The storm that blew the Royal College of Physicians off course
A storm blew through the Royal College of Physicians of London (RCP) this year. A disastrous extraordinary general meeting, only the third in the college’s 500 year history, led to the resignations of the president, deputy registrar, and chair of the board of trustees. The college was ripped asunder. At the heart of the crisis was money and the college’s position on physician associates (doi:10.1136/bmj.q2729).1 A King’s Fund review commissioned by the college identified a “lack of trust and confidence” in governance (doi:10.1136/bmj.q1983).2 The college will cease to host the Faculty of Physician Associates, from which it benefits financially, at the end of this year. But its support of NHS, General Medical Council …
