HCSA - the hospital doctors' union (Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association) is a nationally recognised professional association and trade union in the UK dedicated solely to hospital consultants, specialty doctors and core/specialty hospital doctors in training and Foundation grades ("junior doctors"), originally established in 1948 as the Regional Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association. Medical Students can also join as associates. It was granted national collective bargaining rights for all grades of hospital doctors in England by NHS Employers on 22 December 2016. This is the first time any trade union for doctors other than the British Medical Association has been nationally recognised by the NHS. In 1974 the association's rules were amended to extend membership rights to all senior hospital doctors, and its members voted for a new name, the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association, to reflect this change. HCSA has been affiliated to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) since 1979. It is also affiliated to the General Federation of Trade Unions (UK). The association has admitted hospital specialty doctors in training ("junior doctors") since a rule change announced on 1 May 2013. On 28 April 2017 members voted for a rule change that extended membership further to encompass all post-graduate hospital doctors, including Foundation grades for the first time. On 25 June 2013 HCSA attended is first meeting of the NHS Staff Council, a body containing representatives of staff-side unions and NHS employers. In April 2018, the HCSA AGM endorsed Dr Claudia Paoloni as President-elect. When she took up her post in 2019 she became the first ever woman President in the association's history. The association publishes a bi-monthly magazine for members, Hospital Consultant & Specialist. Organisational structure Every four years HCSA members elect members to the ruling Council, with representation based on relevant Constituencies as determined by the Council, which meets every six months. Currently there are 13 geographical constituencies, each with the right to elect up to four representatives to the Council. Day-to-day decisions are made by a standing committee, known as the Executive, which meets regularly and is drawn from Council members who are appointed to National Officer roles. The Executive's current membership comprises: President Dr Naru Narayanan, FRCOG Chair of the Executive Dr Bernhard Heidemann, FRCA Immediate Past President Dr Claudia Paoloni, FRCA Honorary Treasurer Dr Patrick McGowan, FRCA Honorary Secretary Dr Sarah Tennant Honorary Secretary Dr Emma Cox Honorary Secretary Mr Harish Parmar, FRCS