Records of the RCOG Deputy College Secretary's Office [later Director of Corporate Affairs]

Records created by the RCOG Deputy College Secretary (later the Director of Corporate Affairs) relating to the administration of College activities and affairs, including papers relating to the creation of RCOG medals and badges, representation on external bodies, the administration of meetings and conferences, in particular the British Congress and international scientific meetings, postgraduate training, the establishment of the publishing department within the College and its website, the RCOG museum and Tumour Registry collection, marketing and outreach activities, and the building of the RCOG Education Centre at Sussex Place, Regent's Park.

The RCOG Deputy College Secretary, established in the late 1970s, was the head of the College's Administration Department and also provided secretarial and administrative support for all the Honorary Officers. The first holder of the office was Paul Barnett, followed by Beryl Stevens.

The Deputy College Secretary was responsible for management and supervision of the department, editorial, production and circulation of all major printing requirements for the College, the RCOG website, public relations, the Fellows & Members database and Admission ceremonies, RCOG publications and the Bookshop, travel for College business, international meetings and congresses, representatives on outside bodies, attendance at Committee meetings, and special projects given by Officers.

The Administration Department serviced the Consumers' Forum, the Ethics Committee, the Services Board, Joint Standing Committees with other Medical Colleges and associations and related sub-committees, and working parties. The Annual Report, Register of Fellows and Members and The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist were all compiled within this department, as were proceedings of study groups and reports of working parties. The department was additionally responsible for the issue of press releases, press conferences and all media contacts. Many of these functions were later taken over by the International Office, Publishing Department, and Health, Policy and Communications team (previously the Public Relations Office.)

The role of Deputy College Secretary was transformed into that of the Director of Corporate and International Affairs c.2005, and in 2011 the post was distributed under further restructuring, with an Executive Director of Global Education and Deputy Chief Executive, a Director Membership Relations, and International Office Manager taking over the functions.

This series of papers was transferred individually at various times to the College Archives and have been listed in the order in which they were transferred (roughly chronological). Records in this series dated prior to the establishment of the office indicate functions later passed to the Deputy College Secretary.

Permission is required from senior management for external access to College records less than twenty years old.

Internal transfers from the Deputy College Secretary's Office and Corporate Affairs.

Copyright is held by the RCOG and photocopies are available at the discretion of the College Archivist.

Many of these files were weeded of routine administrative material on accessioning.

The majority of the Deputy College Secretary's papers have been listed under different series numbers for each function. The papers of the various committees for which the department was responsible are listed in the Allied Materials section, as are those offices serviced by the department and published material produced under the governance of the Deputy College Secretary. The papers included in this series were transferred to the Archive or semi-current storage by the Deputy College Secretary and the Corporate Affairs Department.

Further accruals are possible from transfers of legacy material from College departments; papers relating to the activities of the roles replacing the Director of Corporate Affairs will be retained as a separate series.

References of related papers held at the RCOG include:

RCOG/N Records of Communications and External Affairs of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist

RCOG/E6 Records of the British Congresses of Obstetrics and Gynaecology