British Medical Association

Our investigation for The Doctor magazine this month highlights the abhorrent conditions faced by refugees in the camps off the islands of Greece, and the struggles of the doctors trying to ease their suffering.
Read our interactive feature to learn more: https://www.bma.org.uk/features/aplaceofr efuge/

How much banter goes on between your specialty, and others? The Secret Doctor has blogged on healthy and not-so-healthy approaches to inter-specialty rivalry.

It's vital for patient safety that our members and NHS colleagues are informed about which drugs are being stockpiled and which might be affected by a no-deal Brexit. The BBC's Newsnight has reported on our transparency concerns.

Are you a health professional planning a humanitarian project? Apply for funding to make a sustainable difference to health in low-income countries. https://www.bma.org.uk/…/in…/global-h ealth/humanitarian-fund

Our chair Chaand Nagpaul has confirmed an immediate, independent investigation into allegations of sexism and sexual harassment made by several female BMA GPs committee members.
Read the full story here, and if you are a member with concerns you would like to raise with us, you can contact us at complaints@bma.org.uk
https://www.bma.org.uk/…/external-inves tigation-into-harass…

The day that no patients showed up... The Secret Doctor blogs on how NHS cuts in one area can have dire consequences in another.

'For the sake of the NHS let us, the people, have the final say'. Our chair Chaand Nagpaul addressed the #PeoplesVoteMarch today to outline why we believe that #Brexit is bad for patients, bad for health and bad for the #NHS #PutIttoThePeople

Many NHS doctors feel their lives are on a cliff edge caused by Brexit. We've spoken to some of those who are considering leaving the UK, or have already left. http://fal.cn/iOHx

As uncertainty around #Brexit continues, how is it affecting the thousands of doctors in the UK who qualified in other countries?
The Doctor magazine spoke to some of them to find out: https://www.bma.org.uk/news/2019/march/li fe-on-the-edge
We believe that Brexit in any form is bad for patients, bad for health and bad for the NHS. Tomorrow we will be marching in London for a final say.
... If you'd like to join us, meet at the corner of Park Lane and Curzon Street at 11.30am. More information here https://www.peoples-vote.uk/march
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Do you ever feel your greatest successes in medicine go completely unnoticed by patients? It's not always such a bad thing, as The Secret Doctor blogs.

"You don't look like a medical student". After facing discrimination, Alexandra was inspired to change perceptions and celebrate the diversity of NHS staff with her Faces of the NHS project. Give her page a like, and watch her story:

We believe Brexit is bad for health, bad for patients and bad for the NHS. Are you joining us on Saturday for the People's Vote march?

We have written to the UK governments informing them of our intention to support our members in suing them for discrimination against doctors, by forcing many of them to join a pension scheme which will cause them huge financial loss. You can read the letters here: https://www.bma.org.uk/…/bma-challenges -legality-of-nhs-pen…
This follows challenges brought recently by judges and firefighters over the legality of their own pension schemes. While all the schemes are clearly dif...ferent, we believe that the underlying legal principles are the same and that the outcome of these challenges would be highly influential in this instance
When the 2015 NHS Pension Scheme was introduced, our members raised significant concerns over a number of changes which made it significantly less generous than the preceding scheme - ultimately taking industrial action. While older doctors have been protected from these changes doctors more than 13.5 years from normal pension age on April 1 2012, or who joined the scheme after April 1 2015 enjoy no such protection…
Read the full comment from interim Tresurer Trevor Pickersgill here: https://www.bma.org.uk/…/bma-to-help-do ctors-sue-government…
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Today it's International Women's Day, a great opportunity to celebrate the hard work of members like Eleanor. This week her campaign for better provision of sanitary products has brought about important changes for women in England and Wales.

“You cannot expect doctors to develop if you do not invest in them.” Soon we’ll be negotiating to reintroduce the associate specialist (AS) grade, which many of our members feel would better allow them to lead and innovate. Find out why: https://www.bma.org.uk/news/2019/february /as-you-like-it

“Before I went to medical school, ‘poorly’ sounded almost cosy, suited to the kind of ailment that might be dealt with by means of a hot water bottle and a nice glass of warm milk.” Which words do you find have a different meaning in medicine? The Secret Doctor blogs.

It's clear our members are working in a dangerously understaffed health service. We want to hear your experiences so we can make the case for change. Answer our short survey today: http://fal.cn/ixfm

How are people with learning disabilities treated by your local NHS? We've interviewed Gateshead GP Dominic Slowie, who has campaigned for improvements for decades, on his work and the improvements that still need to be made. https://www.bma.org.uk/news/2019/february /an-nhs-for-all