RCGP awards

Clinical Impact Awards (ACCIA)

Important changes have been made to the ACCIA process and the RCGP will no longer be ranking applications or providing citations. You can read more about this change on the ACCIA website. 

However, please continue reading for guidance on the application process.

The awards are led by the Advisory Committee on Clinical Impact Awards (ACCIA) and reward consultants or academic GPs in England and Wales who exceed the expectations of their job role or paid work. Postgraduate Deans of Medicine and Dentistry are eligible for CIAs if they are ‘a definitive Postgraduate Dean appointed in competition from General Practitioners and consultants and with responsibilities for postgraduate trainees across all specialties.

You can check your eligibility on ACCIA's webpage.

Applications need to be submitted on the ACCIA online portal.

As part of the College’s values, we are encouraging nominations from members of all backgrounds, particularly female and Black, Asian and minority ethnic doctors.

We are strongly encouraging members to apply and wish everyone the very best of luck.

Application guidance

Please consult ACCIA’s full guide for applicants for further guidance on completing your application. You can also watch ACCIA's webinar for applicants. The RCGP will also be providing a webinar which will be available shortly.

Please contact awards@rcgp.org.uk if you have any questions relating to the Clinical Impact Awards where further information can be provided. You can also contact the ACCIA Secretariat directly at accia@dhsc.gov.uk.

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Rose Prize

Applications are now open for the eleventh Rose prize for original work in the history of British general practice. For full information on the prize and how to apply:

• Rose Prize criteria (PDF file, 194 KB)

Fraser Rose Medal and the RACGP Trainee's Book Prize Award

The Fraser Rose Medal is awarded annually to the candidate who in completing the examination and concluding their training, has demonstrated outstanding performance to the panel of examiners.

It was instituted by the Merseyside and North Wales faculty in 1972 and named in honour of Dr Fraser Rose who took a leading part in the formation of the RCGP.

The Royal Australian College donates a Trainee's Book Prize each year to be awarded to the Fraser Rose Medal winner.

• Fraser Rose Medal and the RACGP Trainee's Book Prize award criteria

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Paul Freeling Award

Deadline: end of August

Award of up to £1,000 for innovative or meritorious work in the field of GP specialty training for general practice.

• Details of how to apply and application form (PDF file, 236 KB)

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GP Specialty Trainee Award

A number of bursaries for GP Specialty Trainees are available by application to attend the RCGP Annual Conference. The RCGP GP Specialty Trainee Awards are made for original and innovative projects that contribute directly or indirectly to the quality of care for patients.

• Details of how to apply and application form (PDF file,189 KB)

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RCGP-SAPC Annual elective prize

Deadline: end of May each year

An annual prize of £500 is awarded for the best proposal by a medical student for an elective based in Primary Care/General Practice. The proposal might be to submit a relevant ‘think piece’, research, improvement, innovation, invention, evaluation or audit.

• Apply for RCGP SAPC prize (PDF file, 297 KB)

RCGP Certificate of Commendation

RCGP Certificate of Commendation is for GPs or others whose efforts and exceptional contributions can be shown to have helped general practice and primary care achieve better outcomes – for patients or for staff.

Candidates for the award should normally be college members or fellows or non-medical people associated with general practice or the wider field of primary care. The nomination must demonstrate the consistent individual contribution to excellent general practice. The nomination also needs to show how their personal impacts differ from those of any team or organisation where they work, and that their outputs go beyond those of any role they are employed to play.

A maximum of 50 certificates can be awarded each year.

• Download certificate of commendation criteria (PDF file, 102 KB)

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Foundation Council Award

Deadline: End of March each year

One award will be made each year in recognition of consistent excellent efforts and contributions that have helped the RCGP as a professional organisation to achieve excellence in its work as a membership and representative body for GPs.

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George Abercrombie Award

Awarded from time to time for special meritorious literary work in general practice. The nominations are put to the Editorial Board of BJGP in the first instance and the Board's recommendation are put forward to the Fellowship and Awards Committee for consideration in April.

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Honorary Fellowships

Deadline for nominations: end of March and August each year.

An award through which individuals who are not a Member or Fellow of the College, nor eligible to be so, are recognised for outstanding work towards the objective of the College: ‘To encourage, foster and maintain the highest possible standards in general medical practice’. In practice, this will mean that the individual has either made an exceptional contribution to helping the RCGP as a professional body to achieve this objective or has made a direct contribution to improving the working lives of GPs and their care of patients. This contribution may have been enabled by a post which the candidate holds / has held, but must go beyond their formal remit and be a chosen commitment and prioritisation on their part towards general practice.

Honorary Fellows may use the post-nominal FRCGP[Hon] after their name. Under the College byelaws, no more than twelve Honorary Fellows can be elected in a College year. No fee is paid by a candidate appointed as an Honorary Fellow.

