The enduring impact of the pandemic continued to present significant challenges in 2021. Healthcare professionals were under pressure both in the UK and across the globe in a way not seen in our lifetime. The response of physicians was inspiring and gives us much hope for the future.

The RCP’s focus was one of recovery and restructure. From hosting an award-winning annual conference and expanding opportunities for learning to developing quality improvement initiatives and campaigning on workforce, we delivered a huge range of activity to support physicians and their teams.

A major highlight of the year was the opening of The Spine, our new home in Liverpool. The RCP logo at the top of the building shines out over the city of Liverpool and our presence there has stimulated inward investment into the Knowledge Quarter and positively impacted on the area’s health economy – a powerful reminder of our continuing responsibility and relevance.

Having lost a third of our income in 2020, we were delighted to move to a financially balanced position and with our influence stronger than ever. Data from our COVID member surveys led to a substantial increase in media coverage and a wealth of stories on the key issues affecting our membership.

You can find out more about our work and view our financial statements by downloading our annual report for 2021 at the bottom of the page.

Watch our president Sir Andrew Goddard as he looks back at 2021.

Our achievements

Prior to the pandemic our members told us we should focus our efforts on our three strengths: educating, improving and influencing. Our new strategy for 2022–24 cements these priorities firmly in our everyday work and will guide our future activity. This review looks at our key activities and achievements in 2021 under those areas:

• educating physicians and supporting them to fulfil their potential
• improving health and care and leading the prevention of ill health across communities
• influencing the way that healthcare is designed and delivered.

We also outline the key achievements under our enablers – five principles that underpin our priorities: close engagement with our membership, patient and carer involvement, a focus on diversity and inclusion, good governance and working in a sustainable way.