RCGP Archives Overview
Institutional Records
Central Departments
Central Departments [A CE]. - History
The Royal College of General Practitioners was
founded in 1952 to provide an `academic headquarters for general
practice [and] to raise the standards and status of general
practice'.
Although various attempts were made in the nineteenth century
to found a college to represent general practitioners, it was not
until the founding of the National Health Service in 1948 that the
need became urgent. General practice became responsible for all
personal medical care and the gateway for individuals to access
hospital, specialist care and sickness benefit. However, general
practitioners were not able to cope with such a massively expanded
service without a reciprocal rise in physical, financial and
administrative support. J S Collings, an Australian visitor to
England in 1950 reported that he had observed exhausted and
demoralised doctors, hurried work and low standards.
A small group of general practitioners decided to do something
to improve matters. They wanted to provide leadership, raise
standards of education, practice and research through the
establishment of a dedicated college for general practitioners. In
1951 a meeting was held and by February 1952 a steering committee
was formed. The committee included seven general practitioners and
five sympathetic consultants and was chaired by a former Minister
of Health, Sir Henry Willink. Other members included Drs. Fraser
Rose, Geoffrey Barber, Talbot Rogers and John Hunt. After only
eight meetings the new College of General Practitioners was legally
constituted in Nov 1952.
Unlike the other medical colleges the Royal College of General
Practitioners has a federal structure with regional faculties and
Scottish [1953] and Welsh [1968] councils as well as the College
council. The College council meets five times a year and is made up
of representatives from the 33 faculties as well as 18 elected
members. There are five Honorary officers elected by Council:
Chair, two Vice-Chairs, an Honorary Secretary and Honorary
Treasurer. The President is elected by membership in a national
ballot and like the Honorary officers holds office for three
years.
The College of General Practitioners received the prefix
`Royal' in 1967 and was presented with its Royal Charter in 1972.
In 1972 HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was appointed an
Honorary Fellow and became President of the College - since
relinquishing the post he has been the College's patron. In 1992,
the College's fortieth year HRH The Prince of Wales accepted the
Presidency.
The College purchased its London Princes Gate headquarters,
the former residence of the American ambassador, in
1962.
Membership was opened in January 1953 and within six weeks
1655 doctors had joined. By the time of the first AGM in November
1953 committees had been established to consider education for
under and post graduates and for general practice
research.
An examination committee was formed in November 1954 "to give
full and detailed study to an examination as a possible method of
entry to Membership of the College..." but the first examination
for membership [MRCGP] of the RCGP was not held until in 1965 and
three years later the examination became the sole method of entry
to the College.
What Records are there in the Archives?
A CE A Formal 1953-2007
Records (including Annual Reports) generated by the formal,
public functions of the College such as Annual General Meetings,
College Dinners and Annual Lectures 1952-date.
A CE B Council 1952-2000
Records of College governing body and its precursors, including
the General Practice Steering Committee and the Provisional
Foundation Council
A CE C Executive and College Management 1953 -
2007
Records of executive bodies, including Finance and
General Purposes Committee (1953-1964), General Purposes Committee
(1964-1989), Council Executive Committee (1989-), Administration;
Executive Officers; Purchasing of Headquarters(Princes Gatte);
Solicitors correspondence, Officers' Breakfast meetings
(1981-1983), Management Group (1984-1993); Chief Executive (1959 -
1986) and Restructuring and Administration papers
(1977-1981).
A CE D Finance 1958-2008
Records of finance bodies and officers, including Finance
Committee (1964-)
A CE E Fellowship & Awards 1955-2008
[see history and summary of these records on
AIM 25]
Records generated by committees concerned with the granting of
College fellowships, awards and other honours.
A CE F Membership & Examinations
1954-2008
Records of membership and examination officers and
committees.
A CE G Research
Records
of Research committees and projects.
[See history and summary of these records on
AIM25. Other records of interest as
those of the
research units ARE]
A CE H Education 1952-2008
Records
generated by committees, working parties and projects concerned
with education and training.
A CE J Quality 1955-2007
Records
generated by committees and projects concerned with quality
standards including practice management.
A CE K Facilities & House Services
1965-1992
Records generated by technical services supporting the work and
maintaining the premises of the College.
A CE L Services to Members 1952-2007
Records
generated by College services to members, including publications,
sales, public relations and information provision.
A CE M Faculty Support 1953-1997
Records generated by central College contact with regional
(including overseas) faculties and regional Councils. [Not to be
confused with records relating to individual faculties, which are
arranged separately (A-FE, A-FH, A-FI, A-FS, A-FW, A-FX)
A CE N External Relations 1948-1997
Records generated by College contact with external
organizations.
A CE O Clinical 1972-2000
Records generated by College Clinical projects and
initiatives
A CE P International 1978-2007
Records
of the International projects and initiatives