ABSTRACT
The Royal Colleges are able to provide a coherent and unified voice to represent their specialty, and they can bring the weight of their professional and academic credibility to bear when lobbying governments to bring about change in the system. All Royal Colleges and faculties have trainee committees through which trainees can find a voice to argue for the changes they feel are needed within their own specialty. The British Medical Association (BMA) is the doctors’ trade union in the UK and, whilst not all doctors are members, it is effectively the voice of the profession. Amongst other things, the BMA acts to influence change at both a local and national level to ensure the highest standards of patient care through appropriate design and delivery of healthcare services, and it aims to protect and push for fair working conditions for doctors.
