FCI votes to close down and transfer to BCS

The Faculty of Clinical Informatics has confirmed that members have voted for a “managed close down” and to transfer assets and members to the British Computer Society.

The decision marks the final step in the Faculty, which was established to provide the professional membership body for clinical informaticians in the UK.

The BCS will establish a new community group for FCI members who now choose to take up the offer of moving to the new community group.

An update from the FCI said that 154 members voted in favour of the motions to close down the FCI, but of these 66 were considered invalid votes. As a result, of the 745 FCI members entitled to vote just 88 valid votes for cast the motion, 11% of total membership.

In a subsequent update, the FCI advised work with BCS “to finalise offers to our Membership and getting our Clinical Informatics Community Group established” is nearing completion.

A completed mapping process for Fellows and the overall approach is being taken to the BCS Registration & Standards Committee this Thurs, 1 Feb for final approval.

“Following this we will issue the formal invitation to Students, Associates, Members and Fellows,” said the update.

The demise of FCI took place after the organisation failed to secure expected grant funding from NHS England while simultaneously going on a hiring spree that burned through reserves. This triggered a catastrophic and byzantine falling out between executive staff and elected members.