About the College

The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) is the academic organisation in the UK for general practitioners. Its aim is to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the ‘voice’ of general practitioners on education, training and standards issues.

Founded in 1952, the RCGP is a relatively young organisation with an outstanding record of achievement. Milestones in its history include the establishment of vocational training in general practice, the setting up of clinical guidelines for doctors, the expansion of research into general medical practice and the promotion of primary care.

The word ‘College’ is a little misleading because the RCGP doesn’t have students or lectures in the normal sense of the word. Traditionally, medical organisations concerned with professional studies have been known as ‘colleges’ - hence the use of the word. In practice, the Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of around  27,000 doctors who are committed to improving patient care, developing their own skills and developing general practice.

The RCGP is an International organisation with members all over the world. Its headquarters are at Princes Gate, London, but it also has an extensive network of local groups called 'faculties' which provide a local focus for doctors throughout the UK - please use map on right to navigate to your local faculty.

About the New Professionals website