‘Influencing the way that healthcare is designed and delivered’ is one of the Royal College of Physicians' (RCP's) three key strategic aims. The RCP works toward that aim by engaging with the government, the NHS, our royal college partners and others.

The RCP works toward that aim by engaging with the government, the NHS, our royal college partners and others.

The RCP uses policy and campaigns priorities, chosen in consultation with RCP members and RCP Council, to guide and shape its external influencing work. Given the complexity of health and healthcare, and the RCP’s mission, these priorities enable us to be effective by strategically focussing on key challenges.

We work on policy and campaigns in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. As part of the RCP Federation, we also often work with the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow.

The RCP’s policy and campaigns priorities were refreshed in 2022 following consultation. Our areas of focus are the medical workforce, health inequality, clinical research and sustainability and climate change. These priorities are not intended to be exhaustive, but will underpin the strategic aim to influence the way that healthcare is designed and delivered. We are also engaging with the official COVID-19 inquiry now it is underway.

To represent the views of our members we brief MPs and Peers on the RCP’s positions across our policy and campaigns priorities. The RCP also responds to many consultations each year issued by the UK government, health regulators and arm's length bodies. If you are a Parliamentary staffer, MP or Peer and want to find out more about the RCP’s views and how the RCP can support you in your work, please contact policy@rcp.ac.uk, or read our latest parliamentary briefings.

Get involved as a member

Our members are key to our policy and campaigns work and we have various ways of gathering their views. They include our annual census, other regular surveys, and being involved in our committees. If you are a member and you would like to find out more about how the RCP influences healthcare policy, please contact policy@rcp.ac.uk. Members can also contact us at the same address to discuss anything that they are currently facing or considering.

Further reading

You can find out more about what we are currently working on by looking at our news pages and policy documents.