• Download honorary fellowships form (Word doc, 479 KB)

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The President's Medal

Deadline for nominations: End of March each year

Up to two awards will normally be made each year in recognition of consistent excellent efforts and contributions that have achieved the RCGP’s overall mission ‘To encourage, foster and maintain the highest possible standards in general medical practice. The successful candidate will usually be in the later stages of their career and the award acknowledges a cumulative contribution over their working lifetime to the development of general practice as a service to patients.

Discovery prize award

The Discovery Prize is awarded every three years for outstanding research in general practice. Important discoveries in general practice have transformed health care and the wellbeing of patients. The Discovery Prize recognises contemporary achievement of similar stature with continuing major importance for primary care in the UK and overseas.

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RCGP Adolescent health care award

This award is made in memory of Dr Kathy Phipps, who was an active and enthusiastic member of the RCGP Adolescent health group. The group aims to improve the quality of care and health outcomes for adolescents.

RCGP Inspire Awards

The RCGP Inspire Awards celebrate the invaluable contribution of our member volunteers and the difference they make to bettering general practice and the RCGP throughout the year.

In 2022 the Inspire Awards not only celebrated the year’s successes of our diverse and widespread community of members, but also the College’s 70th year.

Introduction

Since its inception in 2006, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has significantly increased the scale of clinical research in the NHS, particularly through the NIHR Research Delivery Network, formerly the Clinical Research Network. The enthusiastic engagement of NHS clinicians is an essential condition for sustaining and building on this success, particularly given the many competing demands on clinician time and resources.  This award scheme aims to recognise outstanding contributions of NHS clinicians to the conduct of NIHR Portfolio research studies. 
 
This award scheme is for current Members or Fellows of the Royal College of General Practitioners. The scheme recognises research-active NHS general practices that are demonstrating excellence and innovation in delivering NIHR research. In addition, there is an award for First5® GPs who demonstrate an emerging interest and experience in delivering NIHR research within a primary care setting.

Eligibility

• Practice applications must be submitted in the name of a current Fellow or Member of the RCGP
• Practices must be contributing to NIHR portfolio studies during the specified timeframe.
• First5® GPs must be a current First5® member and have contributed to NIHR portfolio research in a general practice/primary care setting during the specified timeframe.

Applications

Applicants are required to outline their contribution to a NIHR Portfolio studies, with particular weight being attached to:

• the range and number of patients in NIHR portfolio studies in the UK
• how patients have been engaged and informed of new opportunities to participate in NIHR clinical research
• the contribution made to the delivery of studies
• innovative methods of study delivery
   
• RCGP/NIHR practice award application form (PDF file, 190 KB)
• RCGP/NIHR practice award application form (Word doc file, 75 KB)
• RCGP/NIHR First5 award application form (PDF file, 189 KB)
• RCGP/NIHR First5 award application form (Word doc file, 83 KB)

To apply please fill out the relevant application form and send it to research@rcgp.org.uk

Awards

• RCGP/NIHR practice award - £1000 and a glass trophy
• RCGP/NIHR First5® award - £500 and a glass trophy

The awards will be presented at the RCGP Annual Conference Winners Enclosure. Award winners must be able to attend this event.

Application process and judging of applications

• Applications should be made using the application form.  Any additional information supplied will not be considered by the panel
• Applicants should note the word limit on each section of the form
• Receipt of applications will be acknowledged by email
• Applications will be assessed jointly by a RCGP/NIHR panel. 
• Please note, we expect a high number of applications and will be unable to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

Established in 1996, these annual awards are given to recognise and celebrate an individual or group of researchers who have undertaken and published an exceptional piece of research relating to general practice or primary care.

We are now accepting applications for the RCGP Research Paper of the Year (RPY) award 2024.

To submit an application, for your paper or to nominate someone else, please complete an application through the RCGP Scientific Foundation Board.

Information on last year's winners can be found in this article published in the British Journal of General Practice.

There are three RPY categories:

• Clinical research
• Health service research - including public health and implementation
• Medical education - related to primary care

Entries must be submitted following one of these categories. Each category winner is awarded £250. The overall winner will be selected from each of the category winners and will be awarded £1,000 (inclusive of the category award).

The deadline for submission of entries has been extended to 23:59 on Sunday 9 March 2025.

The winners will be invited to present their work at RCGPs 'Winners Enclosure' at the Annual Conference.

You will be asked to provide:

• Research paper title, journal
• PubMed link to the paper
• Nominate a category for the entry
• Confirm that the paper meets the eligibility criteria outlined below
• Names of authors who were practising GPs or who are Members or, Fellows of RCGP, or GP registrars at the time of the publication
• Provide contact details (we will only contact you regarding the RPY if we have difficulty obtaining the research paper; we are not able to confirm receipt of submission)

Eligibility

Category

A research paper may only be entered in one category.

