM in odd years (eg 2019, 2021, … , 2031).

Management Board – Members at Large (6)

Three Members at Large are elected each year at the AGM and serve for two years. Members at Large are not elected to a specific role but all Management Board members are expected to volunteer to take responsibility for particular tasks, areas, activities or events.

Responsibilities of Members at Large include:

  • Attending Management Board meetings (3-4 per year) and conference phone calls (10-12 per year).
  • Taking responsibility for particular tasks assigned by the Management Board.
  • Volunteering to lead or contribute to activities of events planned by the Management Board.

Opportunities to help HL7 UK

HL7 UK is a growing organisation which needs to be supported in a range of different ways. These include the everyday tasks required to maintain any organisation as well as the specific activities required to fulfil the mission of HL7 UK (“To support the development, promotion and implementation of HL7 standards in ways which meet the needs of healthcare organisations, health professionals and healthcare software suppliers in the United Kingdom.”)

The Management Board is concerned to provide a value for money service to its members and for that reason is particular keen to encourage “volunteer” activities. Volunteering need not be altruistic! Most HL7 UK quite understandably direct their efforts at area where they expect to see some a benefit for their organisation. Voluntary effort to assist the development of a standard is directly beneficial if it ensure the end product meets the needs of an organisation or its customers.  Other tasks that need to be done may not have such direct benefits but may raise the profile of your organisation and will certainly help the smooth running of HL7 UK so that it can develop and promote the standards that you need. Finally there are some tasks which the Management Board funds our of membership revenues. These are generally the duller more routine tasks and those that must be managed smoothly on a day to day basis without being subject to the time constraints imposed by volunteers. Even in these cases, the Management Board in its desire to provide value for money wherever possible makes use of the goodwill of members to negotiate contracts that might be rather more expensive or difficult to manage on a strict commercial basis.

Services that HL7 UK currently uses or may require in future

  • Business support
    • Business management
    • Secretariat – membership and enquiries
  • Internet Services
    • Web site hosting
    • Mailing list management
    • Web site technical development
    • Web site content authoring and editing (part funded / part volunteer)
  • Technical Meeting Services 
    • Venues for Technical Meetings
      • Often provided at no charge by member organisations.
    • Minute taking and publication from Technical Committee
    • Convening sub-groups
    • Planning and logistics
  • HL7 UK Technical Specifications and Standards
    • Standards development in Technical Committee and its subgroups
    • Ballot review
    • Ballot management
  • HL7 UK input to HL7 Standards
    • Standards development in TCs and SIGs at Working Meetings and in Conference Calls
    • Ballot review
    • Ballot submissions
  • HL7 UK Promotion
    • Coordination of HL7 UK stand at conferences
    • Promotional mailings
    • Publications in journals and presentations at meeting/conferences
  • HL7 UK Annual Conference
    • Promotion
    • Logistics
    • Programme Planning
  • Education and Training
    • HL7 Training Courses
Key to arrangements for service provision
Entirely voluntary
Voluntary with some potential or future HL7 UK funding
HL7 UK pays funds all or part of the costs for these services
Provided commercially by HL7 UK member

If you think you or your organisation could offer a valuable additional or alternative service that would assist HL7 UK in provide a cost-effective service to its members please contact the Chair or Secretary of HL7 UK.