Here we are at the end of another year, how time has flown! It feels like it was 2020 not long ago and we were in the thick of a pandemic. But we are still experiencing the prolonged existence of COVID19 and trying hard to remain positive that life will soon resemble a pre-covid state or at least, afford us the opportunity to meet and engage with our peers and colleagues more consistently once again.

At RANZCOG, we have officially commenced the Twelfth RANZCOG Board and Council term, and I extend a warm welcome to our new members and those who are continuing on from the 11th Board and Council. In particular, I would like to welcome new College President, Dr Benjamin Bopp, to his first issue of O&G Magazine. I look forward to working with Ben and our new Board and Council over the next two years, to continue to advance our important work in women’s health.

As 2021 draws to a close, I would firstly like to extend my appreciation and acknowledgement to our dedicated members, trainees and staff for their hard work on College business throughout 2021. It remained no small feat to maintain operational effectiveness and efficiency whilst continuing to bounce in and out of lockdowns throughout the year.

Whilst we are all excited about the festive season, many of our trainees are preparing for their upcoming FARNZCOG and DRANZCOG exams at the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022. We wish you all the best for your assessments and know the amount of work that you have put into getting this far already.

This year, the College embarked on important work in the wellbeing space with the release of a widely distributed Bullying, Discrimination and Harassment Survey. The survey was circulated to members, trainees, and staff with the intention of capturing the culture and environments of workplaces that our community work in. The deidentified data will be reviewed by an independent Advisory Working Group and recommendations passed down to RANZCOG in order to help us drive and advocate for the wellbeing of our members, trainees and staff across Australia and New Zealand. We hope to release the report in early 2022.

Looking ahead to 2022, we look forward to engaging with our members on the College’s 2022–2025 Strategic Plan. A draft plan will be circulated to the membership for consultation and review, and we encourage you to provide feedback that will help shape our strategic direction for the next three years.

Finally, I would like to wish you all a safe and happy holiday season, wherever you are and whatever your plans may be. You have worked incredibly hard this year and we can all be proud of the work we have done for the communities, and their families, that we serve.