The RCP has taken member priorities to six party conferences across the UK, calling for action on the medical workforce, training, neighbourhood care, public health and prevention.
This autumn, the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) attended the Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Plaid Cymru, Green and Reform party conferences, meeting parliamentarians and health spokespeople to discuss the challenges facing physicians and patients. Across conference season, we made the case for action on workforce pressures, retention and postgraduate medical training, while contributing to discussions about neighbourhood and community care, public health and prevention. We also used meetings with political stakeholders to set out the priorities in our new 2026–30 strategy.
>> Read Why physicians need to be part of the political conversation
RCP president Professor Mumtaz Patel said: ‘Party conferences give us an important opportunity to make sure that the experiences of physicians and their patients are heard by politicians from across the political spectrum. This year, we have been able to discuss some of the biggest challenges facing health services across the UK, from workforce and medical training to neighbourhood health, social care and prevention.
‘Those conversations are part of a much wider programme of influencing. We will continue to use the evidence and experiences our members share with us to press for the changes physicians and their patients need.’
At the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton, RCP senior censor and vice president for education and training Dr Dan Furmedge discussed workforce pressures and postgraduate medical training with parliamentarians. The RCP also hosted an event on the NHS workforce, with Liberal Democrat health and social care spokesperson Helen Morgan MP joining the panel. The discussion covered recruitment, retention and the importance of consulting the health sector on the development of the workforce plan.
>> Read the RCP report, Training physicians for the future
At the Labour conference, the RCP focused on neighbourhood health, workforce and public health. We hosted a joint fringe event with the Royal College of General Practitioners on neighbourhood health, with Sonia Kumar MP among the panellists. RCP academic vice president Professor Tom Solomon also contributed to workforce discussions, including a panel organised by UCL and the University of Leicester and a BMA roundtable involving MPs, the GMC and other royal colleges. Professor Mumtaz Patel met Anneliese Dodds MP and Simon Opher MP to discuss prevention and public health.
>> Read the RCP view on neighbourhood health
At the Conservative conference, Professor Mumtaz Patel met members of the shadow health team, including Damian Hinds MP and Neil Shastri-Hurst MP. Discussions covered the RCP’s strategy and priorities for the workforce plan.
>> Read the RCP consultation response on the 10 Year Workforce Plan for England
In Wales, the RCP hosted a main-stage debate at the Plaid Cymru conference exploring how NHS Wales can deliver Community by Design and provide more integrated and preventative care closer to home. Chaired by RCP joint vice president for Wales Dr Ben Thomas, the panel included Welsh government health ministers Mabon ap Gwynfor MS and Nerys Evans MS, alongside consultant physician Dr Sarah Dyer and RCP joint vice president for Wales Professor Sam Rice. The discussion considered how services can move closer to home without adding pressure to already stretched teams, and the role of workforce investment, digital integration, access to diagnostics and clinical leadership in delivering sustainable change.
>> Read the RCP manifesto for the 2026 Senedd election
The RCP also attended the Green Party and Reform UK conferences to engage with emerging policy debates and understand the priorities likely to shape future discussions about health and care. Following conference season, the RCP will continue to build relationships with parliamentarians and political health teams across the UK, using members’ experiences to inform its influencing work.
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