Phil Banfield on the British Medical Association's plan to support doctors
Mar 5, 2025
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Phil Banfield, Chair of the British Medical Association's council and an obstetrician in North Wales, shares insights on the BMA's advocacy efforts. He discusses pressing issues like pay restoration and the need for more training posts for resident doctors. The conversation highlights the BMA's evolving strategy to empower local members, tackle NHS challenges, and navigate the complexities of medical negotiations. Additionally, they touch on the role of physician associates and the importance of modernizing industrial action to better represent medical professionals.
The BMA is actively addressing chronic underfunding and workforce planning issues to enhance doctors' working conditions and patient care standards.
A focus on improving diversity and inclusion within the BMA aims to better represent its members and serve their concerns effectively.
Deep dives
Empowering Doctors and Addressing Mediocrity in Healthcare
The podcast highlights the ongoing struggle within the NHS to empower doctors and combat the mediocrity that has seeped into healthcare delivery. Many physicians feel that the system does not allow them to practice at the standards they were trained for, leading to a culture of acceptance around compromised patient care. Chronic underfunding has exacerbated these issues, resulting in poor performance expectations and a rise in waiting lists before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The discussion emphasizes the need for a collective stand from doctors to advocate for better conditions and reestablish high standards of patient care.
BMA's Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
There is a strong focus on the BMA's efforts to improve diversity and inclusion within its ranks, which is seen as essential for strengthening representation across various committees. The chair discusses the significant strides made in incorporating more voices from ethnic minorities and women, while acknowledging that further progress is still required. This initiative stems from the recognition that increasing representation can lead to a more inclusive environment that better serves the needs of all members. By addressing these disparities, the BMA aims to create an organization that truly reflects its membership and their concerns.
Advocating for Comprehensive Workforce Planning
A major concern addressed in the podcast revolves around the lack of effective workforce planning in the NHS, which results in a mismatch between available training positions and workforce needs. The conversation points to a surplus of applicants for specialty training compared to the insufficient number of positions available, particularly in high-demand areas like anesthesia. This disconnect creates frustration among resident doctors and contributes to a feeling of being undervalued within the system. Moving forward, the BMA emphasizes the necessity of an integrated approach to workforce planning that includes input from frontline doctors to ensure that future healthcare demands are met.
From pay restoration, to making sure there are enough training posts for resident doctors, the BMA has been busy.
In this podcast, Kamran Abbasi, the editor in chief of The BMJ, spoke to Phil Banfield, chair of the BMA’s council.
They talk about the ongoing pay discussions, how the BMA is working with the new government - touching on both speciality training places, and the role of physician assistants.
The conversation also covers the BMA's changing strategy, which aims to empower local members to take on the fights they care about, and how the organisation is linking both their trade union and professional activities.
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