History, Heritage & Archives
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
When was the College
founded?
The college was founded on 19th November 1952. For further
information view the chronology pages.
Why was the College
founded?
With the introduction of the National
Health Service in 1948, general practitioners were
required to provide primary and personal medical care for every
patient registered with them. In addition, they became the gateway
through which patients normally gained access to specialist
hospital care, sickness benefit, and many of the other provisions
made available under the National Health Service. General practice
had no adequate physical, administrative, or financial resources
for this task. The workload was prodigious. Inevitably, in the face
of an impossible task, morale and standards fell. It became evident
that general practice, vital to the functioning of the new Health
Service, was failing.
In 1950, the Lancet published a report, made by Joseph S Collins, a
visiting Australian doctor on his personal survey of British
general practice (Lancet.1950.1.555-585). He had come prepared to
admire and to learn, but was appalled by what he found. In his
report, which was given prominence by the Lancet, he painted a
dramatic picture of exhausted and demoralised doctors, hurried work
and low standards. It was against this background that the idea of
a college for general practitioners began to be expressed by some
of its concerned and influential leaders.
In October 1951, John Hunt and Fraser Rose wrote a letter to the
BMJ and the Lancet asking for suggestions or comments on the idea
of a College of General Practice: “there is no College or academic
to represent primarily the interest of the largest group of medical
personnel in this country – the 20,000 general
practitioners…”. Hunt and Rose believed that what was needed
was an academic body to support good standards of practice,
education and research, such as already existed in other medical
colleges. A college for general practitioners, it was argued, could
provide leadership for those many doctors anxious to work for
better standards in general practice, and would also make it
possible to attract into practice young doctors of the highest
quality.
For more information on the history
of the college:
- view the historical background information
available through the site.
- information on the RCGP Archive Institutional Papers.
- information on the RCGP Archives Personal Papers by Lord
Hunt.
What does the Coat of Arms
symbolise?
For full details of the structure of the coat of arms view the
Coat of Arms
history page.
What does the College motto “Cum
Scientia Caritas” mean?
“Science with Compassion”
What year did 'x' College event or
initiative take place?
For information on the chronological history of the RCGP, by
date and by subject, please go to the Chronology Pages.
Alternatively, if the event is not listed, contact the college
Archivist at: heritage@rcgp.org.uk.
Related pages: