Ұлыбритания дәрігерлер қауымдастығы

Professional body for doctors in the UK

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) is the professional body for general (medical) practitioners (GPs/Family Physicians/Primary Care Physicians) in the United Kingdom. The RCGP represents and supports GPs on key issues including licensing, education, training, research and clinical standards. It is the largest of the medical royal colleges, with over 54,000 members. The RCGP was founded in 1952 in London, England and is a registered charity. Its motto is Cum Scientia Caritas – "Compassion [empowered] with Knowledge."

The RCGP is unique amongst the medical royal colleges in having both a President and a Chair. The President takes a mainly ceremonial function while the Chair sets the college's policy direction, and leads the RCGP decision making body – the council. In 2012 the establishment of a new Trustee Board meant that members of the council were relieved of having to act in a statutory capacity relating to the college's charity status. The council of the RCGP encompasses 32 groups ('Faculties') located across the UK, the Republic of Ireland and overseas. These are semi autonomous units that provide local support and services for doctors, including educational events, training and personal development services. The college also incorporates devolved councils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that liaise with their own national health and primary care organisations. as of 2023, the President is Richard Vautrey, Chair of Council is Professor Kamila Hawthorne MBE, Honorary Secretary is Michael Mulholland, Honorary Treasurer is Steve Mowle, Vice Chair Professional Development is Professor Margaret Ikpoh and Vice Chair External Affairs is Dr Victoria Tzortziou Brown OBE.

In 2013 the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin launched a legal challenge to the regulator, the General Medical Council, and the college alleging that the clinical skills assessment component of the Membership exam was discriminatory and seeking a judicial review of the way the RCGP conducted the test, because there is a "significant difference in pass rates which cannot be explained by a lack of any knowledge, skill or competency on the part of the International Medical Graduates. 65.3% of international graduates failed their first attempt at the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) component of the MRCGP exam in 2011/12, compared with 9.9% of UK graduates. In 2010/11, 59.2% of the international graduates failed at the first attempt, compared with 8.2% of UK graduates, while in 2008, 43% of IMGs failed the CSA compared with 8.3% of UK graduates. Aneez Esmail was asked to analyse data on more than 5,000 candidates who sat the CSA exam over a two year period by the GMC. He found that ‘subjective bias due to racial discrimination may be a cause’ of the different pass rates for between white and non white graduates. The Judicial Review failed. Mr Justice John Mitting presiding over the case said that the Royal College of General Practitioners was neither racially discriminatory nor in breach of its public sector equality duty. He said the college had carried out numerous assessments that identified the disparity in performance between different groups and that it should now take action, including by selecting more representative examiners and role players for the assessment. Subsequently, the college, BAPIO announced that they would be working in close collaboration to address supporting international medical graduates and Black and Minority Ethnic doctors in relation to training and passing the MRCGP.

The RCGP runs an Annual Conference each autumn, often attracting political, national and international speakers. The RCGP also hold a variety of courses and conferences throughout the year on specific clinical topics (e. g. Certificate in the treatment of substance misuse; Minor Surgery; Commissioning of local care; and regular 'one day essentials' such as obesity, respiratory care and dementia) – all aimed at GPs and other health professionals within primary care.

The RCGP builds partnerships with overseas health organisations, runs an International Development Programme and develops postgraduate assessment through an International Membership accreditation scheme called MRCGP[INT]. The college advises international doctors wishing to study or practise in the UK, and runs an International Travel Scholarship to support the study needs of members and non members.

The RCGP provides over 20 academic and monetary awards for people at different stages of their career. The awards are administered by an Awards Committee chaired by the President, and are usually presented at the college's two general meetings. The college also offers a number of International Travel Scholarships, and some regional faculties run their own awards. The college's highest award is the Honorary Fellowship, awarded to doctors and non doctors from the UK and overseas for outstanding work towards the objectives of the college.

Co founders of the college include Fraser Rose, John Hunt and George Abercrombie and others who joined the steering committee in 1951. One of the first presidents of the RCGP was William Pickles. He spoke out in favour of the foundation of the NHS and was held in high regard worldwide for his work in epidemiology. The college's coat of arms and inscription Cum Scientia Caritas were designed by Perry Harrison, a founder member of the college. The college received the letters patent for its Arms in 1961. The elements represent historical context and themes relevant to general medical practice:
The ancient lineage of medicine – the gavel entwined with the serpent of Asclepius (the Greek God of Medicine). The owl of the crest represents wisdom, and night visits; the gavel, authority and decision making. The shield itself is derived from that of St Bartholomew's Hospital (the oldest extant hospital site in the UK). Its chevron in these arms represents a roof (of the house in which general practice takes place), and day and night (black/white) alluding to the 24 hour commitment of GPs to their patients. The lamp represents enlightenment, the importance of study/research, and links with the lamp of nursing. The doctor's compassionate and healing relationship with their patient is represented by the white poppy (symbolising the relief of pain) and the blue gentian (representing the restorative and rehabilitative role of the GP). The supporters are a unicorn (from the arms of the Society of Apothecaries, the forerunners of General Practitioners in the UK and in whose Hall the College of General Practitioners was first housed, but also representing medicine), and a lynx (from the Arms of the Company of Barbers and subsequently the Royal College of Surgeons, representing surgery). The spots on the lynx indicate its all seeing nature, which is thought appropriate for general practice. The motto is Cum Scientia Caritas (Compassion [empowered] with Knowledge). From 1962 the headquarters of the college were at 14 Princes Gate, Kensington, London. By 1970 the college had 7,500 members. In late October 2012 the college moved into new headquarters at 30 Euston Square, Camden, London. The building includes a Clinical Skills Assessment Centre (CSA) which means that the college has the capacity to assess several hundred candidates during sittings that are held throughout the year. Concern has been expressed about the effect on the headquarters when re development of Euston Station takes place to accommodate the new High Speed Two development.

The RCGP has been criticised for its support of the fossil fuel industry by hosting the 2020 Oil and Gas UK Exploration Conference at its London headquarters. This was cancelled after a petition by members raised concerns.