British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO), established in 1996, is a national, voluntary, multi-professional organisation which represents the interests of multi-ethnic healthcare workers and is the largest organisation of its kind in the UK. BAPIO is committed to supporting the NHS in providing best patient care through professional excellence, leadership, research, education and training for a multi-skilled workforce.

The Equality Act (2010) legally protects people from discrimination and aims to reduce socioeconomic inequity, prohibit victimisation, eliminate discrimination and increase equality of opportunity. BAPIO has a mission to promote equity of access, opportunity and celebrate diversity through sustainable health policy and enforcement of the Equality Act and other legal provisions where needed. It also provides a platform for its members to have equal opportunity, promotes individual excellence through mentorship and supports rich portfolio careers in health care. Ultimately, it aims to influence health and wellbeing of a global population focusing on the richness of diverse ethnicity, social, cultural experiences by linking with shared experience of a global network of health professional and their representative bodies.

General Practice has had a key role in the NHS encompassing one of the largest groups of diverse practitioners whom have different needs and patterns of working than their secondary care colleagues. Diversity within general practice workforce has enhanced provision of primary care for decades now and hence, it is only appropriate that there is a forum for GP’s within the remit of wider organisation to provide representation to this group and feed into the policy making of BAPIO.

Following are the terms for reference adopted by the GP executive which consisted of a group of GPs and GP trainees proposed by BAPIO central executive.

• Engagement with GPs and GP trainees under the BAPIO umbrella with the aim of promoting best practice and excellence in primary care.
• Raise awareness and find solutions relating to issues pertaining to equality, diversity and inclusion of BAME and IMG’s (International medical graduates) especially around differential attainment and career progression.
• Promote inclusive and demonstrable leadership by empowering the membership with opportunities especially in the context of gap in BAME representation within NHS.
• To support GP trainees in issues related to their training and by working with other like-minded organisations as well as relevant authorities such as the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), British Medical Association (BMA) , Health Education England (HEE) and General Medical Council (GMC).
• Promote development of career interests by highlighting and supporting available opportunities and fellowships for all members especially GP trainees.
• Engage with medical students under the BAPIO umbrella to promote primary care within and outside United Kingdom.

Forums will be open to all BAPIO GP members and GP trainees.

The BAPIO Executive Committee will be the delegating body and will be the final authority in all the matters relating to the functions, conduct and membership of a Forum and shall have the powers to intervene, adjudicate in any dispute or reconstitute the Forum.
The Executive Committee at the recommendation of the President shall appoint a member who will be designated as Chair of the forum and will act as a lead person. The Chair of the Forum in consultation with the President may appoint office bearers including Vice Chairs, Secretary, Joint Secretary, treasurer, advisor, social media lead or other such posts for the forum.
All such posts are honorary unless agreed with the GP executive and approved by central executive. Appropriate travel expenses may be claimed in line with BAPIO guidelines.
Term of each member shall be for a period of two years which can be reduced by mutual consent at request.
GP forum executive can set up a task group as needed and decide its terms of reference.

The group will meet as a minimum of once every three months and use technology to aid that. Ad-hoc meetings can be called at the request of chair and general secretary with a notice period of one week unless deemed emergency. Secretary in consultation with chair shall provide an agenda to the group at the earliest possible opportunity or at least 2 days in advance.

Presence of chair/vice-chair and general secretary/joint secretary is required for any meeting to take place. At least one third of the executive is required for any meeting to be quorate.

For all strategic decisions, an agreement by 2/3^rd of the executive is required. The group will aim to work with a collaborative and consensus-based approach.

The acting chair, in consultation with the acting secretary, shall manage the conflict of interests as appropriate and relevant members may be asked to not participate in those discussions.

All records will be confidential and available to the forum and central executive only unless pre-agreed by the executive.

The BAPIO Head office shall provide necessary secretarial and administrative support.

The BAPIO Head Office shall be responsible for ensuring that all the records of the administrative and communication details are updated to meet the requirements of the constitutional and financial reporting and for the purposes of the data governance as applicable.

Financial support shall be offered for the activities such as meetings and membership drive. In addition, the Forum is encouraged to identify additional sources of income through sponsorship in line with requirements and obligations set out by General Medical council.