In October, I will take up the position of Chair of the Board of Trustees. I will become the first man to occupy the position, and the first openly gay person. With the approval of the membership, I will preside over our most diverse Board ever. This is also the year that saw RCSLT’s first official presence at Pride, thanks to the UK SLT Pride Network. Mary Heritage, as outgoing Chair, can be rightfully proud of realising the ambition of attracting trustees and committee members with a range of protected characteristics that more closely reflect our membership and the communities we serve.
We have a range of challenges in the coming years, including responding to the changes to society in response to COVID-19 and the continuing impact on service delivery. Many services are experiencing unprecedented challenges, including long waiting lists and pressures to do more with fewer resources. The RCSLT continues to be responsive to these challenges, supporting members to advocate for hard-to-reach families and service users. We are privileged to ensure that the most vulnerable in society get the help, advice and interventions that they need.
I am constantly impressed and humbled by the efforts of you, our members, in contributing to the RCSLT, as well as your commitment to your service users and the profession as a whole. It is important to remember that you are the RCSLT, and that ‘college’ is not a remote board in London. There are myriad ways of getting involved with your professional body, all of which will also help you to develop transferrable skills that will enhance your career. This applies to all our members – including students, several of whom were involved in the selection panels that interviewed the incoming Board and committee members. From students to retirees, the RCSLT has a place for you. So, if you are unhappy with the way things are, or simply want to feel more involved, why not get in touch and help us to change for the better?
I am proud of the progress we have made so far on improving diversity, and all the amazing work you do on a daily basis. Your contribution really matters. We all strive to constantly improve, and I look forward to helping the profession continue to develop while making diversity an indispensable part of all that we do.