Dates

The paper must have been published between 1 January and 31 December 2024, in a peer-reviewed English language journal, published in any country. This includes research papers that are only available online. For papers that are “epub ahead of print” the date of first online publication of the final version will specify the publication year. 

Location

The research reported must relate to research which has been undertaken within the United Kingdom (UK) and / or the Republic of Ireland (ROI). For papers describing research involving other countries, the lead author must be based in UK or ROI, and the UK or ROI must have been the main or joint main site for conducting the research. 

Findings

The findings of the paper should be directly applicable to general practice and / or primary care. 

Authors

At least one of the authors must have been an active General Practitioner within the UK or ROI at the time the study was undertaken, or any member of the RCGP. The award is open to all General Practitioners and is not restricted to members of the RCGP. 

Exclusions

The following types of papers are not eligible for this award: non-systematic literature reviews, audit / service evaluation, discussion or opinion pieces or papers not based on research using empirical data.

Contact

Should you have any further questions or require any assistance please contact rpy@rcgp.org.uk

RCGP Scientific Foundation Board (SFB) and the Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) collaborate to deliver Outstanding Early Career Researcher awards.

These awards recognise researchers who have made significant contributions to academic primary care. Previously known as the Yvonne Carter Award, named after Professor Yvonne Carter CBE, whose research a huge impact on academic general practice.

• Read more about the 2024 winners, Dr Stephen Bradley and Dr Ben Bowers
• Read about the 2023 winners, Dr Benjamin Brown and Dr Sarah Bailey
• Read about the 2022 winners, Dr David Blane and Dr Oliver van Hecke

About the awards

We now offer two annual awards, one to an Academic General Practitioner and one to a Primary Care Scientist.

Each winner is awarded £500. 

As part of the award application, we ask applicants to submit a report detailing how they would use the money, its outcomes and support related PR activity. The award can be used for national and international travel to meet with other researchers and used for conference attendance.

In addition, they are invited to present their work at RCGP’s Winners Enclosure at the annual conference and the SAPC ASM 2025. The exact date of the presentations are to be confirmed.

Application process

Please apply to the award via the Scientific Foundation Board grant and awards platform.

Please fill in your details, answer the questions on why you are an outstanding early career researcher and provide details for your head of department. 

We will only accept two applications from each department/centre/group. One application for category 1 is academic general practitioner, and one for category 2 is primary care scientist. Therefore, please liaise with your Head of Department before submission.

Application deadline is 3 February 2025.

Eligibility

The award is open to early career researchers in primary care.

Applicants should have no more than 4 years (pro rata) academic experience, excluding any career breaks, either in General Practice/Primary Care (GP/PC) post PhD or no more than 4 years, excluding any career breaks, since starting a substantive contract in a dept of GP/PC (ie holding a post as a research fellow, lecturer, teacher, 0.4 or more WTE).

They should hold a formal or honorary appointment with a primary care department, centre or group in a UK/Ireland University, have published original research in peer-reviewed journals – at least one as a lead author – and be actively engaged in high-quality research which is genuinely grounded in primary care.

Judging

Applications will be judged by a panel consisting of primary care academics from the RCGP and SAPC. The awards will be restricted to applicants whose background the award panel considers to be genuinely grounded in primary care. The panel will assess applications for evidence of the candidate’s current and potential contributions to advancing primary care through research, including personal research leadership, wider promotion of academic primary care, publications, and other markers of distinction, as well as the clarity of the proposal for the use of the award funds. Particular emphasis will be given to research which demonstrates an understanding of, and contribution to, the primary care vision.

For further information, please contact the RCGP's research team at the Scientific Foundation Board by emailing SFB@rcgp.org.uk.

The John Fry Award is normally presented each year by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), in consultation with the Society of Academic Primary Care (SAPC).

The John Fry Award is presented to a Member or Fellow of the College who has promoted the discipline of general practice through research and scholarship. The award is intended to encourage people to undertake research as a practicing GP, within 20 years of qualification as a GP, and not holding a professorial role.

• Download the John Fry award criteria (PDF file, 85 KB)

2023

The annual James Mackenzie Lecture was given by Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham on the importance of listening to patients, colleagues and participants in qualitative studies. 

The lecture is available to watch on YouTube. 

2022

The William Pickles Lecture 2022 was given by Professor Vijay Nayar on the topic Levelling Up Medical Education: Getting Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable.

The lecture is available to watch on YouTube.

