Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland
Aims and Objectives
March 2008
INTRODUCTION
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland developed out of the
Conference of Royal Colleges, which has a long history in Scotland. The Conference predated
the UK Academy of Colleges but in the past its influence was not as great as it might have
been, partly because of difficulties in the relationships between the ancient Royal Colleges of
Scotland and the newly developing UK Royal Colleges with a very variable Scottish
representation.
The Academy of Royal Colleges in the UK is active in providing advice to Government and
allowing discussion between the different specialties. The aims and objectives of the Scottish
Academy have some similarities to those of the UK Academy, but with a specific focus on the
health of the people of Scotland.
Whilst the different home nations always had slightly different ways of working, the
Academy’s development was particularly important in relation to the prospect of devolution in
1999 and the opportunity for more direct input into the Scottish Health Service. The Scottish
Academy of Royal Colleges is now a high-profile representative body for the profession,
particularly in relation to clinical standards and training. Work over recent years has seen the
Academy become a cohesive group, which is now extensively involved in issues within the
Scottish Health Service.
AIM
The main aim of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland is to
provide professional leadership in contributing to improvements in the health of the people of
Scotland through promoting the works of the Colleges and Faculties.
OBJECTIVES
1.
Clinical Standards
To ensure patient safety is maximised by maintaining and improving standards within
the profession
With the issues of clinical governance increasingly important, the Academy is
in a position to oversee the development and maintenance of standards
within the profession and provide advice in areas where difficulties are
developing either in relation to particular services or the work of the
particular specialties
The role of the Royal Colleges in maintaining clinical standards has already been
proven by the development of the SIGN guidelines produced by multi-specialty and
multi-disciplinary groups.
As the representative body of all the Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland the Academy
provides a forum to debate and decide on policy relevant to the shape and delivery of post-graduate
training in the Medical Disciplines in Scotland
2.
Provision of Advice
The Academy provides a co-ordinated voice from the specialties in relation to
education, training, clinical standards and effectiveness and research and quality
which are supported and promoted by all constituent members. It will provide advice
to the Governments and their agencies, Health Boards and healthcare providers as
well as voluntary agencies. It is proactive in commenting on issues which cross
specialties and which affect patient care.
3.
Education and Training
(a) Training – The Academy provides the opportunity for the specialties to exchange
views, to co-ordinate approaches where appropriate and to solve cross-specialty
issues.
(b) Continuing Medical Education – The Academy provides an effective forum for a coordinated approach to continuing medical education and professional development
within the profession
(c) Revalidation – the Academy is committed to ensuring that, as well as continuing
medical education, that doctors undergo regular revalidation of their extended skills
(d) Inter-disciplinary Education – There is an increasing emphasis on inter-disciplinary
working. The Academy explores and supports educational initiatives in this field
4.
Well Being of the Profession
The Academy provides advice and takes appropriate initiative on the issues that
affect the well being of the profession. It considers the major workforce problems of
manpower, recruitment, retention and flexible working patterns. It encourages the
development of shared initiatives to support and enhance individual doctors’ wellbeing, competence and performance.
MEMBER COLLEGES AND FACULTIES
Royal College of Physicians
Faculty of Accident and Emergency Medicine
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecology
Royal College of Anaesthetists
Royal College of Pathologists
Royal College of Ophthalmologists
Faculty of Occupational Medicine
Scottish Committee of Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Royal College of General Practitioners
Royal College of General Practitioners
Faculty of Public Health Medicine
Faculties of Dental Surgery
Royal College of Radiologists
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Trainee representative –
Lay members
As the representative body of all the Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland the Academy
provides a forum to debate and decide on policy relevant to the shape and delivery of post-graduate
training in the Medical Disciplines in Scotland
Observers
BMA Scottish Council
Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board
NHS Education for Scotland
NHS Education for Scotland
Scottish Government
Scottish General Practitioners Committee
NHS Education for Scotland
EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS
It has been the experience of the Scottish Academy that it is often difficult to motivate people
to sit on groups unless they are directly affected by the work.
Short-term Working Groups
There are a number of short-term working groups on which members of the Academy sit for
a limited period of time: Clinical Skills Group, Quality Assurance, Workforce Planning,
Transitional Boards and Patient Safety Boards. It can be difficult to have enough people to
sit on them.
Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) Specialty Training Board
Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) Selection and Recruitment Delivery Board
Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB)
Scottish Government
UK Academy
There is no constitutional relationship with the UK Academy. The three Scottish presidents
attend all UK Academy meetings. There is no official description of the relationship between
the two Academies. There is interaction between the two Academies on various projects:
Future Workforce, E-learning, Reconfiguration of Service, Academic Careers, and Standards
of Assessment of UK Training.
NHS Education for Scotland (NES)
There is a memorandum of Understanding between the Academy and NES, which was
completed in 2007.
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHSQIS)
Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN)
NHS QIS attend meetings of the Academy whenever relevant as does (SIGN) There are
representatives from many of the Speciality colleges in Scotland on SIGN Council as well as a
specific representative of the Academy.
Scottish Consultants’ Committee (SCC)
There 1 member and 1 deputy member
Scottish Joint Consultants’ Committee (SJCC)
The Academy has 8 members on the SJCC and 3 Deputy members
As the representative body of all the Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland the Academy
provides a forum to debate and decide on policy relevant to the shape and delivery of post-graduate
training in the Medical Disciplines in Scotland