The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, often referred to as the RCPCH, is the professional body for paediatricians (doctors specialising in child health) in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. It is responsible for the postgraduate training of paediatricians and conducts the Membership of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (MRCPCH) exams. It also awards the Diploma in Child Health (DCH), which is taken by many doctors who plan a career in general practice. Members of the college use the postnominal initials 'MRCPCH' while Fellows use 'FRCPCH'.

History

The United Kingdom's first national group of paediatricians was established in 1928 as the British Paediatric Association or BPA. Its first president was

George Frederic Still Sir George Frederic Still, KCVO (27 February 1868 – 28 June 1941) was an English paediatrician, author of five medical textbooks, and publisher of hundreds of papers. Still first described a form of juvenile idiopathic arthritis as we ...

. The BPA's initial aims were the advancement of the study of paediatrics and the promotion of friendship amongst paediatricians. Most paediatricians also belonged to the

Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination. Founded by royal charter from King Henry VIII in 1 ...

and took the examination MRCP(Paeds). The BPA was granted

royal college A royal college in some Commonwealth countries is technically a college which has received royal patronage and permission to use the prefix ''royal''. Permission is usually granted through a royal charter. The charter normally confers a constitut ...

status in August 1996. The MRCP(Paeds) exam was replaced by the MRCPCH in 1999. The College's official journal, the

Archives of Disease in Childhood ''Archives of Disease in Childhood'' is a peer-reviewed medical journal published by the BMJ Group and covering the field of paediatrics. It is the official journal of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Scope ''Archives of Disea ...

, was founded in 1926. The RCPCH's first home was in Hallam Street,

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. On 21 March 2008 the College moved to new premises at 5-11 Theobalds Road, London, where it is still based.

Aims of the College

The RCPCH's stated aim is to 'transform child health through knowledge, innovation and expertise'.RCPCH website http://www.rcpch.ac.uk/what-we-do In practice it has a number of roles: * Postgraduate training for paediatricians: the RCPCH defines the paediatric curriculum, advises Local Education and Training Boards and records and monitors trainees' progress from entry to specialist training to achieving the

certificate of completion of training The Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) is the certificate that medical doctors in the United Kingdom receive to indicate that they have completed training in their chosen specialty and are therefore eligible for entry onto the specialis ...

(CCT). * Running examinations: both the MRCPCH, considered an essential qualification for British paediatricians, and the DCH, a qualification in child health for non-paediatricians. * Provides courses and e-learning resources. * Campaigns to improve child health nationally and globally. * Organises research conferences, notably the RCPCH Annual Conference. * Publishes the

, a peer-reviewed journal of paediatrics. * Develops clinical guidelines and standards. The college works closely with other bodies, including the

Department of Health (United Kingdom) The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for government policy on health and adult social care matters in England, along with a few elements of the same matters which are not otherwis ...

, the Local Education and Training Boards, the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board, the

General Medical Council The General Medical Council (GMC) is a public body that maintains the official register of medical practitioners within the United Kingdom. Its chief responsibility is to "protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the public" by c ...

, the

National Clinical Assessment Service Practitioner Performance Advice, formerly the National Clinical Assessment Service (NCAS), is an organisation that works towards the resolution of concerns about professional practice in healthcare settings across the United Kingdom. By providing th ...

(NCAS), the

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department of Health and Social Care in England that publishes guidelines in four areas: * the use of health technologies withi ...

(NICE), children's charities and the other medical royal colleges.

Fellowship

Senior doctors who have completed paediatric training can apply for Fellowship of the RCPCH, after which they can use the letters FRCPCH.

Coat of arms

The

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...

of the college commemorate June Lloyd, first female President of the British Paediatric Association and Thomas Phaire, whose ''Boke of Chyldren'' from 1545 was the first book on paediatrics in

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

. The

crest Crest or CREST may refer to: Buildings *The Crest (Huntington, New York), a historic house in Suffolk County, New York *"The Crest", an alternate name for 63 Wall Street, in Manhattan, New York *Crest Castle (Château Du Crest), Jussy, Switzerla ...

is a baby, taken from the arms of the

Foundling Hospital The Foundling Hospital in London, England, was founded in 1739 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" w ...

Coram's Fields Coram's Fields is a seven acre urban open space in the Kings Cross area of the London Borough of Camden. Adults are only permitted to enter if accompanied by children. History The park is situated on the former site of the Foundling Hosp ...

List of presidents of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

The President is the elected head of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

British Paediatric Association

Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

References

External links

* {{Coord missing, London 1928 establishments in the United Kingdom Health in the London Borough of Camden Medical associations based in the United Kingdom Organisations based in the London Borough of Camden Paediatrics and Child Health