FSRH elects new Vice President for Specialty and new Vice President for General Training

The FSRH is delighted to announce the election of two new Vice Presidents; with Dr Cindy Farmer being elected Vice President for General Training and Dr Charlotte Porter being elected Vice President for Specialty.

Today we’re delighted to announce the election of Dr Cindy Farmer as Vice President of General Training, taking over from Dr Anne Lashford in January 2023; and of Dr Charlotte Porter as the Vice President of Specialty taking over from Dr Janet Barter on 23rd September 2022. 
We would like to extend the Faculty’s deepest gratitude to both Janet and Anne for their exceptional contribution to their roles over the course of their terms.  

The role of Vice President at the Faculty is a vital one; with the roles having the specific responsibility of working with the President, other Officers, and executive staff to ensure that the FSRH provides excellent training, learning support and community to our members, as well as contributing to the overall leadership and goals of the FSRH. 

Dr Cindy Farmer has been elected the new Vice President of General Training

Cindy qualified in 1999 from Birmingham Medical school with Honours in Medicine and Biochemistry. Her interest in women’s health was sparked when she volunteered as a medical student at a charity whose mission was to help individuals leave the sex trade. She passed her Diploma in Genitourinary Medicine in 2004 and was awarded the MFSRH in 2010. She works in Bristol as a Specialty Doctor in sexual and reproductive health with a particular interest in complex contraception. 

Cindy holds a postgraduate certification in medical education from Bristol University, having attained a distinction in all 4 of her module assignments. She enjoys being involved in teaching and learning and is an undergraduate medical student supervisor as well as an educational supervisor for postgraduate specialty training. She is also joint SAS Tutor for her trust. 

“I’m delighted and honoured to be taking up the role of Vice President of General Training at the Faculty. It reflects my ongoing passion for ensuring we provide the best possible training in sexual and reproductive healthcare. Through having a skilled and supported workforce we can aim to provide high quality SRH services that are accessible and responsive and in doing so we can work towards the FSRH vision for high-quality sexual and reproductive health for all.”  

Dr Cindy Farmer 

Dr Charlotte Porter has been elected the new Vice President of Specialty

Charlotte’s interest in sexual health began in Liverpool, and she subsequently worked in Edinburgh, Bristol and Oxford, completing a CCT in obstetrics and gynaecology before undertaking top-up training in community gynaecology. Charlotte has been a consultant in community sexual and reproductive healthcare (community gynaecology) since 2001, working both in primary and secondary care. She has experienced first-hand how the changes in commissioning and service integration have affected those practising in the specialty. 

Charlotte has been a specialty trainer since 2002 when she set up a sub-specialty programme in Nottingham and she is now a TPD for East Midlands and Yorkshire and was previously the Chair of the specialty advisory committee at FSRH. 

“Unlike many of my peers have not had a long relationship with FSRH day-to-day working, but have been a jobbing consultant and educational supervisor for more years that I care to count. I have been Chair of the specialty advisory committee for just over 3 years, in which time we have seen not only massive change with new curriculum, portfolio and exams, but also an increasing expansion in our trainee numbers. I recognise however the breadth of membership within FSRH and the importance of keeping all the strands together in order to support the delivery of community-based contraception and sexual health. I am grateful to council for the trust shown in offering me the role of Specialty Vice President and will work hard to maintain recruitment expansion, career support, robust assessment and better outcomes for reproductive health across the four nations and beyond.” 

Dr Charlotte Porter 

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