ROYAL
COLLEGE
of
PHYSICIANS
of
EDINBURGH
International Newsletter
Welcome to the ninth issue of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh’s
International Newsletter.
@RCPEdin /RCPEdin
Issue 9 | November 2016
From our President
Our international programme is
an essential and exciting part of
the College portfolio. This work is
coordinated through Professor Sunil
Bhandari and our College staff. We
are always delighted to welcome
Fellows and Members to the College
in Edinburgh; however, we are
actively increasing our partnership
work through joint conferences and
initiatives. This year our Fellows
will have contributed to joint
conferences in Nepal, New Jersey,
Jordan, India, Malaysia, Singapore
and, in December, Kolkata. Our
major contribution to the delivery
of MRCP(UK) continues and we
plan to extend our local teaching
programme. Our live web-streamed
programme continues and, last
week, 30 centres joined us for our
neurology symposium. We are also
actively discussing international
collaborations with the University of
Edinburgh and their Global Academy
workstreams, including potential
support for curricula and training
in Zambia.
In October I conducted a roll-signing
ceremony for Fellows in Hong Kong.
I enjoyed meeting New Fellows as
well as familiar faces and catching
up on local news and hot topics
while attending the 30th Anniversary
Annual Scientific Meeting of the
Hong Kong College of Physicians.
Also in October I led the College’s
Faculty visit to Dubai and delivered
a keynote speech on Recognition
of Acutely Unwell Patients, a major
clinical problem.
In September, 800 delegates across
a range of medical specialties
and professional backgrounds
from around the world came to
Edinburgh for our Past, Present and
Future of Medicine Conference. The
conference provided a wonderful
opportunity to meet with many
Fellows and Members and to make
new contacts. Highlights of the
programme included Professor
Abraham Verghese talking about
Hands on Education; Professor Sir
Muir Gray leading an interactive
discussion on Population Health, and
Sally Magnusson and Simon Denegri
talking about Patients as Co-authors
of Care. All talks are now available
on our website
The new College website and
brand was launched in September
and provides a more user-friendly
interface with full details of all
our activities including our clinical
and academic programme for the
forthcoming year.
The UK Government’s plans to
make the UK more ‘self-sufficient’
in doctors has led to the College
calling for the Government
to recognise the significant
contribution that doctors, nurses
and other healthcare professionals
from overseas make to the NHS
and ensure that the UK continues
to welcome them in the future:
. Doctors from countries around
the world have always played a
vital and significant role in our
NHS and in the delivery of safe
patient care. This is part of the
international exchange of knowledge
in healthcare and should be strongly
encouraged.
Next year I shall be visiting Nepal
from 4–6 May. I hope to meet many
of you during this and other visits
and I encourage you to
if there is anything you wish to
discuss.
Professor Derek Bell
Roll signing at the Royal Australasian College
of Physicians’ conference, Adelaide, Australia
Roll signing at the Golden Jubilee Academy
of Medicine of Malaysia, 50th Malaysian-
Singapore Congress of Medicine
