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The College's first scientific meeting was organised as part of the programme to mark the opening of its new building in Sussex Place in 1960. The Scientific Advisory Committee was appointed to organise future meetings and courses. Museum demonstrations were the responsibility of the Pathology Committee. The Scientific Advisory Committee and the Pathology Committee merged in 1966. In 1968 responsibility for postgraduate symposia and museum demonstrations passed to the newly created Postgraduate Medical Education Committee, and responsibility for scientific meetings passed to the newly created Scientific Programme and Central Congress Committee. In 1973 the Postgraduate Medical Education Committee was renamed the Postgraduate Committee, and became responsible for all meetings and scientific programmes. From October 1974, however, the Scientific Advisory and Pathology Committee acquired some responsibility for the initiation of scientific meetings, and became responsible for the revived programme of study groups. From 1981 the Scientific Advisory Committee became primarily responsible for all scientific and educational meetings, but the Postgraduate Committee continued to advise on their organisation.

The Postgraduate Committee was disbanded in 1992. Arrangements for postgraduate education meetings, courses and seminars and for meetings of study groups are now the responsibility of the Postgraduate Medical Education Department of the College. Production of printed proceedings of study groups is the responsibility of the Publications Editor, Administration Department.

The first official residence of the College was at 58 Queen Anne Street, London, W1; it was purchased with funds donated anonymously by William Blair-Bell, who also set up an endowment fund and a purchasing fund for the house. The building was officially opened by the Duchess of York (H M the Queen Mother) on December 5, 1932. The house gradually became too small for the College's needs and was sold and replaced in 1955 by the present site at 27 Sussex Place, NW1. The College additionally maintains a house for the President at 8 Kent Terrace, NW1; the house is also used for functions and for accommodating visitors.

In 1991 the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) instituted a series of joint meetings to consider maternity services in the light of changes in the organisation of the National Health Service, advances in clinical knowledge, and changes in the social framework in which general practitioners, midwives and obstetricians operated. The result was the production of a joint document on maternity care. A draft version of this document was also submitted to the House of Commons Health Committee Enquiry into Maternity Services.

In 1942 the Royal College of Physicians of London (RCP) and the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCSENG) met together and agreed to ask the RCOG to co-operate to form a Standing Joint Committee of the three Royal Colleges. The Committee initially met each month to discuss matters of mutual interest, particularly the training of consultants; the three College presidents alternated as chairman.

Special working groups or ad hoc committees and sub-committees were set up at various times, usually by Council or the Finance and Executive Committee, to investigate and report on particular issues of concern to the College. Servicing the working groups and committees is currently the responsibility of the College's Administration Department.

The working party was established by the College in July 1980 in order "To consider developments in further specialisation within the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, including training implications, and to make recommendations" (minutes 6 Nov 1980: ref M12/1). The working party first met in November 1980. It presented its report to Council in 1982. The report was published as a discussion document in November 1982.

The working party first met on 16 July 1993; the Chairman was Professor M J Whittle, Professor of Fetal Medicine at the University of Birmingham. Representatives from the General Practitioners and Midwifery Service were present, also other Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologists. The terms of reference were: a) To consider and develop suggestions made by the British Paediatric Association (BPA)/RCOG Joint Standing Committee regarding facilities required for childbirth in different settings. b) To define minimum standards of staffing, facilities and organisation in each setting for the guidance of managers, clinical directors and health professionals.

This committee was established in 1959 under the chairmanship of H J Malkin to define the general principles to be followed in the building of maternity units. It reported in May 1960.

This sub-committee was established by Council, under the chairmanship of J Malvern, in November 1980. Its terms of reference were "to enquire into all matters relating to manpower in training and career posts in obstetrics and gynaecology in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland and to advise the Council on policies with regard to numbers and distribution of training posts" (1983 report, p. 5 in M32/1). In 1982 the committee presented a preliminary report to Council defining the current state of manpower in the British Isles; a second, published report was produced in 1983. This committee may be seen as a precursor to the RCOG's Manpower (later Medical Workforce) Advisory Committee, which was established in 1988.

