College announces new route to 'membership for all GPs'

The RCGP is launching a new scheme to widen access to College membership for established GPs.

Applications for the new Membership for All will open on 4 May 2021 for qualified GPs who have been on the General Medical Council’s GP register for five years and have completed either one revalidation cycle or the Certificate of Eligibility for GP Registration (CEGPR).

It is the latest development in the College’s ongoing work to become a more inclusive membership body, open to and supporting GPs at all stages of their careers, right across the profession.

So far, Membership by Assessment of Performance (MAP) has been the only route to professional membership for GPs who qualified or did not take the College exam prior to 2007 - when the MRCGP became the mandatory licensing examination for general practice – or for those GPs who have been internationally trained.

The pandemic has emphasised the importance of recognising and supporting all frontline GPs and the College has already opened up a wide portfolio of resources free of charge to both members and non-members to support the profession at this critical time.

The need to expand the opportunity for membership to all practising GPs was supported by RCGP Council in November 2020, in line with the approach to membership of other Medical Royal Colleges.

College President, Professor Amanda Howe, said: “Membership by Assessment of Performance has been a successful route to RCGP membership for thousands of established GPs, but the needs of our members are changing, and the College is keen to become a more inclusive membership organisation that welcomes and supports all GPs.

Dr Victoria Tzortziou-Brown, Joint Honorary Secretary, said: “The new more inclusive route to College membership will ensure more GPs are able to benefit from College membership and representation.  We hope it will also encourage greater participation in the College by groups that are currently under-represented and look forward to welcoming those new members to our College.

Further information

(For media only)

RCGP Press office – 020 3188 7633/7494/7574
Out of hours: 020 3188 7659 
press@rcgp.org.uk

Notes to editor

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 52,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.