The British Medical Association held their 191st Annual General Meeting (AGM) this year in the city of Liverpool from the 3rd to the 5th of July. The AGM is responsible for the appointment of auditors, approval of the annual report and financial statements, and considers any proposed amendments to the articles of the medical association or any matters that the Council wishes to discuss. As part of the AGM, constituent bodies send elected representatives to the Annual Representatives Meeting (ARM), where they debate upon and pass new BMA policies. ARM also conducts various elections, considers reports from council, the board, and committees.
The Israeli Medical Association (IMA) was invited to attend as part of the international delegation. The IMA’s International Relations Officer, Michelle Glekin, represented the Association at the meeting. The meeting began with an awards ceremony, where awards were presented to BMA members and staff for their outstanding and sustained commitment to the work of the association and profession. Professor Martin McKee, the President of the BMA, gave a keynote address and highlighted the important work that the BMA and all its members and staff do.
The next morning, the Annual Representatives Meeting began with Dr. Phil Banfield, BMA Chair of Council, presenting the opening address in which he discussed the problems that the National Health Service (NHS) is facing. “As we look at our health service today, we see hospitals falling apart and ambulances stacked outside emergency departments. We look patients in the eye and apologise when we have not been able to provide the care and treatments we’ve been trained to give. All around us the NHS is collapsing.” Dr. Banfield stated that the situation is not a result of the pandemic, nor due to new economic challenges precipitated by the war in Europe. He suggested that this is something about which British doctors have been warning for more than a decade.
In addition to interesting discussions on issues such as doctors' pay and contracts, professional regulation and medical ethics and human rights, participants were also able to attend scientific sessions on various issues. On day one, IMA’s International Relations Officer, Michelle Glekin, attended the session on “Delving into our DNA-genomics and the revolution transforming healthcare in the NHS” which was led by Professor Dame Sue Hill DBE, the Chief Scientific Officer for England. On day two, she attended the session on "Social Justice and Health Equity: What we need governments to do", which was led by Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director, UCL Institute of Health Equity and past president of the World Medical Association.
The BMA also hosted an International Guests Reception where the international delegates were able to meet. What became apparent from discussions with the other participants was that many countries are facing the same issues of workforce burnout, poor working conditions and poor remuneration. At this meeting, guests were able to meet with the incoming President of the BMA, Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, an honorary consultant physician at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. Prof Sir Gilmore trained in Cambridge, London, and in the USA. He currently chairs the UK Alcohol Health Alliance and the Department of Health Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group and is a Trustee of the Foundation for Liver Research. He is also the President of the Medical Council on Alcohol. In addition to this, he is a Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside. We look forward to working more closely with Prof Sir Gilmore over the next year in the international arena.
On the final evening, guests enjoyed a celebratory dinner which was held in the beautiful building of St George’s Hall. The Hall is one of the finest examples of a neoclassical building and stands majestically over the city skyline. The guests enjoyed a delicious meal where they were able to meet with BMA leadership, colleagues from around the world and doctors from across the United Kingdom.