The working party met throughout 1984 and 1985 and their report was published in May 1987. The required information was collected through the use of questionnaires, letters and verbal evidence. The Chairman was Mrs W J A Francis FRCOG.

The working party was instituted by the Council of the RCOG in 1989 to review the education and services related to contraception in view of the continuing high rate of unplanned pregnancy. It reported in September 1991.

The RCOG undertook a survey of obstetric flying squads in 1980 in order to discover what care was provided for obstetric emergencies arising in the community where pre-admission examination or treatment has been considered advisable.

The working party was set up by Council on the recommendation of the RCOG's Examination Committee in 1991 under the chairmanship of Professor W Dunlop. Its terms of reference were "to consider the need for change in the current system of assessment leading to the award of MRCOG; to define the educational objectives upon which assessment should be based, and to suggest revision of the current system of assessment and to make recommendations on the implementation of this revision". It reported to Council in 1991.

The working party was established in 1995, following discussions with the Department of Health, with the following terms of reference: 1) 'To identify current trends in the routine use of ultrasound for screening in obstetrics; 2) to consider existing literature on routine ultrasound screening for fetal abnormalities with respect to its safety, accuracy, costs and psychological effects; 3) on the basis of the above, to reach recommendations concerning best practice, areas of continuing controversy, within the areas of controversy, those which might be amenable to research'. (Ref: Terms of reference in M55/1). The working party, under the chairmanship of Professor M J Whittle FRCOG, produced a consultation document in March 1997, which was widely circulated for comment. The final report of the working party was produced in October 1997. In 1998 the working party was reconvened as a supplementary working group to establish a minimum standard for screening; it produced its report in July 2000.

The Group was set up by Council in 1991 to monitor the development of posts in community gynaecology. Its terms of reference were: to determine the role of the consultant in reproductive health/community gynaecology and to advise Council on its development; to formulate guidelines for training; to recommend procedure for recognition of training programmes; to recommend procedure for the award of certificates of completion of training; to monitor existing training posts; to propose procedure for RCOG/Faculty of Family Planning involvement in consultant appointments; to liase between RCOG, BAFPD and the proposed Faculty of Family Planning on reproductive health/community gynaecology; to liase with the Department of Health regarding manpower and funding for posts. The group was considered to have completed its work by mid 1993 and held its last meeting in October of that year.

The working party was established by the RCOG in 1969 to study and report on unplanned pregnancy. The working party commenced its study under the chairmanship of Sir John Peel in 1970 and presented its report to Council in 1972.

The first 'Candidates' Newsletter' was produced in 1993; in December 1996 it was renamed the 'Trainees Newsletter'. Production of the Newsletter was suspended in 1999.

The senior manager for the College was traditionally the College Secretary, with further responsibility for College administration vested in the Deputy College Secretary. The College Secretary managed the College departments in liaison with the College Officers, Council and committee chairmen. In 2005 the post of College Secretary was renamed the Chief Executive Officer.

Traditionally senior management meetings occured between the College Secretary, the Deputy College Secretary and the primary Heads of Departments. This forum was responsible for approving any changes to the departmental structure of the College, revising the reporting structure and discussing the general management of the College. In 2003 the Senior Management Team (SMT) was disbanded as it was decided the Heads of Departments (HoDs) were the senior mangers of the College. However, by July 2005 the College had grown significantly in size, with over eighteen different departments, making it difficult to obtain quick management decisions. A new management structure was introduced dividing the College into four primary divisions or directorates: Services, Administration, Education and Standards. Each divisional director, together with the Chief Executive Officer and the Heads of Personnel and Finance formed the new Senior Management Team. The divisional Directors were to cascade management decisions down through regular meetings with the Heads of Department in their division: these meetings continue to the present day.

