A message from the RCR president to members on its opposition to the Health and Social Care Bill:
Dear Colleague,
Council has decided that the College should now call on the Government to withdraw the Health and Social Care Bill. This decision was taken by Council last evening after it considered the results of the survey of UK Fellows and members in good standing, the outcome of the EGM on 16 February and other information. The survey saw 37.2% of UK Fellows and members in good standing take part. Of those, 76.4% indicated that the College should now call for the withdrawal of the Bill with 23.6% voting against.
I should like to thank all those who took part in the survey and thank Council for being willing to meet at very short notice and for their thoughtful discussion of the issues.
Council was also clear that the role of this College is vital. It is essential that the College continues to lead on the professional standards for the training and practice of clinical radiologists and clinical oncologists. I will therefore ensure we engage further with the Government, now and in the future.
Council also considered the other parts of Resolution 2 which were carried at the EGM on 16 February i.e. calling upon the RCR - “to seek an alliance with the BMA, RCN, RCM and other willing Royal Colleges and NHS stakeholder organisations to collectively call for the withdrawal of the Health and Social Care Bill;” and “to hold a joint press conference with the BMA and other willing Royal Colleges and NHS stakeholder organisations, to make a joint public statement calling for the Bill to be withdrawn.”
Council recognised that as has been the case for a long time now, developments in respect of the Bill can change rapidly and concluded that this was not the optimum time to decide on these matters. Council agreed that the College should monitor the situation regularly and closely. One key impact will be the decision taken by the Royal College of Physicians of London once the result of the survey of its membership is known. Many RCR Fellows and members are also Fellows or members of the RCPL and there is of course a very close working relationship between clinical oncologists and medical oncologists.
We will all no doubt observe with interest the latter stages of the Bill’s Parliamentary passage.
Yours,
Dr Jane Barrett
President
Tags: Health Bill