Year	Name
2022	Professor Vijay Nayar
2021	Professor S MacLeod
2019	Professor Sir T Stephenson
2018	Professor R McKinley
2017	Professor C Gerada
2016	Professor K Thomas
2015	Professor P Hungin
2014	Professor S Gregory
2013	Professor V Wass
2012	Professor J Bligh
2011	Dr T Davies
2010	Professor Sir J Tooke
2009	Professor A Howe
2008	Professor T Greenhalgh
2007	Professor S Hilton
2006	Professor Y Carter
2005	Professor A Esmail
2004	Professor G Watt
2003	Professor B Starfield
2002	Professor J Hayden
2001	Professor AL Kinmonth
2000	Sir K Calman
1999	Dr I Heath
1998	Professor S Murray
1997	Professor R Jones
1996	Professor I McWhinney
1995	Dr D Pendleton
1994	Dr EG Buckley
1993	Professor NCH Stott
1992	Professor CV Weel
1991	Dr M Boland
1990	Dr WMcN Styles
1989	Professor C Harris
1988	Dr MSTA Lawrence
1987	Dr M McKendrick
1986	Professor DHH Metcalfe
1985	Sir George Godber
1984	Dr JS Norell
1983	Professor JH Walker
1982	Professor WG Irwin
1981	Professor I Richardson
1980	Dr MP Taylor
1979	Dr DC Morrell
1978	Dr P Freeling
1977	Dr KM Parry
1976	Professor JDE Knox
1975	Dr D Irvine
1974	Professor ML Marinker
1973	Dr G Swift
1972	Dr RP Maybin
1971	Dr JE McKnight
1970	Dr WS Gardner
1969	Dr JP Horder
1968	Dr PS Byrne

Year	Name
2024	Professor Kamlesh Khunti
2023	Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham
2022	Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard
2021	Professor Maureen Baker
2019	Professor T Fahey
2018	Professor C Salisbury
2017	Professor J Campbell
2016	Professor T Avery
2015	Professor F Sullivan
2014	Professor P Little
2013	Professor N Mathers
2012	Professor H Lester
2011	Professor J D Maeseneer
2010	Professor L Ritchie
2009	Professor M Lakhani
2008	Professor M Marshall
2007	Professor R Hobbs
2006	Professor D Haslam
2005	Professor S Brown
2004	Professor M Stewart
2003	Professor R Baker
2002	Professor M Pringle
2001	Dr D Mant
2000	Professor P Fugelli
1999	Dr J Toby
1998	Professor M Roland
1997	Dr B Sweeney
1996	Professor R Higgs
1995	Professor A Haines
1994	Professor RC Fraser
1993	Professor L Southgate
1992	Professor G Fowler
1991	Dr L Newman
1990	Professor B Jarman
1989	Dr J Tudor Hart
1988	Dr C Waine
1987	Dr GN Marsh
1986	Professor JGR Howie
1985	*Dr AG Donald
1984	Dr JC Hasler
1983	Professor Sir Michael Drury
1982	Dr ISL Loudon
1981	Dr SJ Carne
1980	Dr R Steel
1979	Dr CR Kay
1978	Dr WW Yellowlees
1977	Dr DJ Pereira Gray
1976	Dr J Fry
1975	Dr MC Stone
1974	Professor JS McCormick
1973	Dr JL Stevens
1972	Dr JH Hunt
1971	Dr DL Crombie
1970	Dr EV Kuenssberg
1969	Dr GKH Hodgkin
1968	Lord Amulree
1967	Dr Ronald Gibson
1966	Dr GI Watson
1965	Dr RMS McConaghey
1964	Professor R Scott
1963	Dr JM Henderson
1962	Dr RJFH Pinsent
1961	Dr KA Gillie
1960	Dr LW Batten
1959	Dr JAL Vaughan Jones
1958	Dr GF Abercrombie
1957	Dr DM Hughes
1956	Dr ID Grant
1955	Dr GO Barber
1954	Dr WN Pickles

Year	Name
2023	Professor Brendan Delaney
2021	Professor Michael Kidd
2019	Sir M Marmot
2017	Sir T Smitt
2015	Baroness S Chakrabahti
2012	Professor A Sen
2008	Dr D Berwick
2005	Dame J Smith
2002	Sir A Langlands
2000	Mr J Berger
1994	Professor The Revd G Dunstan
1992	The Prince of Wales

East Anglia Faculty

• Carole Brown Memorial Award 2024 - £2,000

This award is in memory of Carole Brown (PDF file, 158 KB), who was an outstanding GP in our Faculty with great gifts of leadership. Awards will be made to support outstanding, new initiatives or activities in the fields of family planning, reproductive and older women’s health within the area of the faculty. These may be of an educational, or research or a developmental nature relating to general practice, primary care or the aims and objectives of the faculty. Applications may be made by an individual GP or by a group in primary or community care which includes a general practitioner. Please contact us for further details and see the Carole Brown nomination form (DOCX file, 373 KB).