The Office of Honorary Secretary is elected to Council by Fellows and Members, the term of office is a maximum of seven years. The post has been in place since 1926, where William Fletcher Shaw was made Secretary. In 2008 the Honorary Secretary's main responsiblities were:
Supporting and assisting the President
The agenda for Council and Finance and Executive Committee
Chairing the Services Board and Services Group
Deputy Chair of the Consumers Forum
Representing the College Officers on the Staff Committee
RCOG Press Officer
RCOG awards, prizes & lectures
Attending meetings of Regional College Advisers, College Tutors and Overseas Chairmen
Fellows ad eundem selection process
Representation on European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Ex officio member of all Boards and Standing Committees
Department of Health Workforce matters

The Honorary Secretary works closely with Membership services in respect of:
a) Approving requests for the purchase of data about Fellows and Members
b) Corresponding with the family members of deceased Fellows and Members
c) Advice and approval of applications for Associates and Affiliates
d) The organisation of MRCOG and FRCOG Admission Ceremonies

He also works closely with the Communications and External Affairs department in respect of:
a) RCOG communications to Associates and Affiliates
b) Communications with Fellows and Members on contemporary issues
c) Membership benefits
d) Approving publicity material for national and international meetings
e) Medical Students' Evenings

The Honorary Secretary is a member of various Committees/Working Parties including: Management Audit Committee; Work life Balance; RCOG/APOG Working Group; Clinical Standards Working Party; Future Workforce in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

The Bookshop opened in June 1993 at 78 Park Road, under the governance of the College Secretary. In September 2000 it became part of the Publications Department, then from April 2005 the Bookshop formed a separate department of its own right. It sells a comprehensive range of books and software for women's health professionals, College gifts, book tokens and stamps. It also distributes and markets the RCOG Press titles. In May 1999 it moved to premises within the College at 27 Sussex Place. It also operates an online store on the College website that went live in July 1997 which by June 2001 offered the full stock range and a 'shopping basket' purchasing system.

The Bookshop initially produced two catalogues: College publications and other publications for sale; in 1995 the two catalogues were combined. An additional separate catalogue for RCOG Press titles continued until 1999 when it too was incorporated into the RCOG Bookshop catalogue. The catalogue was discontinued after 2003 and replaced by Bookshop news updates which were expanded into bulletins in 2004. A new Publications catalogue featuring items from the RCOG Press was produced in 2005. The Bookshop also issues gift catalogues listing College regalia for sale.

An Accreditation Sub-Committee was established in 1970 to direct the accreditation of training and report to Council. The committee approved following procedure: - a member of the College should be eligible to apply for accreditation after three years further approved experience and training in obstetrics and gynaecology beyond the requirements of the MRCOG examination, of which two years were to be subsequent to admission to the membership of the RCOG and normally in a post of responsibility corresponding to that of a senior registrar in an NHS hospital; the administration of accreditation should be the responsibility of the Postgraduate Medical Education Committee. (Council minutes 26 Sept 1970; Archives reference: B13/1) Later known as the Accreditation Panel, and from 1973 as the Accreditation Committee, it became the Higher Training Committee (HTC) in 1984. Its role was to "oversee and regulate all matters pertaining to higher training" and was responsible for: inspecting and recognising higher training posts at registrar and senior registrar levels; agreeing higher training programmes for accreditation; monitoring the progress of trainees; recommending individuals to Council for accreditation; advising Council on the regulations for accreditation. In December 1985 a Subspecialty Board was established as a sub-committee of the Higher Training Committee; in July 1988 this Board became an independent standing committee. In 1998 the Higher Training Committee's functions relating to the recognition of specialist registrar posts was passed to the Hospital Recognition Committee (HRC). The Higher Training Committee continued to carry out its other functions under the new name of the Specialist Training Committee from 1999. The Specialist Training Committee was disbanded in July 2007 and was replaced by the Specialty Education Advisory Committee (SEAC). The function of the Committee is to be responsible for the content, structure and delivery of the Specialty Training Programme and to advise the eligibility of doctors for the award of the Certificate of Completion of Training. All the above committees were/are serviced by the College's Postgraduate Training Department (PGT) and reported to the Education Board.

