‘We will do better’, says RCP as it responds to ‘sobering’ review of its handling of PA debate

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By Sarah Lowden

The Royal College of Physicians has accepted the findings of an independent review which found it “failed” in its handling of the physician associate debate.

The review was commissioned by the RCP following its controversial extraordinary general meeting (EGM) in March, that was arranged to discuss issues relating to the future of the PA role.

The college was criticised for not holding the EGM sooner, in how it presented the results of a member survey, for the conduct of some participants at the meeting, and for how it handled members’ concerns.

It led to 80 fellows expressing a lack of confidence in the leadership and the president, Dr Sarah Clarke, being asked to resign – which she did in June.

The King’s Fund examined the events leading up to the EGM, the EGM itself and the activities that followed and identified “a range of collective failures in leadership” across the college, including not listening and responding effectively to member issues.