RCGP accused of ‘diluting GP voices’ in row over proposed board changes

GP leaders have spoken out against a proposal to change who sits on the RCGP board, as this risks ‘diluting GP voices’ at the college’s highest level.  

RCGP members will vote on a resolution to change the structure of the college’s trustee board to add an additional non-GP member, at a meeting on 13 November.

The trustee board is RCGP’s corporate board, comprising of 12 members – currently eight GPs and four independent – who are responsible for the management and administration of the college.

The proposal would increase the number of independent trustees by one, from four to five.

But GP leaders have raised concerns that this will ‘shift the balance of power away from duly elected GPs’ and argued that attempts to ‘weaken or reduce’ GPs’ voices on the board must be ‘challenged and rejected’.

The RCGP told Pulse that it takes its good governance duties ‘seriously’ and that an additional independent board member ‘will strengthen the work of the college’.

The Doctors Association UK said that the proposal ‘needs to be rejected’ as there is ‘not enough GP representation’ on the board ‘as it is’, and the change ‘will dilute it further’.

Former BMA GP registrars committee chair Dr Malinga Ratwatte told Pulse that the motion ‘has sparked a debate’ about what ‘good governance’ within the college looks like, and that there are ‘significant’ concerns about it.

He said: ‘GPs should be proud to call the college their “professional home” and the most effective way to ensure that the college represents their views is to be a member and participate in debate and democratic process that shapes college outputs.

‘This particular motion has sparked a debate about what good governance within the college looks like and there are significant concerns that it may result in the opposite of what is intended, that is, to strengthen governance structures within the college.’

He also said that the board has ‘considerable power’ and that the direction of the college ‘must be set by GPs’.

He said: ‘Whilst it is often helpful for an organisation like the RCGP to bring in external expertise for organisational governance matters including finance, audit and risk and remuneration, such expertise can be brought in and benefitted from without the need to give non-elected, non-GP individuals further executive voting power within a structure that can overturn or overrule strategic policy set by elected GPs.

‘The overall strategic direction of the college must be set by GPs and any attempt to weaken or reduce our ability to do this must be challenged and rejected.’

In a post on X, he encouraged GPs to vote against the proposal, and added: ‘We must safeguard our college and professional home. Every vote counts. Have your voice heard.’

Dr Robert Laurenson, a GP who is also former co-chair of the BMA’s resident doctors committee, said that the board has ‘enormous power’ within the college and called on RCGP members to vote against the proposal.

On X, he said: ‘This change shifts the balance of power away from duly elected GPs, who are ultimately held accountable by the membership, towards lay people.

‘The board of trustees has phenomenal ability to throttle the strategic objectives set out by council by referencing cost and legal advice as well as having control over elected reps with a nominations committee.

‘If council were to set a strategic direction, the board of trustees has enormous power to influence the success and operationalisation of implementing the strategy.

‘Diluting GPs’ voices in our own professional college does not make sense. Reject special resolution four. It’s our college.’

A spokesperson for the RCGP told Pulse: ‘This special resolution is about making the chair of our audit and risk committee a full member of trustee board rather than an observer.

‘All other royal medical colleges have independent members on their boards and committees, and it is widely recognised they play an important role in providing expert skills and experience and bring additional perspectives.

‘An additional independent board member with expertise in audit and risk arrangements will strengthen the work of the college.

‘The RCGP repeatedly attracts high-calibre candidates who commit – without remuneration – to the college’s mission. These individuals undergo a robust recruitment process, and their appointment is ratified by council.

‘This addition would make the composition of the trustee board eight GP members and five independent members, with council leading the strategy, policy and standard setting on matters relating to the GP profession.’