Record number of Fellowships to be awarded to outstanding
GPs
17 November 2006
A record number of GPs will be awarded a Fellowship of the Royal
College of General Practitioners at its Annual General Meeting in
London on Friday 17 November.
In addition to seven
Honorary Fellowships, 185 Fellowships will be presented to doctors
throughout England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the
Republic of Ireland, with expertise in areas ranging from
palliative care and dermatology to sexual health and
diabetes.
Fellowship – the highest level of RCGP membership - is awarded to
family doctors deemed by the College to demonstrate its standards,
values and commitment to high quality general practice.
From April 1 2006, the College’s previous two routes to Fellowship
- Fellowship by Assessment of Performance (FBA) and Fellowship by
Nomination (FBN) - were replaced by a new route which recognises
the varying career patterns of members and is designed to be as
relevant to portfolio or part-time GPs as to full time
principals.
Under the new system, members of five continuous years can put
themselves forward for Fellowship based on their experience in one,
any or all of six achievement categories which reflect the breadth
of activity in the discipline of General Practice.
Dr Roger Neighbour, President of the RCGP, said: “Fellowship is
awarded only after a thorough enquiry into the doctor’s
professional achievements. I hope the patients of all our new
Fellows elected this November will share my sense of pride in what
they have accomplished.
“I am delighted that amongst other Fellows to be elected on this
occasion will be the first cohort of those approved under the
College’s ‘unified route’ to Fellowship. It is our hope that these
new criteria-based arrangements should bring the College’s highest
honour within reach of a wider range of members.”
Ends
For further information please contact Lorna Fletcher, RCGP Press
Office, 020 7344 3136 / press@rcgp.org.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS
• The Royal College of General Practitioners is the largest
membership organisation in the United Kingdom solely for GPs. It
aims to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general
medical practice and to act as the “voice” of GPs on issues
concerned with education; training; research; and clinical
standards. Founded in 1952, the RCGP has over 25,000 members who
are committed to improving patient care, developing their own
skills and promoting general practice as a discipline.
• From April 1 2006, any GP who has been a member of the
RCGP for at least five continuous years will be able to
self-nominate for Fellowship based on his or her experience in one,
any or all of the six achievement categories:
clinical practice; patient-centered practice; leadership; teaching
& education; innovation & creativity; and academic &
research. One stipulation is that anyone seeing patients must
include the clinical practice category. For each category within
which a GP submits evidence, a referee will be required to vouch
for the accuracy of the evidence cited.
The application process is in two parts: registering the intention
to undertake the process; and submitting a personal statement,
supporting evidence and referee declarations.