The Publications Panel was set up in 1978 to consider the format, typesetting, binding and print runs of College scientific publications (ref: RCOG/B16/1, internal memo 22/1/85). It reported to the Finance and Executive Committee. In February 1985 the Panel was reformed to 'meet only when necessary to discuss printers quotations, publishers proposals, print quantities and handling charges to Fellows and Members' (ref: RCOG/B16/1, agenda Feb 1985). The Panel was chaired by the Honorary Treasurer.

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 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).

This Committee was established to act as a channel of communication between trainees and the RCOG and as a forum for discussion of issues relevant to training in obstetrics and gynaecology. The idea for the committee originally arose in the early 1990s in response to health service reform, the reduction of working hours and changing working practices of junior doctors, the Calman reforms in medical education, and concerns about the retention and recruitment of trainees in obstetrics and gynaecology. It was to be a constituted as a democratically-elected standing committee of the RCOG, members being elected by other trainees, and would liaise with the College about examinations, accreditation and training issues in the light of the current health service reforms. This national committee was to be accompanied by regional committees that would liaise with Regional College Advisers, Postgraduate Deans and District Tutors about local matters. An Interim Trainees Committee was established in 1993, with Dr Susan Bewley as Chair. Elections were held early in 1994 and the National Trainees Committee proper held its first meeting in July 1994. In 1998 it became known as the Trainees Committee. In addition to giving them a voice within the RCOG, the committee organised a series of surveys of trainees, to ascertain their views on training in obstetrics and gynaecology, working patterns, remuneration and the effect of health service reforms.

The External Affairs Committee was set up on April 6th 1933 to deal with external matters not specifically the concern of any one College Committee, such as matters of public and national health, and with public enquiries. It was also known as the External Relations Committee. Its activities were gradually taken over by Finance and Executive Committee during the Second World War, and it is last mentioned as a functioning committee in Council and Finance and Executive Committee minutes in 1943. The last minutes surviving in the minute book (ref: RCOG/T4) date from 16 June 1939.

The Education Board was established in November 1992 on the recommendation of the Futures Working Party of the College. Its remit was 'to act as a forum to disseminate information and to act as required on particular items of educational interest in its widest sense' (Education Board: minutes of preliminary meeting, 20 Nov 1992, ref: B24M/1 p. 1). It took reports from the relevant standing committees and discussed those matters arising from their activities that would not normally have received an airing at Council. These included the Examinations, Higher Training, Hospital Recognition, Subspecialty, Continuing Professional Development, Manpower, and Meetings Committees. In 2000, the RCOG put in place a new board structure in order to free-up Council's time to concentrate on strategic and specialty wide issues. The Education Board became one of three boards (along with Standards and Services) that were given executive and decision-making authority and were able to ratify the decisions of reporting committees and groups. They were responsible directly to Council and met quarterly. The remit of the Education Board became: to facilitate the ongoing development of valid, fair and appropriate College examination processes; to promote and facilitate the development of the continuing professional development programme; to facilitate the initiation and development of the distance learning programme and related education initiatives; and to co-ordinate and facilitate the development of education in its widest sense (Finance and Executive Committee: minutes, 4 May 2000, ref: A3/30/4). At this date it had the following reporting committees: Examinations, Continuing Professional Development, Standing Joint RCOG/RCR, Meetings, CAL [Computer Assisted Learning] Editorial Board. In 2002, in order to forge closer ties between examinations and training, a revised Board structure was established and the reporting of the three training committees (Specialist Training, Subspecialty, Trainees) was diverted from the Standards Board to the Education Board. By 2008, the Education Board's remit was as follows: to co-ordinate postgraduate training, assessment and testing of training and accreditation of place of training; to facilitate the continuing development of valid, fair and appropriate College examination processes; to facilitate the initiation and development of distance learning programmes; to co-ordinate and facilitate the development of specialist education, training and assessment in the widest sense, in accordance with the College curricula.

