The @covidinquiryuk Module 7 concluded today.

Hearings focused on testing, tracing, and isolation strategies in the UK and the devolved nations from January 2020 to June 2022.

This week, we learnt 🧵 Local authorities did not have adequate resources for large-scale public initiatives – such as contact tracing – and were left out of early scaling plans for Test and Trace, which was a major failure. [1/9]

Today is the start of LGBTQ+ History Month. #LGBTplusHM25

Far too many LGBTQ+ doctors and medical students still face discrimination. As your trade union, we are here to support you. THREAD We're clear that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity has no place in medicine.

Read more about our campaigns for equality in medicine: bma.org.uk/advice-and-sup…

And for the inclusive care of trans and non-binary patients: bma.org.uk/advice-and-sup…

The NHS in England faces huge challenges.

Today we submitted data to the Darzi Review on the key areas of concern.

Here's a thread of some of the starkest graphs and figures 🧵👇 Underinvestment and staffing shortages mean patients find it increasingly difficult to access health services.

In general practice, erosion of funding prevents recruitment of GPs and investment in practices.

Core funding is down 6.6% since 2018/19.

The BMA will undertake an evaluation of the Cass Review on gender identity services for children and young people.
🧵1/4
bma.org.uk/bma-media-cent… BMA Council recently voted to ‘publicly critique the Cass Review’, after doctors and academics voiced concern about weaknesses in the methodologies used in the Review and problems arising from the implementation of some of the recommendations. 🧵2/4

We are aware of press speculation about our internal policy making process and the Cass review - please see our response below🧵1/4 The BMA continues to give extensive consideration to the methodology, findings and recommendations of the Cass review in line with the Association’s articles requiring us to ‘promote the achievement of high quality health care’. 2/4

We're hearing reports of NHS Trusts asking Physician Associates (PAs) to cover shifts of striking doctors next week.

PAs are not safe to provide cover for a qualified doctor of any grade.🧵1/5 All medical duties arising from the strikes can only be safely covered by medically qualified staff; our consultant and SAS doctor colleagues, who we thank for their continued support. 2/5

Statement on Dr Sarah Benn from @ERunswickBMA :

"We are very concerned that implementation of the current fitness to practise framework could potentially restrict Dr Benn’s ability to continue to be registered as a doctor, for taking part in peaceful protest..." (1/5) "...relating to the climate change emergency. There is no possible public or patient interest served by holding a tribunal hearing where potential sanctions can include the removal of a doctor’s licence to practise in these circumstances." (2/5)

It’s disappointing to see selective use of BMA member podcast content by a number of media outlets, with comments taken out of context and reporting totally misrepresenting the consultant committee’s position. We are not asking for a 50% uplift for consultants in England. (1/4) Consultants have been persistently devalued by the Govt, with their take-home pay being cut by 35% in real-terms over the last 15 years, and the supposedly ‘independent’ pay review body being repeatedly hamstrung by ministers who have interfered with the process at every stage.

Watch @_VivekTrivedi stand up to @SteveBarclay about #payrestoration for junior doctors on Sunday with @bbclaurak "A five percent pay uplift this year would still amount to a massive real-terms pay cut...an offer which does not reverse that trajectory would not be fair or reasonable."

This morning’s @NickTriggle piece for the BBC contains a number of misleading claims about the BMA’s upcoming industrial action.

First and foremost, we are not “demanding the biggest pay rise”—we’re demanding that our members’ pay be restored to what it should be. “Firstly, no junior doctor has seen pay cut by 26%”

This deliberately conflates pay progression - increases to reflect increased skill and experience level—and cost of living increases—which is what pay awards are meant for.

We welcome the proposal in today’s @IPPR report that recommends expanding the definition of residence so everyone living in the UK would be eligible for free NHS care regardless of their immigration status

https://twitter.com/IPPR/status/1463075962313220100?s=20

The report proposes simple, workable reforms to migrant healthcare policy that would improve access to NHS services.

Implementation would be an important step towards our long-standing call for the abolition of charging regulations so the NHS is free to all at point of delivery

While we would agree that doctors should honour their commitments to already-agreed locum shifts within the limits of contractual notice periods, doctors are not required to cover long-term or known rota gaps… 1/4

https://twitter.com/MHA_92_/status/1427338878080409602?s=20

Doctors already work a complex and demanding role, and are entitled to decide that an employer’s offered locum rate is not worth their additional time and effort and to seek to negotiate on it 2/4

Our new report on medical staffing in England is out today. Nobody working in the NHS will be surprised to hear there are severe medical shortages in England. But the figures in our report show just how serious the situation is. THREAD bma.org.uk/staffing We need more doctors. There are currently 2.8 doctors per 1,000 people in England, while the average in comparable OECD EU countries is 3.7. Not a single region in England meets this ratio.

We believe that the decision by the Government on easing all lockdown restrictions in England on June 21st - expected to be announced on Monday - must now be delayed.

See the evidence and what we are calling for 👇 [THREAD] We are urging a delay of at least two weeks to the decision about easing of the lockdown restrictions.

We also want regular fortnightly reviews thereafter, which are guided by the data

.@Jacob_Rees_Mogg insult about Dr David Nicholl is disgraceful. @djnicholl has courage and experience to speak the truth about the disaster of a no-deal Brexit. He should be praised not attacked

https://twitter.com/peterwalker99/status/1169580905939296256

@Jacob_Rees_Mogg @djnicholl We spoke to @djnicholl yesterday on why he's speaking up about the concerns many of our members share about no-deal and the risks to the NHS, its hard-working staff, and patients bma.org.uk/news/2019/sept…

Today’s chaos will do little to reassure patients and staff about the enormous risks posed to the NHS by #Brexit. We believe leaving the EU will have a hugely damaging impact on our health service. This uncertainty has not been addressed by Parliament and risks being pushed further down the agenda by today’s events.