RCP publishes summary of May 2026 Council meeting

As part of the RCP’s commitment to transparency, summaries of open session Council discussions are published online following each meeting:

President’s update

RCP president Professor Mumtaz Patel opened by welcoming new members, including joint vice presidents for Wales Professor Sam Rice and Dr Ben Thomas, who took up post on College Day in March. She also paid tribute to colleagues completing their terms on Council, recognising their contributions to the college and the wider profession.

Mumtaz highlighted the successful launch of the RCP’s new 2026–30 strategy, trailed at College Day and formally launched at Medicine 2026. The strategy has already received positive feedback from members, with work now underway to develop detailed delivery plans.

Describing the RCP’s flagship annual conference, Medicine 2026 on 13–14 May, Mumtaz said that there had been ‘a lovely buzz’ during the event, with over 1,000 delegates in person and online.

>> Watch Med26 content – full programme now available on demand.

Council heard updates on recent membership engagement activity, including:

Mumtaz explained that Phase 2 of the medical education and training review (METR), chaired by Professor Dame Jane Dacre, was well underway and the scope and terms of reference of the steering group have been agreed. The RCP has nominated resident doctor representatives to all METR working groups and will continue to gather member input through surveys, focus groups and committee engagement. 

Council discussed the early findings of the METR, including the importance of strengthening continuity of care and team-based working, and improving training environments and retention. There was strong recognition that workforce challenges, including rota pressures and training quality, must be addressed alongside broader system reform. Council also considered the implications of the new Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act, noting ongoing discussions across the sector about how experience within the NHS should be recognised in future recruitment.

Council discussed neighbourhood health with a particular focus on how current work has centred on planned and specialist care, while recognising that the greatest impact may ultimately be in crisis and semi-acute services. Members noted that NHS England work is already progressing in these areas, particularly through urgent and emergency care and virtual support programmes aimed at avoiding hospital admission, and that effective neighbourhood models can reduce reliance on acute services.

>> Doctors are unclear about their role in government’s vision for neighbourhood health, warns RCP.

There was strong agreement that neighbourhood care, crisis response and planned care are closely interconnected, and that this work represents the start of a wider programme of reform. Prevention was emphasised as a key component of neighbourhood health, with a need to embed public health approaches through links with local authorities, schools and communities. 

Finally, Mumtaz noted that 11 of 22 recommendations from Professor John McLachlan’s independent report on the MRCP(UK) Part 2 written exam error had now been completed by the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK. 

RCP elections 2026 – reflections and review

Council received an update on the 2026 elections.

Members noted several changes introduced following last year’s review, including candidate briefings, a defined 6-week canvassing period and a candidate contract. This election also marked a significant constitutional change, with collegiate members voting for the first time, contributing to an overall turnout of 23.5%. 

Council considered recommendations to inform the 2027 elections, including agreeing what level of election data should be shared while maintaining confidentiality, establishing a small subgroup to review feedback and propose improvements, and identifying further areas for review. Discussion highlighted the importance of clearer role descriptions, greater transparency, and continued efforts to improve diversity and engagement in future elections.

>> RCP elections 2026: new vice president for education and training announced. 

Multidisciplinary teams and evolving roles

Council held an initial discussion on multidisciplinary team (MDT) working and the role of advanced practitioners, recognising the complexity and sensitivity of the issue in the context of a changing workforce. Members agreed to update the RCP’s safe medical staffing guidance to reflect increasing MDT, neighbourhood and virtual models of care. 

>> RCP statement on the role of advanced practitioners in the NHS.

The discussion highlighted the importance of clearly defining terms, distinguishing between MDT working, multi-professional teams and role substitution, and ensuring clarity around scope of practice, accountability and supervision. While there was broad support for the contribution of advanced practitioners, concerns were raised about role substitution on doctor rotas and wider implications for resident doctor training. 

Council emphasised the need to balance service delivery with training and ensure policy reflects a wide range of perspectives, including those of resident doctors. There was also agreement that current tiered definitions of clinical roles may need refinement for clarity and consistency, particularly around supervision and decision-making responsibility. Overall, Council agreed that further detailed work was needed, with this discussion marking the start of a wider programme to develop clearer, evidence-based guidance.

About RCP Council

RCP Council meets six times a year to debate, develop and approve policy on professional and clinical matters. Council met most recently on 19 May 2026:

Full Council meeting minutes (open section) are published in the member-only section of the RCP website once they are approved at the following meeting. The 
closed section of the meeting is reserved for fellowship and business-sensitive information.

For more information, please contact Council@rcp.ac.uk.