• John Stevens Biennial Award 2023-25 - £2,000

The John Stevens Award (PDF file, 162 KB) will support a General Practitioner who has gained their MRCGP (and MAP) in the past 5 years to pursue any project that is in keeping with the aims of the RCGP. This award is worth up to £2,000 and is available to a GP who is working in general practice as a principal or non-principal in the geographical area covered by the East Anglia Faculty (Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire). Please contact us for further details and a John Stevens application form (DOCX file, 783 KB).

• Practice Team Awards

The Awards offer an opportunity for Primary Care teams to acknowledge their colleagues’ excellence and innovation and for individuals to nominate themselves for an Award. The Awards process is overseen by a panel of judges made up of members of the RCGP East Anglia Faculty Board. Awards are available in the following categories:

• Annual practice awards information pack 2024 (PDF file, 822 KB)
• GP Award (DOCX file, 249 KB)
• Practice Nurse Award (DOCX file, 440 KB)
• Practice Manager Award (DOCX file, 279 KB)
• Practice Team Award (DOCX file, 29 KB)

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Mersey Faculty

Mersey Faculty Excellence in Primary Care Awards 2024

We are delighted to announce our series of awards to recognise excellence in primary care in Mersey. Awards are in the following categories; please follow the links for info on eligibility and to nominate:

• GP registrars award
• Practice team award
• GP award
• Team member award

Medical Student Poster Prize 2025

The RCGP Mersey Faculty is delighted to announce the Medical Student Poster Prize 2025. This prize is open to undergraduate medical students attending University in the Mersey Faculty Region, including University of Liverpool, Edge Hill University and University of Chester in Year 3, 4 or 5 of study. We invite eligible students to submit an A1 Poster detailing an original research or quality improvement project they have undertaken in Primary Care on a Primary Care topic.

How to apply

Please submit your poster to mersey@rcgp.org.uk by midnight on 30th September 2025. Posters may only be submitted once for consideration and may not be resubmitted in subsequent academic years.

Eligibility criteria

• Undergraduate student in Year 3, 4 or 5 of Medical schools in the Mersey region.
• A1, portrait, full colour poster presenting original findings of a Research or Quality Improvement project undertaken in Primary Care.

Read some useful advice on the creation of a scientific poster (external PDF). Please note: for the poster prize award at submission stage we do not require you to print your poster, however, if you are selected as a winner we will require a full size print of your poster for presentation/show at the RCGP Mersey faculty annual awards evening.

Prizes

The eligible posters will be reviewed by the RCGP Mersey Faculty awards sub-committee. The Faculty Provost or Chair will have the final say on selected winners. Individual or group entries will be accepted, however, group entries will share prize winnings equally. Three prizes will be awarded:

• First place - £300 and certificate of achievement: x1
• Second place - £200 and certificate of achievement: x2
• Third place - £100 and certificate of achievement: x2
• Highly commended award - £50 and certificate of achievement: x2

All prize winners will be invited to the RCGP Mersey Faculty Annual Awards Evening to be presented with their prize and certificate. Date and venue for the 2025 Annual Awards Evening to be confirmed for November 2025 in or near Liverpool City Centre.

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North and West London Faculty

• Outstanding Team of the Year: recognising the outstanding work of a team in primary care who have performed above and beyond their day-to-day duties to provide clinical excellence.
• The Anthony Burch Lifetime Achievement Award: recognising the outstanding contribution that someone has made over their career as a GP. Nominees should be an individual GP and have at least 10 years’ experience in primary care. This award is not open to self-nomination.
• Quality Improvement and Innovation Award: for outstanding contribution to Primary Care development or service provision through quality improvement and innovative projects. This should involve interventions that improve weaknesses and shortfalls for individuals and systems with focus on evidence and outcomes and should be relevant to primary care.
• Greener Primary Care Award: recognising the work in general practice to help mitigate the effects of the current climate and the emerging ecological crisis.
• Teaching and Supervision Award: recognising the inspirational work of trainers, tutors, and other teachers in primary care. We are seeking nominations from trainees and students in this category, who recognise the supportive role of a truly supportive and innovative primary care educator.
• Improving Health Inequalities Award: recognising the important work involved in helping to reduce health inequalities locally. Work should relate to attendance and engagement with disadvantaged groups of the population, for example homeless patients or the migrant population, and reducing the health differences for these groups.

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Tamar Faculty

The Kieran Sweeney Prize 2025
A national UK prize for medical writing by GPs

Awarded by The Tamar Faculty of the Royal College of General Practitioners

The Tamar Faculty of the RCGP is proud to once again honour Dr Kieran Sweeney’s memory with a national prize of £1,000 for the best original submission from a practicing GP in response to the question: "Is the GP model for delivering Primary Care outdated for society in 2025?".

