I'm very, very pleased indeed for Professor Steve Field, but he deserves a knighthood as chair of our royal college, as the hospital doctors always seem to get (‘RCGP chair handed CBE in New Year honours list').
Why is it that for the ‘standard' honour GPs get MBEs, professors CBEs and consultants OBEs? I wonder this especially as the sort of activity required to be awarded an honour is often associated with a salaried job.
GPs, by contrast, not only give up time and income and pension, but probably subsidise their work from their own pocket for the privilege.
As doctors, and GPs in particular, we are very bad at recognising the contributions over and above the call of duty made by our colleagues.
From Dr Peter Holden, GPC negotiator
