Dr Mumtaz Patel has been elected the 123rd President of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), winning by a clear margin of 682 votes from her peers. The election, held between 17 March and 14 April 2025, saw a 36.3% turnout. This has been the highest since 2002
The newly elected RCP President Dr Mumtaz Patel vows to modernise UK Healthcare System. Dr Mumtaz Patel has been elected the 123rd President of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), winning by a clear margin of 682 votes from her peers.
Dr Patel brings over two decades of experience within the RCP. She has served as Senior Censor, Vice President for Education and Training, and more recently as Global Vice President. Beyond her leadership roles, she is also a consultant nephrologist based in Manchester and an NHS England postgraduate associate dean for the Northwest. A seasoned PACES examiner, her work has spanned education, leadership, and international collaboration.
“As president, I will lead the RCP to be the best organisation it can be, supporting our members throughout every career stage to deliver the best possible healthcare for our patients,” said Dr Patel. I will bring passion, commitment, vision, a values-driven approach and more than 20 years of RCP experience to the role.”
Dr Patel’s track record speaks for itself and clearly makes her out to be the perfect candidate for the role. When serving as Global Vice President (2020–2023), Dr Patel launched a structured international strategy that increased RCP’s global membership from 18% to 24%, while tripling the number of female international advisers.
She also expanded the RCP’s success beyond UK boarders and led the RCP Iraq Network, a key initiative that connects UK-based and diaspora physicians to strengthen global medical partnerships.
Her contribution goes far beyond ceremonial roles. Dr Patel has opened up a series of global pathways, empowered women and early-career doctors, consistently delivering high-impact leadership initiatives in medical education and training.
Her election has been warmly received by many within the RCP.
Dr Diana Walford CBE, Chair of the RCP Board of Trustees, said she was confident in Dr Patel’s ability to rebuild trust, modernise the College, and steer it through a transformative chapter. The Resident Doctor Committee also welcomed her, expressing hope that she would help improve working conditions and opportunities for the next generation of doctors.
A recent RCP statement responded to new NHS England data showing that the national waiting list stood at 7.4 million people in February 2025. Only 59% of patients were treated within 18 weeks, which was far from the government’s 92% target set for 2029. Crucially, most patients aren’t waiting for surgery, but simply for outpatient appointments — often just to receive a diagnosis or treatment plan.
This persistent strain on the NHS has led RCP representatives to push for a shift in direction: Early intervention, integrated care, and a model built around patients’ needs rather than institutional limitations.
Dr Patel has championed this sentiment in her recent interview for the RCP membership magazine, Commentary. She outlined a three-phase plan — ENGAGE, DEVELOP, IMPLEMENT — that will serve as the foundation of her presidency to bridge the gap between the overworked NHS and the people it serves. Here strategy includes the following:
• ENGAGE: Dr Patel has pledged to consult widely with RCP members across regions, specialities, and career stages to ensure their voices shape the College’s new strategy.
• DEVELOP: These insights will inform the next phase, where she will focus on modernising medical education, strengthening workforce support, and reforming governance.
• IMPLEMENT: Finally, Dr Patel will work closely with NHS England, the GMC, and other national bodies to turn these priorities into policy and action.
Her approach aims to create real structural change that strengthens the healthcare system and enables earlier, more effective patient care. If successful, this will bolster the NHS workforce pipeline and help ease the mounting pressure on waiting times whilst also streamlining NHS operations thoroughly.
The RCP is a historic and highly respected professional body that has shaped medicine and healthcare standards in the UK for over 500 years. Founded in 1518, it remains the oldest medical college in England. The organisation oversees the accreditation of doctors, certifies their readiness to practise, and administers key exams such as the MRCP (UK) and PACES all critical for physicians’ progression.
