Archives of Disease in Childhood: moving to default online access - FAQs

Introduction

We intend that this change will have benefits for members, the environment and for paediatric research as well. The revised arrangement with BMJ (British Medical Journal) allows us to provide online access to members at a lower cost than previously. We are using this saving to extend access to more members and reduce the cost for our existing subscribers - and if we achieve further reduction in cost, this will be used to fund our climate change activities and other projects.

For more about the changes, please read this blog by Dr Liz Marder, RCPCH Treasurer and Chair of the Climate Change Working Group.

What does this mean for my current membership?

I’m an Ordinary Member or Fellow

If you are happy to access the journal online only, your annual fee will reduce by £10-£20 in 2022.

If you’d prefer to receive print copies, an additional fee of £35 per year will apply, so in total your fee will increase by around £20 in 2022 - email membership@rcpch.ac.uk, citing your membership number.

I’m a Junior, Affiliate, Associate member, Senior Member, Senior Fellow, Honorary Fellow who currently pays an additional £100 per year to subscribe to ADC

If you are happy to access the journal online only, your annual fee will reduce by around £100 in 2022.

If you’d like to continue to receive print copies of ADC, your annual fee will reduce by around £65 in 2022 - email membership@rcpch.ac.uk, citing your membership number.

I’m a Junior, Affiliate, Associate member, Senior Member, Senior Fellow, Honorary Fellow who does not currently subscribe to ADC

Your annual fee will not change (aside from the across the board 1% inflationary increase), but you will have online access to ADC from 1 January 2022 onwards.

If you’d like to subscribe to receive print copies of ADC, your annual fee will increase by around £35 in 2022 - email membership@rcpch.ac.uk, citing your membership number.

I'm a Medical student or Foundation doctor member

Your membership will continue to be free of charge, but you will have online access to ADC from 1 January 2022 onwards.

If you’d like to subscribe to receive print copies of ADC, you can do so for an annual fee of £35 in 2022 - email membership@rcpch.ac.uk, citing your membership number.

What does this mean if I have a membership concession related to ADC?

I live with another member of the College so currently receive a reduction of £65 p/a for opting out of the journal

This concession is ending as of 1 January 2022. The concession was intended to avoid duplication for members who co-habit. The online journal content is accessed via an individual login, so it is important for personal security that each individual has their own login.

As a result, your subscription fee will increase by around £45 in 2022.

I work primarily in another specialty so currently receive a reduction of £65 p/a for opting out of the journal

This concession is ending as of 1 January 2022. The concession was intended to offer a reduction if paediatrics is no longer your primary specialty. However, this is no longer relevant now that online access is included for all members of the College.

As a result, your subscription fee will increase by around £45 in 2022.

I have membership of another UK medical royal college so currently recieve a 25% concession

This concession is still available from 1 January 2022.  If this applies to you but you are not yet benefitting, please submit a concession request. 

How can I access the journal online or get email notifications?

I don't know how to access the online journal

You'll need to log in to your RCPCH online account. You can either log in first and then go to the ADC website. Or, go to the ADC website and then log in. You can also read our more detailed instructions.

If you have any difficulties with navigating the BMJ website, please get in touch with their support team at support@bmj.com.

If you are finding it difficult to login using your RCPCH credentials, please get in touch with us by phone to 020 7092 6000 or email to membership@rcpch.ac.uk.

I want an email notification when the latest edition of the journal is published

You can sign up to email alerts via the BMJ website.

I want to see the latest articles

The Journals page on this website shows the latest articles from ADC, so you can tap or click to read the full article on the ADC website.

I prefer to read print copies of the journal - how can I do that?

I want to sign up for print copies of the journal

Yes, of course – we understand that some of you prefer to read print copies. There is an additional fee of £35 per year on top of your subscription fee.

Our online form to request print copies as of 1 January 2022 (and to ensure we update your subscription balance) is now closed. But you can still request print copies of later editions of ADC - just email us on membership@rcpch.ac.uk, including your membership number, and we'll get in touch with you to confirm details. We’ll charge you on a pro-rata basis.

If I change my mind, can I add or remove print copies at a later stage?

Yes, of course – you can add or remove print copies at any time. We’ll simply charge or refund you on a pro-rata basis.

The easiest way to make a change is to email us on membership@rcpch.ac.uk - including your RCPCH membership number.

I enjoy the journal supplements, Fetal and Neonatal and Education and Practice - can I access those online?

Yes the supplements are fully available online and you can sign up to email alerts as well.

Is it possible to subscribe to print copies of Fetal and Neonatal and/or Education and Practice only?

Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to distribute print copies of one or both supplements without also distributing print copies of ADC as well.

Will this affect my Milestones subscription?

All members will still continue to receive Milestones magazine four times a year.

You can now opt in to receive email alerts of Milestones rather than the printed copies. Just email us on membership@rcpch.ac.uk and include your RCPCH number.

What’s the environmental impact of making this change?

The change to the way members receive Archives of Disease in Childhood is the first of many changes we will be making to reduce our carbon footprint as an organisation.

We’ve already estimated that, on average, it currently takes over 55,000 mature trees per year to absorb the carbon produced in making ADC for all 14,000 paper subscribers. That’s roughly four trees per subscriber.