Two

Here we are in the middle of the greatest pandemic for 100 years, on the eve of a crucial election in the USA, and all the talk is about a Medical Royal College.

A Medical Royal College is, of course, a terrific concept but there are clearly problems on the horizon

There are only 650 Members and Fellows of a Faculty (many living abroad and most of whom are not employed full-time in NHS medicine) but the Faculty needs at least another 1,000 members to stand any chance of changing status.

Mantra – 90% of musculo-skeletal medicine issues in the NHS can be managed by sports and exercise medicine

Reality – 90% of musculo-skeletal medicine issues in the NHS will be managed by physical therapists

The answer would seem to be to recruit 1,000 physical therapists into the Faculty.

The problem is that these wonderful physical therapists cannot be given a vote because they would then outnumber the medics and take control of the Faculty.

A Medical Royal College cannot be a Medical Royal College unless it is run and controlled by people with a medical qualification.

Simply put, a Medical Royal College will ensure that sports and exercise doctors remain in control of everyone involved in sport and exercise medicine, in perpetuity

It seems to have come as a surprise to some of the crusading doctors that BASEM,  with its policy of one member, one vote and equality for all, regardless of their qualification – did not jump to embrace this idea by a margin of 67%.

The Faculty President has placed on record that the Faculty can progress towards becoming a Royal College without the disintegration of BASEM so the Faculty now has a chance to sort out there membership structure and revamp the organization under their own steam.

This will also allow the 67% voting members to review their own options in relative peace and quiet.

They will then be in a much better position to assess the merits of ‘Medical Royal College – Mark 2’ or to reform as another 1 member/1 vote organization (BASEM reborn – Mark 2), if the 32% of enthusiasts really want to leave the fold.