The House Committee met on only a few occasions during 2003 with the following remit: to advise and make recommendations on all matters relating to the care of College buildings including maintenance, health and safety, environmental health and security; to oversee the maintenance of a register of assets and to review the condition of fixtures and fittings, including paintings, furniture and fabrics; to develop, monitor and evaluate space allocation and the use of the building; and to develop and regularly review the domestic and social functions of the College. It reported to the College's Services Board.

The Services Committee was established when Council decided to disband the Services Board in 2003. The new Services Committee took over a large proportion of what had been the Services Boards' responsibilities, and reported to Finance and Executive. Its remit was dated 24th March 2003; the main objective of the committee was to develop and co-ordinate services for Fellows and Members in the British Isles and Overseas. Its broadest terms of reference were to regularly develop and review a strategic plan, in relation to the provision of services by the Facilities Department, the Information Services Department, the Information Technology Department, the Membership Services Department and the Premises Department. More specifically, the Committee was to frame policies for access to, and storage of, rare books and manuscripts, instruments, personal papers and artefacts of historical interest for the benefit of Fellows, Members and suitably accredited visitors. It was also to keep abreast of, and advise upon, the development of computerised services within the College and to ensure that the services themselves were integrated with national developments. Additionally, it was to develop, monitor and evaluate the use of the RCOG website and to frame polices for the development of membership services. Finally, it was to advise and make recommendations concerning all matters relating to the care of the buildings and assets at 27 Sussex Place and 8 Kent Terrace. The Committee met on a quarterly basis from 2003 to 2005. Its existence was short-lived because in 2005 Council ratified the decision for the Services Committee to revert back to its former title and executive status as the Services Board.

The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the British Empire was first published in 1902. It was owned by the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the British Empire Publishing Company Limited. From 1933 the meetings of the board of directors of the Company took place in the College's premises. In 1950 the ownership of the Journal was acquired by the College and the Company was wound up. The Journal Committee was set up by the College following its acquisition of the Journal in 1950. In 1980 the Committee was reconstituted as a separate Journal Business Committee (renamed the Journal Management Board in 1988) to run the organisational and business aspects of the Journal, and an Editorial Committee to decide editorial policy and function. In 1992 these bodies were renamed the Journal Management Committee and Journal Editorial Board respectively and in 2000 they became BJOG Management Board and BJOG Editorial Board. The Journal has changed its name on several occasions since it was founded. It became The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the British Commonwealth, from 1975 it was published as British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and, in January 2002 BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

The birth of the world's first baby conceived using in vitro fertilisation (IVF), in July 1978, and advances in fertilisation and embryology led to the appointment of a Committee of Inquiry in 1982. Chaired by Baroness Warnock, it was established 'against [a] background of public excitement and concern' about human fertilisation and embryology". The Committee reported in 1984 (the Warnock Report). It recommended the establishment of a new statutory licensing authority to regulate both research and infertility services. In March 1985 the Medical Research Council (MRC) and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) founded the Voluntary Licensing Authority for Human in vitro Fertilisation and Embryology (VLA) as an interim measure to regulate work on human in vitro fertilisation until the introduction of government legislation. The authority was given two functions: to grant licences to those wishing to offer infertility treatment; and to grant licences to researchers wishing to work with human gametes (sperm and eggs) and embryos. Applications for licences, accompanied by specific research proposals, were made to the authority by centres involved in such work. A visit was normally then made to the centre by members of the authority, which then made a decision on whether to grant a licence. The Authority was based at the Medical Research Council premises in Park Crescent, London. In 1987, following a period of consultation, the Government published a White Paper, Human Fertilisation and Embryology: A Framework for Legislation. The legislation which subsequently came into being was the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (the HFE Act).

