Welsh Health Student Forum (WHSF) committee

The Wales Health Student Forum (WHSF) is developing a committee which comprises of a Chair and Vice-Chair for each specialist network.

The role of the chair and vice chair will be held by the student for one year, with the vice chair moving into the chair position after the year completion. Chairs and vice chairs will be elected by their networks to represent them.

The chair will be responsible for:

• driving the forum forward
• ensuring its vision is delivered
• manage and monitor their individual network
• raise concerns/best practice of their network
• help facilitate agenda for forum meetings
• regularly engage with Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) staff
• attending HEIW once a year

Vice-chair will be responsible for:

• driving the forum forward
• ensuring its vision is delivered
• assist managing individual networks
• raise concerns/best practice of their network
• help facilitate agenda for forum meetings
• support the chair and take their place should they not be able to attend
• regularly engage with HEIW staff
• attending HEIW once a year

So, what are the benefits of being a chair/vice chair?

• Attend HEIW in Cardiff once a year and network with other committee members throughout Wales and have a tasty lunch.
  • Committee members can reclaim their travel expenses to attend HEIW meetings. Train and/or accommodation arrangements will only be arranged for committee members who are required to travel more than 2.5 hours to attend meetings.
• Leadership and continuous professional development opportunities for committee members.
• Opportunities to engage with influential members within HEIW, Welsh Government and high-profile individuals in the NHS.
• Opportunities for engagement with careers and post-graduation education.

WHSF Alumni Network

Following graduation, students will have the opportunity to join the WHSF Alumni group which is a virtual network of former WHSF members. The remit of this group is to act as a reference group for newly qualified health professionals, input into relevant healthcare consultations and share their experience as a newly qualified health professionals with the WHSF.

The alumni members will have no obligation to attend forum meetings but are required to engage with their specialism networks and alumni group network. Their input in the undergrade network can provide valuable peer support to students and provide opportunities for student to ask questions to qualified members of their professions.