For details of how to enter and an entry form please see the attached documents, for more information contact the Faculty Administrator, tamar@rcgp.org.uk.

• Rules and entry criteria guidance (DOCX file, 135 KB)
• Application form (DOCX file, 128 KB)

RCGP Scotland

• RCGP Scotland Outstanding GP Award (annual): The award will recognise outstanding achievement of quality patient care. GPs can be nominated by their colleagues and peers or, where applicable, by the local PPG/patient group.
• RCGP Scotland Alastair Donald Award (annual): The award will recognise outstanding achievement in the areas of service delivery, education, research and wider contribution to society. It will also commemorate the contribution that Alastair Donald made to the RCGP.
• RCGP Scotland Student Award for Creativity in General Practice (annual): The award will be given a Scottish medical student or foundation doctor in Scotland who has provided a creative piece which illustrates what general practice means to them and the impact that GP has on patient care.
• RCGP Scotland Early Career Academic GP Award (annual): It is open to all GPs in Scotland who have completed CCT within the last 5 years and do not yet have a higher degree (PhD or MD) or who were awarded their PhD in the same calendar year or the calendar year before the paper was published. Potentially, candidates could apply more than once in successive years, but they cannot apply more than three times in total.
• RCGP Scotland / NES Outstanding GP Trainer Award (annual): The award will be given to a GP Educational Supervisor in Scotland who has provided excellence in teaching and training of GP Trainees as detailed in the nomination form. Nominations can only be received from Trainees who have completed their training in the previous 18 months (and are therefore no longer GP Trainees).
• RCGP Scotland Outstanding GP Trainee Award (annual): The award will be given a GP Trainee in Scotland who has completed training and is considered outstanding by either their GP Educational Supervisor or TPD. The award will take into consideration all aspects of training and the journey that the Trainee may have taken. The nominator may wish the judging panel to consider any pertinent obstacles that a Trainee has had to overcome in the period of their training to demonstrate their overall achievement in completion of their training and the well-rounded, excellent GP they have become. Nominations can only be received from GP Educational Supervisors or TPD for Trainees who have completed their training in the previous 18 months (and therefore are no longer GP Trainees).
• RCGP Scotland/ Scottish Government Cluster Quality Improvement Project Award (annual): It is open to all clusters in Scotland. The application needs to describe an innovative improvement project that has been completed in the two years prior to the date of call for applications. The innovation should be described in no more than three pages of A4 via the available nomination form.
• RCGP Scotland Outstanding Practice Award (annual): The RCGP Scotland Practice Team Award recognises the outstanding work of Practice Teams in Scotland and the high standard of quality patient care they achieve.

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North East Scotland Faculty

• Sir Lewis Ritchie Prize (annual): This annual award is presented to the trainee with the highest combined AKT and CSA scores of those completing training this year in the North East of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland.
• Innovation Award (annual): Innovative achievement within Primary Care in the North East of Scotland Region. This could include innovation in the clinical, administrative or managerial spheres.
• Palliative Care Award (annual): To recognise and acknowledge quality and achievement within Palliative Care.
• Provost Medal (annual; the Faculty Awards Committee will make its recommendation(s) for final approval by Faculty Board. The medal does not require to be awarded annually): The medal will usually be awarded to a member or fellow of the College, who has provided excellence/substantial contribution to General Practice in North East Faculty area and/or in a national or international context. On occasion and in exceptional circumstances, there may be a non member of the College that the Faculty would wish to recognise for their outstanding contribution to General Practice. All nominees must have a formal role within General Practice in North East Faculty area.
• GP registrar conference bursary (annual): 2 x GP registrars to receive bursary to attend Annual Conference.
• Denis Durno Award (annual): The Denis Durno Award recognises GP educationalists including undergraduate teachers and those involved in postgraduate teaching, including trainers and educational supervisors within GP Specialty Training and those more widely involved in postgraduate education who have ‘gone the extra mile’ to deliver high quality personal teaching to young doctors preparing for careers in general practice. The Denis Durno Award has been endowed by NE Scotland Faculty to recognise the contribution of Dr Denis Durno MBE who was the first Regional Adviser in General Practice in NE Scotland.
• RCGP 1996 Spring Symposium Bursary (annual): To provide the opportunity for a General Practitioner from the North East of Scotland Faculty area to travel and study the delivery of general practice, or teaching and training programmes elsewhere.

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West Scotland Faculty

• Longitudinal Portfolio Prize: awarded to the University of Glasgow medical student who has scored the highest in their Longitudinal Portfolio assessment in the preceding twelve months.
• Stuart Murray Medal (annual): GP registrar in Faculty with highest CSA score.
• James Scobbie Medal (annual): GP registrar in Faculty with highest AKT score.

