Records of the RCOG Manpower / Medical Workforce Advisory Committee

Records of the RCOG Manpower Committee, and later the Medical Workforce Advisory Committee, including agenda, circulated papers and minutes of meetings of the committee, annual statistical reports on manpower in obstetrics and gynaecology, and papers relating to special surveys and studies on a range of issues, including recruitment and hours of work.

In 1987 the Joint Planning Advisory Committee (JPAC) of the Department of Health invited a submission from the RCOG on training grade numbers. Ad hoc meetings were held to formulate a response. This was followed by an occasional Manpower Working Party which met from 1988 to advise Council on these issues. The Working Party began to undertake annual censuses to identify numbers in training, career prospects and related areas of concern and also to hold annual meetings to update members of the profession in manpower issues and to allow sharing of views between the College, the Department of Health, purchasers and providers of health care. Special surveys and studies on specific issues were also undertaken. By 1990 the Working Party had gradually evolved into a full committee but did not adopt a formal constitution and terms of reference until 1992, when it was decided that its role was 'to advise Council on all matters relating to manpower in obstetrics and gynaecology' and 'to keep Council informed of the census results and manpower and staffing trends which are identified.' In 1997 it was decided that the term 'manpower' was outdated and the committee was renamed the Medical Workforce Advisory Committee (MWAC).

Permission from senior management via the College Archivist is required for external access to College records less than twenty years old.

Copyright of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Reproductions available at the discretion of the College Archivist.

Transferred to the Archive by the Committee secretary.

Related material at the RCOG can be found at the following references:

RCOG/M31 Records of the RCOG working party on manpower redistribution in training grades 1978-1980 (probably a precursor of the Manpower Committee and its successors)

RCOG/M32 Records of the manpower advisory sub-committee of the RCOG 1980-1983 (probably a precursor of the Manpower Committee and its successors)

RCOG/C3/12 Papers of the central manpower committee of the Joint Consultants Committee 1975-1977

RCOG/A4 President's papers on manpower issues, 1970s-1990s