Shaping the future Annual report 2017 RCP annual report and accounts 2017 About the RCP The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a professional membership body for physicians, with over 34,000 members and fellows around the globe working in hospitals and communities across 30 medical specialties. Physicians diagnose and treat illness, and promote good health. They care for millions of medical patients with a broad range of conditions, from asthma and diabetes to stroke and yellow fever. Our vision is the best possible health and healthcare for everyone. Everything that we do at the RCP aims to improve patient care and reduce illness. Our work is patient centred and clinically led. We drive improvement in the diagnosis of disease, the care of individual patients and the health of the whole population, both in the UK and across the globe. We also work to ensure that physicians are educated and trained to provide high-quality care. 2 RCP annual report and accounts 2017 Contents > Foreword 4 > Report of trustees 5 > Improving care for patients 6 > Developing physicians throughout their careers 7 > Leading and supporting our members 8 > Shaping the future of health and healthcare 10 > Investing in our future, building on our heritage 12 > Our plans for 2018 18 > RCP boards, committees and lists 24 > Financial powers and policies 28 > Structure, governance and management 31 > Statement of trustees’ responsibilities 33 > Treasurer’s annual report 35 > Independent auditor’s report to the trustees of the RCP 38 > Consolidated statement of financial activities 40 > Consolidated and RCP balance sheets 41 > Consolidated statement of cash flow 42 > Notes to the consolidated statement of cash flow 43 > Notes to the financial statements 44 3 RCP annual report and accounts 2017 Foreword The pressures on the NHS were very visible in the media throughout 2017. Doctors and healthcare professionals continue to do a fantastic job in challenging environments to minimise the impact on patients. However, the pressures are leading to staff becoming increasingly demoralised and the very future sustainability of the NHS is under threat. So much so that we were moved to write to the prime minister and the chancellor of the exchequer to urge them to invest in health and social care to ensure that we can provide the right care, in safely Jane Dacre, and properly staffed services with capacity to meet patient needs. President Brexit also continued to dominate the headlines in 2017. Currently, a quarter of our NHS doctors are from overseas, and over the years the NHS has greatly benefited from their talents, abilities and will to work with us in the UK. We would like to thank those who have chosen to dedicate their working lives to the NHS and let them know that they are valued, and more importantly, much needed. Despite these challenges, our annual report this year has many positive achievements to report on, and as we enter our 500th year, our responsibility for supporting physicians increases. Our membership continues to grow with almost 34,500 physicians in the UK and 84 countries around the world. Our global activities went from strength to strength with 2017 the busiest year yet for our International Office. And, with the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians, we made huge strides in developing the medicine curriculum and training pathways, helping to shape the next generation of doctors. The first phase of our new centre for clinical excellence opened for business in October. RCP North, currently housed in the University of Liverpool’s William Henry Duncan Building, is now hosting PACES exams, education workshops, our quality improvement programme and the RCP regional office for Mersey and the North West. We plan to develop the facilities and activities offered at RCP North throughout 2018 and beyond as work begins on building a completely new northern headquarters for our fellows and members. Situated in the new Liverpool Knowledge Quarter, the phase 2 building is expected to open in 2020. The City Council is also attracting other bodies connected to science and education, so our new neighbours will be like- minded organisations, allowing for the cross-fertilisation of ideas. It is very exciting. On a more personal note, 2017 marks the last full year of my presidency of the RCP. I will hand over the reins to the new president on 26 September 2018, just after our 500th anniversary. Leading up to that date, I am looking forward to a packed programme of activity to celebrate RCP500, including a visit from Her Majesty the Queen, our flagship annual conference at ExCeL London, and further developments at RCP North. 2018 promises to be a year of reflection, of celebration, and of looking ahead to the future. 4 RCP annual report and accounts 2017 Report of trustees The trustees of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) are pleased to present their report for the year ended 31 December 2017. Public benefit Our activities and achievements Founded in 1518 by royal charter from King Henry in 2017 VIII, the Royal College of Physicians of London is the Our 5-year strategy covers the period 2015–2020 oldest medical college in England. Uniquely for the and is set out under five key areas: time, through the charter the king established the RCP in perpetuity as a professional body in the name of the > Improving care for patients public benefit. He empowered it to set standards by > Developing physicians throughout their careers regulating medical practice to protect the public. > Leading and supporting our members The RCP provides public benefit in a variety of ways. Our activities fall within several of the legal > Shaping the future of health and healthcare requirements of ‘charitable purpose’, including: the > Investing in our future, building on our heritage. advancement of health or the saving of lives; the advancement of education; and the advancement of This annual report is based on these areas and the arts, culture, heritage or science. presents our activities, significant achievements and successes in 2017 against our plans, as well as We support our members and fellows during every outlining our strategy for the future. stage of their career and, as a result, improve the quality of patient care. By setting and monitoring the standards of medical training, we ensure that patients The Federation of the Royal Colleges are treated by fully trained, competent doctors. Our senior physicians sit on appointments committees to of Physicians ensure that new consultants are of a high calibre. The Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians Our evidence-based guidelines and audits support is a collaboration between the Royal College of healthcare professionals in improving clinical care. Physicians of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Our education programmes provide physicians with Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and the Royal the knowledge and skills that they need for high College of Physicians of London. Collectively, the performance. We also take a wide role in the public colleges represent more than 50,000 physicians health arena through campaigning for change, worldwide. advising government, and taking part in national The Federation develops and delivers services to debates on medical, clinical and public health issues. support doctors at every stage of their careers, We safeguard and share our unique history to inspire including: and inform present and future physicians, and preserve > continuing professional development (CPD) medical history for the benefit of the public. > examinations (Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK – MRCP(UK)) > training (Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board – JRCPTB). Highlights of Federation activities are also included in this annual report. 5 RCP annual report and accounts 2017 Improving care for patients We want patients to receive the best possible care. We work directly with physicians, clinical teams, hospitals and policymakers to design person- centred services, and involve patients and carers to help shape best practice. In 2017, we planned to: Setting standards > support physicians and multidisciplinary teams to lead The National Guideline Centre (NGC) supports evidence- quality and service improvement based guideline development for NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) to improve patient care. > set, measure and promote standards that improve care In 2017, we published new clinical guidelines on glaucoma for patients and asthma. The NGC also delivered training courses on > implement our vision of the future hospital and promote critical appraisal, and carried out systematic reviews and good practice in health service design health economic analysis. > develop health services that promote patient safety, We published four new clinical records standards and led patient experience, staff wellbeing and service an expert review of the NHS Digital response to a clinical improvement. decision software error. Here are some highlights of what we achieved in 2017 Following the success of the National Early Warning Score against these goals. (NEWS) – adopted by the majority of NHS hospitals to identify patients at risk of death – we published NEWS2, Supporting service improvement an updated version. The standardised clinical chart was downloaded over 10,000 times in the first 2 months The RCP is at the forefront of quality improvement (QI) following publication. in the NHS. Initiatives to support service improvement in 2017 included: Through the Federation of Royal