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East Scotland Faculty

• John Lawson Award (annual): Awarded to the final year student who gains the highest outcome results in their 5th year General Practice Placement. This result is a combination of the end of block assessment, professional attributes, Mini CESs and CBD.
• 4th Year Merit Awards (annual): Highest outcome results in 4th Year GP Placement and is a combination of the end of block assessment, professional attributes, Mini CEXs and CBD - this is for the £150 prize.
• The Art of Rural General Practice Award to a S3/D5 student whose piece of submitted creative work is judged to best capture the essence of rural general practice.
• Community Engagement Project Prize awarded to a S3 student who has demonstrated exceptional community engagement to the reputational benefit of ScotGEM Programme.
• The Provost's Medal has been created to promote quality and excellence by recognising the outstanding achievements of an individual GP in the East Scotland Faculty area. For more information on how to apply, please see the East Scotland Provost Medal application form.
• The Faculty General Practice Education Award is for distinguished work in the field of medical education in general practice. It recognises GP educationalists, both undergraduate teachers and those involved in postgraduate teaching (including educational supervisors within GP specialty training and those more widely involved in postgraduate education) who have ‘gone the extra mile’ to deliver high quality personal teaching to young doctors preparing for careers in general practice. For more information on how to apply, please see the East Scotland Education Award application form.

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North Scotland Faculty

• GPST of the Year Award (annual): The Award aims to recognise, celebrate and encourage Caledonian/Rural track Specialty Trainees who go over and above the requirements of the e-portfolio and exam process. This has been created by trainees for trainees with the support of RCGP North Scotland Faculty and NHS Education Scotland (NES).

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South East Scotland Faculty

• Trainee of the year (annual): Awarded to local Trainee with the highest results in both AKT and CSA.
• Pat Manson Educators Award (annual): Nominated by local Trainees, in recognition of outstanding contribution made by anyone related to training (not just trainers).
• Allen and Margaret Wilson Award: awarded bi-annually to a GP to recognise and congratulate their work in research.

Dr Pat Manson Educator Award

The Dr Pat Manson Educator Award will be presented to an educationalist who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of General Practice Speciality Training in South East Scotland.

It is intended to recognise the contribution to training by anyone, medical or non-medical, involved in GPST education who is currently working within the region. 

The presentation of this award is made in acknowledgement of the outstanding contribution that Dr Pat Manson MRCGP made to General Practice Specialty Training throughout his career as a General Practitioner and Trainer in South East Scotland. He was involved in educating 23 trainees at Teviot Medical Practice in Hawick, and also contributed his vast experience and wisdom to trainers’ groups, educational release programmes and ethics courses at the Lister. As well as this, he found time to work with CRUSE bereavement care, Borders Exploration Group for young people and was a highly respected GP. He died tragically in 2012; South East Scotland Faculty feel this is an appropriate way to remember his life and his involvement in many aspects of education for general practice.

The winner of the Dr Pat Manson Educator Award 2024 is Dr Sigi Joseph.

South East Wales Faculty

• Annual Student Bursary: Students apply for the conference ticket to attend RCGP Annual Conference.
• Annual GP Registrar Bursary: Trainees apply for the conference ticket to attend RCGP Annual Conference.
• Annual First5 Bursary: First5 GPs apply for the conference ticket to attend RCGP Annual Conference.
• Annual Member Bursary Members apply for the conference ticket to attend RCGP Annual Conference.

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South West Wales Faculty

• Annual Student Bursary: Students apply for the conference ticket to attend RCGP Annual Conference.
• Annual GP Registrar Bursary: Trainees apply for the conference ticket to attend RCGP Annual Conference.
• Annual First5 Bursary: First5 GPs apply for the conference ticket to attend RCGP Annual Conference.
• Annual Member Bursary Members apply for the conference ticket to attend RCGP Annual Conference.

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North Wales Faculty

• Annual Dr David Wood Memorial Bursary. Students from Bangor, Manchester or Liverpool University who have studied in North Wales may apply for the conference ticket to attend RCGP Annual Conference./li>
• Annual GP Registrar Bursary: Trainees apply for the conference ticket to attend RCGP Annual Conference.
• Annual First5 Bursary: First5 GPs apply for the conference ticket to attend RCGP Annual Conference.
• Annual Member Bursary: Members apply for the conference ticket to attend RCGP Annual Conference.

Annual Student Awards

The award will be given a medical student who has provided a creative piece, illustrating what general practice means to them and the impact that GP has on patient care.

Annual outstanding trainee award

The award will recognise outstanding achievement of a Trainee in Northern Irelan. Trainees will be nominated by Training Programme Directors who have had direct involvement in their training. The award will be a way to recognise a Trainee who has shown outstanding progression in all aspects of their GP training.  