The first meeting of the Joint Standing Committee of the RCOG and RCM took place on 11 May 1988. The objectives of the Committee were to "consider and make recommendations on matters of common interest to parent bodies". It did not have an executive function and reported to the Councils of the RCM and RCOG; meetings took place at least twice a year.

A first RCOG report in 1994 on minimum standards of care in labour attempted to establish guidelines for staffing, equipment and general facilities on the labour ward. Following acceptance of the increased involvement of the consultant obstetrician in the labour ward, the Joint Working Group of the Royal College of Midwives and the RCOG aimed to produce guidance about the essential minimum midwife and medical staff numbers required to support women in labour. The final report was published in 1999 and acknowledged the value of multidisciplinary involvement, making recommendations to improve organisation, practice and result in safer childbirth.

This joint working party was established to explore key issues affecting students' clinical learning experiences and to identify strategies to address them. Their remit was to:

1. Review the clinical learning environment in maternity services with particular respect to the recruitment of doctors and midwives.
2. Gather national and international research and evidence pertaining to the development and support of a good clinical learning environment.
3. Identify and propagate examples of good practice relating to the clinical learning environment and recruitment.
4. Develop a collaborative strategy for the development of professional support within the clinical learning environment and enhanced recruitment.

The working party comprised a group of professionals with relevant expertise and experiences encompassing the academic, clinical, practical and organisational aspects of learning environments. The group met on five occasions, from January to September 2006.

The RCOG established this working party, representing the Royal Colleges of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Midwives, Anaesthetists, Paediatrics and Child Health as well as other stakeholder organisations, to develop national standards for maternity care. It had the following remit:

1. To review current evidence-based published standards in the area of maternity practice.
   2. To derive from these documents agreed standards for maternity care, from prepregnancy through to the postnatal period.
   3. To complete the work within one year.
      The final report was published in June 2008.

An international liaison committee of professional organisations and national associations of gynaecologists and obstetricians, UPIGO was formed in 1955. Its objectives were:

• to study, represent and defend the ethical, professional and material interests of obstetricians and gynaecologists before all international authorities,
  • to study and to explain the ethical, legal, professional and social problems which occur in these disciplines, according to the particular interest they arouse,
  • to establish relations with any appropriate national or international organisation,
  • to provide exhaustive literature on the profession of gynaecologist-obstetrician to each member or delegation of members, in order to stimulate progress in the policy of each country in the fields of training of practitioners and the safety of women, as well as that of unborn children,
  • to promote the harmonisation of qualifications and conditions of practice for specialists in obstetrics and gynaecology, in order to justify professional migration within the framework of international regulations,
  • to promote products or services which will satisfy ethical considerations as well as the Association's expectations of quality.

In July 1988 the College established a working party 'to review current post-graduate activities of the College and to consider the need, feasibility and the format of assessment of the individual's maintenance of skills'. In 1991 this reported that the majority of consultants were not taking advantage of the existing educational opportunities offered by the College. It recommended that the College develop a programme of mandatory Continuing Medical Education (CME) for all its Fellows and Members in active specialist practice. This began in January 1994. The RCOG was the first of the UK Colleges to establish such a programme and also the first to offer it (from January 2000) to overseas members. The programme catered for consultants and other members of career grade staff not in training posts. The scheme was developed and overseen by the CME Committee, which held its first meeting in July 1992, and reported to the Education Board. It was administered by the Postgraduate Education Department. The first 5-year CME cycle was completed in December 1998. In 1998 CME became part of the wider sphere of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and in 1999 the CME Committee changed its name to the CPD Committee. In January 2002 the CME programme also changed its name to the CPD programme. At this date the programme was expanded to take into account not just the continuing medical education needs of obstetricians and gynaecologists, but also their broader professional development (i.e. non-clinical or non-specialist clinical activities). The Postgraduate Education Department was disbanded in October 2003 at which point the CPD Office was transferred to the Clinical Governance and Standards Department.

