BMA Chairman tackles key challenges facing the profession Interview on BMAtv – a new service for doctors - 17 Apr 08

• Extract from : http://tinyurl.com/59smdj

Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of BMA Council, addresses some of the vital questions facing the medical profession in a new online video clip launched today (Thursday, 17th April 2008) on the BMA`s new YouTube channel, BMAtv.   In the nine-minute interview Dr Meldrum also reviews his first year in office as BMA Chairman and takes a look forward to the important challenges that lie ahead in the next 12 months.

The topics covered include:

• The recent pay award for doctors
• The BMA`s support for GPs competing with private providers for contracts
• The BMA’s call for consultant expansion
• The DDRB’s failure to respond to the removal of funding for Foundation Year One accommodation
• This year’s junior doctor recruitment process
• The implementation of the SAS contract.

The interview can be viewed on BMAtv at the following link:  http://uk.youtube.com/user/BMAtv

Speaking about his interview, Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of BMA Council, said:

• “The profession is facing an array of problems that, in many cases, strike at the heart of patient care and doctors’ working lives.”
• “NHS services are being buffeted by yet more Government reforms, many of which are aimed at increasing the involvement of the private sector in both hospital care and general practice. Doctors are not against change but many of the present policies appear ill-thought out or even contradictory and have left many doctors feeling angry, demoralised or under strain.”
• “The removal of funding for Foundation Year One accommodation1, the hugely disappointing DDRB announcement, the on-going problems with junior doctor recruitment, the continued attacks on general practice, – are just some of the avoidable obstacles to a more efficient NHS and a better working environment for doctors and which could be helped by initiatives such as addressing the need for consultant expansion2.”
• “Government ministers must recognise that they need to improve their dialogue with the profession and patients, so that together we can produce a health service that we can all be proud of.”

BMAtv is a new venture from the BMA that is being launched formally today. The channel aims to keep members, non-members and the public up to date with the latest news from the BMA and is part of a drive by the Association to enhance its online presence.

Talking about BMAtv, Dr Meldrum said:

• “The internet is a medium that doctors and members of the public across all age groups are increasingly using as a primary source of information. The BMA recognises the vital need to increase its online presence so that our message is easily accessible, responsive and tailored to how members wish to receive their news.”
• “BMAtv is another new way for the BMA to improve engagement with our members and I’m sure it will develop into a key resource for many doctors. I hope members will feed back their views so that we can continue to try to improve our two-way dialogue with them.”

The BMA is also launching today a new online video clip with Dr Andrew Dearden, Chairman of the BMA’s Pension Committee, that contains information for doctors on the new NHS pension schemes.

View Dr Dearden’s clip at:   http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=VsaUds4QbLE

Dr Meldrum’s interview is also available on the BMA`s webcast channel:  http://www.bma.public-i.tv/site/player/index.php?a=14584

---

Notes:
1. In August 2007 the Government amended the Medical Act (1983) to remove the requirement for Foundation Year One doctors to be given accommodation on site at their hospitals.

• Foundation Year One is the first year of post-graduation employment that a newly qualified junior doctor undertakes after their graduation.
• The BMA estimates that medical students will be £4,800 worse off as a result of this change.
• View a video clip of Ian Noble, Chairman of the BMA’s Medical Student Committee, talking about this topic on BMAtv: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ujYNBCe-HxQ

2. View a video clip of Dr Jonathan Fielden, Chairman of the BMA’s Consultant Committee, talking about consultant expansion and other consultant issues on BMAtv: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_UWlPv_zZ_A

Back to news index