Following the Extraordinary General Meeting of fellows held on 27 February a motion to survey all 26,000 members and fellows about their attitude to the Health and Social Care Bill was passed. At that meeting we undertook to ensure that the survey was robust, secure, would go to all members and fellows within five working days of the EGM [by 5 March] and would if it all possible go out in time to still influence the outcome of the Bill before the House of Lords completes its deliberations.
We have just finalised arrangements for the survey and accordingly, the survey will be despatched to all members and fellows on 5 March [today] via Electoral Reform Services, the organisation the RCP has retained to ensure that we meet the above criteria. All members and fellows will be posted the survey by first class post, it will be emailed to those we have email addresses for and all will be encouraged to respond securely online. The survey will close at noon on 15 March, prior to the scheduled final debates in the House of Lords and House of Commons on the Health and Social Care Bill the following week.
Sir Richard Thompson says in the covering letter to the survey:
The RCP urges all fellows and members to record your views on whether the RCP should formally reject the Bill, and to indicate how you would like the RCP to proceed. We would also like you to specify your key concerns regarding the Bill and the wider health landscape. Your responses are vital in assisting your Council to determine our future strategy. The more feedback we obtain from members and fellows, the stronger our mandate and message will be.
Update
The survey results will be made available on 16 March. According to current parliamentary timetables, this will still be in time to influence the final stages of the Bill process in both the House of Lords and House of Commons.
For further information, please contact Andrew McCracken, RCP Communications and New Media Adviser, on +44 (0)203 075 1354 / 07990 745 608, or email andrew.mccracken@rcplondon.ac.uk