‘Influencing the way that healthcare is designed and delivered’ is one of the RCP's three key strategic aims. The RCP works toward this 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 endorsed by RCP Council, to guide and shape our external influencing work. Given the complexity of health and healthcare, and the RCP’s mission, this helps us strategically focus 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.

Get involved as a member

Our policy and campaigns work ensures that the voice of physicians is heard by decision makers. We have various ways of gathering member views to inform policy reports, consultation responses, briefings and policy blogs. Throughout its over-500-year history, the RCP has played a pivotal role in shaping public health – this continues today with the RCP publishing authoritative reports on topics such as tobacco and air quality.

Our recent member snapshot survey helped us to highlight the reality of corridor care, and physicians seeing more patients with health inequalities in their work. Members can also participate in the annual Focus on Physicians survey and get involved in the RCP’s committees.

We always encourage members contacting us at policy@rcp.ac.uk to raise and discuss issues that they are currently facing or considering when it comes to the delivery of healthcare. At the moment, we are especially interested in hearing about issues affecting the NHS workforce, health inequalities in your patients, delivery of clinical research and climate change and sustainability within the NHS.