Meeting of Council: 13 November 2004

CHAIRMAN AND OFFICERS OF COUNCIL, CHAIRS OF NETWORKS AND COMMITTEES

This was the first meeting of the new Council year, and Council elected Dr Mayur Lakhani as Chairman for the next 3 years. Dr Nigel Sparrow and Dr Graham Archard were appointed as Vice Chairs of Council, and Dr Archard will continue in his role as Chair of Clinical Network. Dr Sunil Bhanot and Dr Clare Gerada were elected as Chair of Publishing and Medical Ethics Committees respectively, and Dr Theo Schofield as Chair of Quality Network. Dr Eric Kelly joins Dr Kate Adams as an elected GP Registrar Observer on Council.

Council was pleased to welcome a number of new faculty representatives on Council; a full list is available on the college intranet for access by faculties and staff.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: 12 NOVEMBER 2004

Dr Roger Neighbour as President led a very well attended and successful AGM, which was again held at The Victoria Park Plaza Hotel. A total of 87 Fellows were appointed as well as five Honorary Fellowships. A number of special awards were also made. A stimulating James Mackenzie Lecture was given by Dr Moira Stewart, Department of Family Medicine, University of Ontario, entitled Reflections on the Patient–Doctor Relationship — from Evidence and Experience.

Northwest England Faculty gave an exciting presentation to promote the 2005 College Spring Meeting to be held in Blackpool from 8–10 April 2005. For full information and to register for the conference please go to the website at www.blackpool2005.com.

Following the AGM, a reception for all those attending was held at Princes Gate. Professor David Haslam, having received many plaudits for his work over the past 3 years was presented with a painting from Council members. Dr Tina Ambury was formally thanked for all her work and also presented with a gift.

BUDGET STRATEGY 2005–2006

The broad principles of the Honorable Treasurer's budget strategy were agreed by Council. The revised format for the budget will reflect the work outlined in the College Strategic Plan.

NHS WORK PROGRAMME ON ‘PHYSICIAN PRACTITIONERS’

Council expressed considerable concern about this initiative and it was agreed that there should be a strategy for limited engagement, as set out by the Chairman in the final paragraph of the document.

PORTFOLIO OF EVIDENCE OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR GPs

The revised document was approved by Council, but it was agreed that further changes might be required once the outcome of the Shipman Inquiry Report is known. It may not be possible to incorporate changes in light of the government's response to the enquiry for the February Council meeting, but any changes needed following the finalised GMC guidance on licensing and revalidation will be incorporated and a further draft will go to that meeting. Work will also be needed to cross-reference our document with those produced by other Royal Colleges to ensure consistency.

ASSISTED DYING FOR THE TERMINALLY ILL BILL

Following misleading press reports on the College position on this issue, a thorough audit of the College's action and policy was carried out. This demonstrated to Council that there had been no change in the College position. However, it was agreed that a full debate on the Bill should take place at the February Council meeting and Dr Clare Gerada, Chair of Medical Ethics Committee, was asked to produce a paper outlining the key issues to inform the debate.

MOTION TO COUNCIL

The South London Faculty put forward a motion seeking a review of the 3-year training period for GPs proposed by Modernising Medical Careers to bring it in line with the length of time given to other specialties. Following a thoughtful debate, the motion was amended and accepted with the revised wording:

‘… that Council reviews the content and context of training as referred to in Modernising Medical Careers so that it permits acquisition of the appropriate competencies and is of appropriate length’.

The Interim Professional Training Committee (chaired by Dr Mayur Lakhani) will be considering the motion and will be preparing a paper for further consideration at the January meeting of the Council Executive Committee.

THE FUTURE OF ACADEMIC GENERAL PRACTICE

Chair of the Research Network, Nigel Mathers, presented this paper to Council. It was agreed that he and Professor Roger Jones, Chair of Conference of Academic Organisations in General Practice (CAOGP), should form a small group and prepare a proposal for the foundation of an Academic Forum to be brought back to Council at a future date.

THE FUTURE OF SPRING MEETINGS

It was agreed that the proposal for a national primary care conference be taken forward, but that in order that partnership options be explored in more detail, the new meeting format would be deferred until 2007. Arrangements for the Spring Meeting in 2006 will be brought back to Council during 2005.

FURTHER INFORMATION

If you would like any further information on the matters discussed above or any other issues we covered at Council then please do not hesitate to contact me by email via honsec{at}rcgp.org.uk.

The Council will next meet on Saturday 12 February 2005 at 9am at Princes Gate.