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BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP - How the RCGP can help you and your career

By Peter Watson
Contact the author by e-mail at christopher.johnstone@ntlworld.com

Like many colleagues the RCGP meant obtaining a MRCGP in 1988, receiving the college journal and going on a few college-organised courses. All very valuable in their own way but not getting me really involved with the College in any meaningful way. How wrong could I be?

Peer support
North East Faculty have been organising residential GP courses for years and this was one of my main opportunities for accessing peer support, which I have found invaluable over the years. The subsequent contacts I have made and the relationships I have built up have helped my career considerably.

Local involvement
I became more actively involved in the North East Faculty when, as the result of one of these famous networking sessions, I was asked to take on the role of Honorary Secretary. This has had a huge, but positive, impact on me personally and professionally.

On a professional level I have been able to influence change both at a faculty level and at a national level via the Faculty Liaison Forum (FLF) and via Scottish Council. I have had the opportunity to meet senior managers from local organisations with whom I would not interact during my day job and to have a say in how courses and events are run locally. On a personal level it has improved my skills in management, facilitation, IT, communication, presentation and time management. All of which are very transferable skills for a busy GP.

Raising standards
The things I took for granted in my practice and professional life I now know only have happened because of the College and the drive and commitment of key individuals. The quality agenda has been one of the College’s key successes in terms of setting and raising standards for all practices, not just a few. Most of us have gone through, or know somewhere that’s currently working towards, Practice Accreditation which has been achieved by almost 50% of practices in Scotland since its launch in 1999. The overwhelming majority of practices that have completed PA are glad they have, saying that it has helped them develop as a team. Also, let’s not forget Quality Practice Award (QPA), Fellowship by Assessment (FBA) and Membership by Assessment of Performance (MAP) which develops individuals and practices further still.

Education
The most recent growth area has been in education and the College has contributed immensely to the development of tools that help GPs fulfil new requirements of their jobs, particularly in response to revalidation and appraisal. Meanwhile, the College continues to develop vocational training for GPs, ensures that SHO posts are fit for purpose and helps GP registrars find out what they really need to know through the annual study days.

The College should not be seen as elitist. It is there to support all its members in their professional development both at an individual and practice level. The opportunities are there to get involved. Becoming an active member of the College is very rewarding I promise you.

Opportunities at the College
RCGP Scotland has various groups and sub-groups which take forward the work of the College. Here are just a few ways in which you might get involved…

Scottish Council
25 members, 16 elected via the five faculties in Scotland, oversees all the work of the College in Scotland and reports to UK Council

Executive Board
8 Executive Officers look after Education, Quality, Patients, Clinical Development, Finance, Policy and Membership day-to-day.

Faculty Boards
There are five faculties in Scotland, each of which has a faculty board on the look out for GPs interested in and contributing to local activities. Education is a key theme with many faculties providing educational events for members and practice teams. Educational sub-groups are being set up in each faculty area with a view to co-ordinating efforts more across Scotland and targeting specific development needs identified by GPs.

Policy Network
Hundreds of members already contribute to the development of Scottish and national policy, which is a significant new area following devolution. We have a virtual network set up, from which we identify GPs to represent the College at meetings or to provide advice on developing policy in response to consultations and developments.

Quality Assessors and Advisors
Trained assessors are required to visit and assess practices that are undertaking awards such as Practice Accreditation and Quality Practice Award. GPs are also able to get involved as mentors to those going through the Membership by Assessment of Performance (MAP) programme.

Hospital Visitors
The GP component of the Joint Hospital Visiting Programme relies on GPs to visit SHO posts and assess their suitability for GP training.

If you would like any further information on getting involved in any of these activities, please call 0131 260 6800, or e-mail us at scottishc@rcgp-scotland.org.uk .

hoolet is the magazine of RCGP Scotland. It is supported intellectually, financially and emotionally by RCGP Scotland.

This issue maintained by Robert Hallam.