This area was traditionally the responsibility of the Director of Corporate Affairs. The College employed freelancers for occasional press work until 2000 when they decided to appoint a permanent Press Officer. In 2006 the College set up a Department for Communications and External Affairs, reporting to the Directorate of Corporate Affairs.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) was founded in 1929 following collaboration between William Blair-Bell, who became the first president, and William Fletcher Shaw, the first honorary secretary. Prior to 1929 England had two distinguished medical Royal colleges, the Royal College of Physicians of London (founded 1518) and the Royal College of Surgeons of England (founded 1800). The three Scottish medical royal colleges had all been founded by the end of the seventeenth century. The RCOG was the first to represent a speciality other than medicine and surgery. It was followed in due course by the establishment of the Royal Colleges of General Practitioners, Radiologists, Pathologists, Psychiatrists, Ophthalmologists, Anaesthetists and Paediatricians.

The College is a professional membership association with charitable status and is concerned with all matters relating to the science and practice of obstetrics and gynaecology. The main purpose is to act as the examination body for doctors wanting to specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology and then as a membership organisation to those who pass the examination. It is a self-funded and independent body. The College operates through a system of committees, serviced by the College departments.

The position of Deputy College Secretary was established in the late 1970s. The Deputy College Secretary is the head of the College's Administration Department and also provides secretarial and administrative support for all the Honorary Officers. The Deputy College Secretary is responsible for: management and supervision of the department, editorial, production and circulation of all major printing requirements for the College, the RCOG website, public relations, the Fellows & Members database and Admission ceremonies, RCOG publications and the Bookshop, travel for College business, international meetings and congresses, representatives on outside bodies, attendance at Committee meetings, special projects given by Officers. The department services the Consumers' Forum, the Ethics Committee, the Services Board, Joint Standing Committees with other Medical Colleges and associations and related sub-committees, and working parties. The Annual Report, Register of Fellows and Members and The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist are compiled within this department, as are proceedings of study groups and reports of working parties. The department is additionally responsible for the issue of press releases, press conferences and all media contacts. The College has an appointed Honorary Public Relations Officer who is a Fellow of the College.

In 1967 a bill to legalise the medical termination of pregnancy in certain circumstances was introduced to parliament by the MP David Steel. The College was closely involved with and monitored the provisions of the bill during its progress through Parliament until its enactment.

The joint working party to consider a proposed Faculty of Family Planning arose out of discussions between the National Association of Family Planning Doctors and the Joint Committee on Contraception of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP)(normally referred to as the Joint Committee on Contraception). The first meeting was held in November 1987. Initially it was expected that a joint RCOG/RCGP Faculty would be established; in 1991, however, the RCGP withdrew and the RCOG finally set up a Faculty of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care (FFPRHC) within the College in 1993. In 1998 the FFPRHC withdrew from the College to its own premises.

In July 1975 it was agreed that a Conference of Royal Colleges and their Faculties of Medicine in the UK should be formed. Sir Rodney Smith was proposed as the first chairman. Membership was to include one representative from each constituent member. It was envisaged that, in addition to the UK Conference, the Scottish Colleges and perhaps those in England and Wales would need to meet separately from time to time. In October 1976 the name was changed to the Conference of Medical Royal Colleges.

