Dr John Garner: Fab four days with BMA, but its money can't buy you lunch

Published on Monday 6 July 2009 19:00

LAST week saw the annual jamboree of the British Medical Association (BMA), which this year was in Liverpool.

In homage to the city's illustrious past, several of us stayed in a Beatles' memorabilia hotel. However, like the other 500 representatives, we had to be particularly careful this year to watch our expenses claims.

While MPs have allegedly been milking the expenses system, and some members of the House the Lords sign in and then immediately leave after collecting their daily allowance, the BMA has been innovative in laying down very tight criteria as to what can and cannot be claimed. For instance, it extols the virtue of using budget airlines and booking months in advance; there is no lunch, and a limited allowance for dinner. Hotel costs are capped, and it is clear no exceptions will be allowed.

Being even more rigorous this year, the BMA piloted a scan-in badge, to work out how long each individual actually spent at the conference or whether they were swanning off shopping in the sunshine or watching Wimbledon in their hotel room.

And quite right, too. Doctors throughout the UK pay several hundred pounds a year for the BMA to act as their professional organisation, and the privileged few who get the opportunity to give up our annual leave and sit in a hall in Costa Merseyside have to exercise due probity with our colleagues' money.

So what was decided at Liverpool? Well, much of the first day was taken up with the woes of the English health service. We heard about the lack of clinical leadership, the systemic failures and the risks of commercialisation. We also noted that our English colleagues were envious of the Scottish Government's commitment to phase out prescription charges.

Then there were debates about positive action to get the message across to the public about the dangers of the current Westminster policy on health – would we take industrial action? No. Would we leaflet households across the country? We'll think about it. Would we organise a protest march? Too expensive.

The next day offered a brief moment of fame for Scotland. Dr Peter Terry, the leader of the BMA in Scotland, spoke eloquently about the issues affecting us north of the Border. Top of our current agenda is to follow up the BMA's success in lobbying for smoking in public places to be banned by making effective changes to legislation to reduce alcohol misuse.

Later that day, the problems with proposals to withdraw health care from failed asylum seekers was contrasted with the growth of health tourism, where patients come from abroad hoping to take advantage of our free health service.

Then came the big ethics debates of the week.

First up, we debated whether health staff should offer to pray for their patients. The answer, as I saw it, was that doctors needed to be aware of their patients' spiritual needs, but it is better to refer these to a spiritual expert, such as a chaplain or imam.

This was followed by a lively debate as to whether television advertising for abortion services should be permitted, with strong arguments being put forward on both sides. However, given the high teenage pregnancy rates in this country, delegates decided, in a close vote, not to urge a ban.

Finally, a regular issue that divides the medical profession – assisted dying. The motion attempted to decriminalise family and friends who accompany people abroad who wish assisted death. However, again by a close vote, this was defeated, demonstrating the BMA's continuing opposition to this choice.

Of course, as well as these meaty issues, there were more than 600 other proposals on the agenda, which may explain why a motion by the chairman of the council of the BMA to reduce the four-day event to three days was defeated.

The BMA, like most large organisations, has suffered as a consequence of the economic downturn and one way to reduce costs would be to streamline the annual event and save money. However, the representatives thought otherwise and voted to stay with the four days.

We'll all just have to be extra careful with our expenses next year – maybe camping and carry-outs will be the order of the day.

&#149 Dr John Garner is a member of the BMA's Scottish council and a practising GP.