The College of Medicine
Encyclopedia
The College of Medicine is a United Kingdom
based organisation founded in 2010 for patients and healthcare professionals. The College states that it aims to "promote a more politically and professionally transparent, patient centred, and sustainable approach to healthcare, using whatever social or therapeutic approaches are safe, effective, and empowering for patients'.
It argues that a greater focus on compassionate caring is necessary because of the frequency of National Health Service
scandals about care, such as the Stafford Hospital scandal
.
, former President of the General Medical Council
, and its officers and advisory council include Nigel Crisp former Chief Executive of the NHS, Muir Grey Chief knowledge officer to the NHS, and Baroness Ilora Finlay a past president of the Royal Society of Medicine
Its Directors are Professor George Lewith
, Professor of Health Research at Southampton University, Michael Dixon (doctor), Christine Glover, former head of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
and Professor David Peters a Clinical Director at the University of Westminster's School of Life Sciences.
controversial and now defunct Foundation for Integrated Health
, which has been criticised for its advocacy
and promotion of alternative medicine
under its euphemistic pseudonym "integrative medicine
." Several commenatators writing in The Guardian
and The British Medical Journal, have expressed the opinion that the new organisation is simply a re-branding of the Prince's Foundation,, describing it as "Hamlet without the Prince".
In support of this connection with Prince Charles, alternative medicine
critic and pharmacologist David Colquhoun
has argued that the College (originally called "The College of Integrated Health") is extremely well-funded and seemed from the beginning to be very confident of the Prince's support; explicitly describing its mission as "to take forward the vision of HRH the Prince of Wales" in an early presentation.
These claims have been contested by the College.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
based organisation founded in 2010 for patients and healthcare professionals. The College states that it aims to "promote a more politically and professionally transparent, patient centred, and sustainable approach to healthcare, using whatever social or therapeutic approaches are safe, effective, and empowering for patients'.
It argues that a greater focus on compassionate caring is necessary because of the frequency of National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
scandals about care, such as the Stafford Hospital scandal
Stafford Hospital scandal
The Stafford Hospital scandal came to light because of an investigation by the Healthcare Commission into the operation of Stafford Hospital in Stafford, England. The commission was first alerted by the "apparently high mortality rates in patients admitted as emergencies"...
.
Officers and Directors
Its officers and associates include former senior NHS staff. Its President is Graeme CattoGraeme Catto
Sir Graeme Robertson Dawson Catto, MB ChB , MD , DSc, FKC, FRCP, FRCGP, FRCSE, FFPM, FMedSci, FRSE is a Scottish doctor who was President, later Chair, of the General Medical Council until April 2009...
, former President of the General Medical Council
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council registers and regulates doctors practising in the United Kingdom. It has the power to revoke or restrict a doctor's registration if it deems them unfit to practise...
, and its officers and advisory council include Nigel Crisp former Chief Executive of the NHS, Muir Grey Chief knowledge officer to the NHS, and Baroness Ilora Finlay a past president of the Royal Society of Medicine
Royal Society of Medicine
The Royal Society of Medicine is a British charitable organisation whose main purpose is as a provider of medical education, running over 350 meetings and conferences each year.- History and overview :...
Its Directors are Professor George Lewith
George Lewith
George Lewith is a professor of health research at the University of Southampton, with an exclusive interest in the research of complementary medicine.-Background:...
, Professor of Health Research at Southampton University, Michael Dixon (doctor), Christine Glover, former head of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
Royal Pharmaceutical Society
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society is the body responsible for the leadership and support of the pharmacy profession within England, Scotland and Wales...
and Professor David Peters a Clinical Director at the University of Westminster's School of Life Sciences.
Links to The Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health
One of the College's Directors Michael Dixon is a former Director of the Prince of Wales'Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
controversial and now defunct Foundation for Integrated Health
The Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health
The Foundation for Integrated Health was a controversial charity run by Charles, Prince of Wales and founded in 1993. The Foundation promoted alternative and complementary medicine and lobbied for its inclusion in the National Health Service...
, which has been criticised for its advocacy
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
and promotion of alternative medicine
Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....
under its euphemistic pseudonym "integrative medicine
Integrative medicine
Integrative medicine or integrative health is the combination of the practices and methods of alternative medicine with conventional medicine. The term is relatively recent, and is mainly promoted by proponents of alternative therapies in the west...
." Several commenatators writing in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and The British Medical Journal, have expressed the opinion that the new organisation is simply a re-branding of the Prince's Foundation,, describing it as "Hamlet without the Prince".
In support of this connection with Prince Charles, alternative medicine
Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....
critic and pharmacologist David Colquhoun
David Colquhoun
David Colquhoun, FRS is a British pharmacologist at University College London . He has contributed to the general theory of receptor and synaptic mechanisms of single ion channel function. He previously held the A.J. Clark chair of Pharmacology at UCL, and was the Hon. Director of the Wellcome...
has argued that the College (originally called "The College of Integrated Health") is extremely well-funded and seemed from the beginning to be very confident of the Prince's support; explicitly describing its mission as "to take forward the vision of HRH the Prince of Wales" in an early presentation.
These claims have been contested by the College.