An Executive Committee was established as a standing committee of the RCOG in 1926. By June 1930 it had combined with another standing committee, the Finance and Establishment Committee, to form the Finance and Executive Committee (F & E). The office of Honorary Treasurer was created by Council under the 1929 bye-laws of the College (ref: A1/9/1 p. 48), which state that the Honorary Treasurer's duties were to be as follows:- to pay all monies received by him on behalf of the College into a College account; to keep accounts of all monies received and expended and report monthly to the Finance and Executive Committee; to prepare quarterly reports to Council; to maintain an Income and Expenditure account and balance sheet. At an Executive Committee meeting in October 1929 it was decided that the Treasurer be given authority to arrange with the Auditors for one of their clerks to keep the necessary financial books of the College for £50 per annum. The President and Honorary secretary were also authorised to obtain any clerical assistance found necessary (Executive Committee meeting B1, 10 Oct 1929; Archives reference: A3M/1 p. 2). From this beginning the Accounts Department, renamed the Finance Department in 1999, developed. The Department, now headed by a Chief Accountant, offers financial support for the activities of the Honorary Treasurer and is responsible for the following functions:- banking all income which includes subscriptions, examination and course fees and sales from publications; paying all the College's purchase invoices; co-ordinating the budgeting process; preparing the annual statutory accounts.

On 26 April 1973, at a meeting of the RCOG Committee on Contraception and Family Planning, it was decided that the committee should be renamed the Joint Committee on Contraception of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of General Practitioners, normally abbreviated as the Joint Committee on Contraception (JCC). In December 1974 the RCOG agreed to take over the secretarial and accounts work for the JCC. In 1993 the JCC was superseded by the Faculty of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care (FFPRHC); from this time the Faculty began to operate independently of the College. In 1998 the FFPRHC quitted its premises in the College.

This working party was set up at the request of Council to prepare the report listed below. The report, chaired by David Painton FRCOG, set out the current legal position in England, Scotland and Wales regarding termination of pregnancy for fetal abnormality and made recommendations of relevance to obstetricians and gynaecologists who are prepared to carry out termination of pregnancy under these conditions.

The establishment of the Royal Commission on the National Health Service (NHS) was announced by the government in 1975. It was to consider the "best use and management of the financial and manpower resources of the NHS" (see the introduction to the minute book of the working party at M15M/1). The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) working party on evidence to the Royal Commission was set up on 16 June 1976, under the chairmanship of T L T Lewis, by the Finance and Executive Committee in order to submit evidence to the Commission on behalf of the College.

This committee was set up by Council in January 1961 under the chairmanship of H R MacLennan. Its report, Recommendations on the Principles and Organisation of General Practitioner Maternity Units and their relation to specialist Maternity Units, was published in January 1962.

At a meeting of the Finance and Executive Committee of the RCOG in November 1962 proposals were put forward for a survey "to ascertain facts appertaining to the discharge of normal maternity cases from hospital on the seventh day and to compare the findings with a control group discharged on the seventh day". The College hoped that the Ministry of Health would organise the survey, which would require the co-operation of the Central Midwives Board finance, Royal College of Midwives, the Association of Paediatricians and local health authorities. At a meeting of Council in January 1965 (A.249) it was noted the College had collected information concerning `early discharge' from some twenty or thirty hospitals in a pilot scheme. This information had been sent to the Ministry of Health for analysis with a view to launching a full-scale enquiry.

In 1967 the RCOG, in collaboration with the Simon Population Trust, carried out a survey among practising gynaecologists in order to determine their views and experience of the sterilisation of women, and the extent to which this operation was carried out in NHS hospitals. The results of the survey were subsequently written up in a report under the joint authorship of Sir John Peel, PRCOG, and Mr C P Blacker, Chairman of the Simon Population Trust. The report was published in the British Medical Journal in March 1969.

The hospital visiting working party was set up in January 1993 by Council under the chairmanship of the Honorary Secretary, Professor W Dunlop FRCOG. Its terms of reference were as follows: 1) to examine the implications of the rotation of registrars upon recognition of training posts; 2) to advise upon the abolition of the distinction between SHO training posts for DRCOG and MRCOG; 3) to assess the purpose of hospital visiting following the introduction of structured training; 4) to suggest appropriate revision of the current system of hospital visiting; 5) to report to Council via the Finance and executive Committee within three months (see terms of reference of the report, archives ref: M41/1).