RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre: 50 years’ surveillance of influenza, infections, and respiratory conditions

The Royal College of General Practitioners’ (RCGP) programme of influenza and respiratory disease surveillance has been supported by the Department of Health (DH) since 1967. The RCGP ‘Weekly Returns Service (WRS)’ has published a weekly report since, making it the longest established primary care sentinel network in Europe (http://www.rcgp.org.uk/clinical-and-research/our-programmes/research-and-surveillance-centre.aspx [web page includes sign-up instructions]). In 1953, the College established a Records and Statistical Unit in Birmingham and the Epidemiological Observation Unit in Surrey. The WRS was formed through integration of these units into one. There has been continuity of leadership: from Donald Crombie (1953–1989) and Douglas Fleming (1989–2013).1 In 2013 Simon de Lusignan became Director and the network name changed to the RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC). The RCGP RSC has grown in terms of size, scope, integration of microbiological testing, and data-linkage. Its outputs and impact come from its leading international role in surveillance and research, including the early identification of pandemics and the contribution to the development of what are now standard methods of assessment of vaccine effectiveness. We describe its evolution and its plans for the future. Between 1967 and 1993 the registered population within the RCGP RSC grew to 200 000 and it comprised 40 practices. …