Abstract
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has a growing and diverse global membership of 3048 members (Box 1) based across 86 countries outside the UK. This represents approximately 6% of the total membership of the RCGP. In March 2017, it launched a new International and Overseas Network (ION) to link its global members with 'knowledge, support and inspiration' in their professional practice,1 and to improve its professional global connections. Networks can be described as 'complex adaptive systems' with multiple non-linear interactions between members of the system.2–3 Network structures vary along a continuum. At one end is a network defined as a diffuse decentralised structure comprising individuals (sometimes called communities of practice) or informal alliances of organisations. At the other end is a hierarchical network organisation with a centralised hub and spoke structure and clear governance systems comprising either organisations or individuals. 3–5 Box 1. ### Definitions of international and overseas member of the RCGP | International member (IM) | A GP who has passed an RCGP international membership exam at any one of nine accredited exam sites and has chosen to apply for membership. They are classified as international members and use the post-nominals MRCGP[INT]. | || | Overseas member (OM) | A GP who has passed the RCGP membership exam in the UK and has chosen to apply for membership, which they retain after leaving the UK to work in another country. They are classified as overseas members and can use the post nominals MRCGP. | When the RCGP was founded in 1952, it began as an informal network but was developed into the formal institutionalised network that is now the largest medical royal college in the UK. This history helps in understanding the development of the ION, the profession, and similar associations in the countries where the RCGP's global members are working. All professional networks function at two levels: formal and informal. The formal network is built around the membership body itself with systems, processes, and structures to adhere to, whereas the informal networks are clustered around smaller, closely linked groups of individual professionals. Millar and Choi6 argue that formal networks are essential to transfer explicit knowledge but …
Highlights
The RCGP is an established large, hierarchical, and governance-driven global professional membership body and, in March 2017, it invited its global members to set up a new ION
The RCGP is a global membership organisation that exists to improve the standards of care for patients
This increases its voice and influence internationally, enabling it to continue to maintain and develop the highest standards of general medical practice globally
Summary
Applications were considered by two reviewers, who selected those who demonstrated the greatest evidence of networking experience and the potential to actively build networks in their region. Successes in the first 6 months Applying Bennett’s 10 principles for network success. Bennett’s 10 principles were crucial in establishing this new network and were discussed with the FMs at the launch event in March 2017. All 10 principles contributed to varying extents to the way the FMs interacted on the launch day, how they developed the action plan, and how they interact as they implement this plan in the first 6 months of the network’s life. The distributed leadership model has worked well (principle 3) and was quickly implemented, with six of the FMs volunteering to lead on aspects of the action plan. Shared values and norms of behaviour 7. ‘Quick wins’: the value of shared successes and individual benefits 10.
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