LETTER

By John AJ Macleod
Contact the author by e-mail at johnajmacleod@debrett.net

Dear Sir,

From it`s inception and throughout it`s life time, Scottish G.P.s working here or elsewhere in UK have had an immense role in the College. It is therefore appropriate that RCGP Scotland continue this role and give thought to proposing a change of name for the College. The College was the mother of others throughout the world and they closely follow it`s doctrines. However, in my world travels with the very successful WONCA, Rural Working group (founded 1992) I found that most of the others and certainly the newer ones, have a slightly different name in that they are either College of Family Practice or College of General Practice. In the 80`s I sometimes sat on the UK Council of the RCGP as deputy for the North of Scotland member and during my time, there were at least two occasions when Council debated widening membership to include non doctors. Much of the work that was done personally by GP`s at the time the College was founded is now done by nurses, dispensers, administrators, counsellors etc. In view of this, I feel it is time for the College to consider changing it`s name and opening its membership to those whose work is rated as of being equally important and parallel to that of the current GP.

Dr. John A.J. Macleod, MBE, DL, FRCGP, FRCP
'Tigh na Hearradh', Lochmaddy,
Isle of North Uist,
HS6 5AE
Tel/fax 0187 6500 224
johnajmacleod@debrett.net

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

This issue maintained by Robert Hallam.