Annual First 5 Bursary

First 5 members have the opportunity to apply for funding to enhance their knowledge by attending educational courses or providing support for research projects.

Annual George Irwin Prize

This prize is awarded to the best ST2 Quality Improvement (QI) project.

Annual Robin Harland Award

This award recognises exceptional GP tutors and Teaching Practice teams, with nominations made by medical students after their clinical placements. These placements allow students to refine their diagnostic and patient management skills through supervised consultations.

GP and Practice of the Year Award

Two patient-nominated awards which aim to celebrate the hard work of GPs and Practice teams across Northern Ireland.

Republic of Ireland Faculty

Sheppard Memorial Prizes Competition 2025

This competition commemorates Dr Jack Sheppard, who was a well-known General Practitioner in Dublin, elected Provost and founder member of the RCGP East of Ireland Faculty. He was a great beneficiary to the RCGP in Ireland. The Sheppard Memorial Prizes are awarded annually by the RCGP ROI Faculty.

Details of essay:

1. The essay must be minimum 1,500 words and maximum 3,000 words in length and should be on a subject pertinent to general practice in Ireland. It should include relevant literature, but particular credit will be given for original thought and relevance to general practice.
2. The competition is open to all undergraduate medical students and postgraduate doctors who are within 5 years of completion of general practice training.
3. Essays should be reflective/narrative in style and have a focused literature review.
4. Marks are awarded for relevance to general practice, focused literature review, level of interest and overall presentation.
5. Essays are to be submitted in MS Word format to roi@rcgp.org.uk.

Prize details:

• The value of the postgraduate prize is €750
• The value of the undergraduate prize is €500
• Winning essays are published on the RCGP website

The prize winners should be prepared to present their essays at the RCGP Republic of Ireland Faculty Winter Meeting in Dublin on Saturday 6 December 2025.

The opening date for submission of essays is Monday 25 August 2025 and the closing date is Friday 24 October 2025.

Clinical Cases Presentations Prizes Competition 2025

The importance of engaging with undergraduate students in medical schools is increasingly acknowledged in terms of developing the discipline of general practice, and in terms of assisting undergraduate medical students in their key career decisions. Clinical case presentations are useful as learning exercises, both for the individuals undertaking them, and also for those who listen to them, and who contribute to the ensuing discussions. To get involved please contact your medical school. The final of the Clinical Cases Prizes Competition will be held at the Republic of Ireland Faculty Spring Meeting taking place on 29 March 2025 at the University of Galway.

For more information contact roi@rcg.org.uk.

As a registered charity, it’s especially important that our awards are made to the most appropriate people and that the award procedures are open and transparent. Remember that we receive many nominations, and not all are successful.

Purpose

Our awards recognise the excellence, efforts and contributions made to general practice.

Accuracy and completeness

To apply for or nominate someone for an award, make sure all necessary information is accurate and up-to-date. The responsibility lies with the applicant or nominator.

Special relationship with the nominee

It’s inappropriate to nominate someone with whom you have a close personal relationship, for example, a spouse or someone you are in a partnership with.

Suppose you nominate someone you work with at a university or other institution. In that case, you must explain the exact nature of your working relationship on the nomination form.

Eligibility for awards

Our awards recognise outstanding work for RCGP and for the development of general practice.

All prizes given to GPs will require them to be RCGP members or fellows in good standing (unless the specific criteria state otherwise).

Contributions to general practice can come from various employment conditions, such as:

• self-employed
• salaried
• third-sector status.

These contributions may be made through clinical, educational, research, or leadership roles that have impacted a significant population or part of the health system within the primary healthcare system.

Achievements while holding party political office in themselves cannot be counted towards an award.

General nomination guidelines

The following guidelines apply to RCGP awards:

• wherever possible, nominations should be made without the knowledge of the candidate
• it’s not appropriate to nominate yourself for an award, other than a competition award - and self-canvassing is discouraged
• the awarding committee reserves the right to recommend nomination for a different award if this would be more applicable (the nominator would be contacted if this happens)
• the same piece of work can only be used to apply for one RCGP award within a three-year period
• information given on applications will be used solely to support the objectives of RCGP in administering its awards, and all data will be processed following the Data Protection Act 1998.

Nominating RCGP members for State Honours

Anyone can now nominate an individual. The GOV.UK website has guidance about how the Honours System works and how to make a nomination.

The RCGP nominates members for outstanding contributions to general practice. The President is responsible for these nominations. Nominations are welcome to celebrate those who have significantly contributed to patient care through general practice, including:

• frontline GPs
• academics
• innovators
• those in other impactful branches of work.

For full details and to submit nominations, please see the National Honours guidelines and nominations form.