The BMA - what use are they?
I have just received a very insulting response from Brian Butler, Director of Communications at the BMA to my request for comment regarding the email from the RCOG and the issue of IMGs.
I have been told that they will not deal with my current and future media-related requests as I am not a “bona-fide” journalist in their “terms”.
This from a person who does not see the irony in self-aggrandising comment. Put your money where your mouth is Mr Butler.
BRIAN BUTLER, Director of communications, British Medical Association
Opinion masquerading as fact really annoys me and we see more of that now. You find yourself hunting for the fact, but getting to the bottom of the story without discovering it. In terms of TV journalism, I get very annoyed with journalists interviewing other journalists, for want of finding another source. It’s an American thing and we seem to have imported it. You get journalists reviewing the papers, which is cheap and easy but also bizarre. If a businessman was commenting they might give some insight.
This pre-historic attitude is part of the reason why I have given up my membership in the organisation, seeing that they do nothing for the profession, provide no support to members & can’t even respond to a simple request for comment. This was after I had identified myself fully including the fact that I was a doctor who wrote about medical issues, explained the circumstances and waited all day for a response. I had to call back just before 5 p.m. to find out that my requests would be ignored.
I have received far better responses from pretty much every other organisation including even the RCOG.
The implication therefore which has not been refuted is that the BMA have no problem with the original statement from Professor Templeton and also that they are happy to let Mr Butler decide BMA policy.
For an organisation that has an unhappy history with reference to discrimination & indeed has had to pay out large sums of money as damages to members whom they had served poorly, it is not a strange attitude to take and exemplifies why better representation is needed. They have become fat & complacent with too much of a stake in the status quo.
If this is not the case, they would be better advised to improve their communications team as it is currently “not fit for purpose“. It would in fact make an ideal case study for how not to run a PR division. I am happy to provide consultancy in this regard. I have given them enough suggestions on IT matters over the years though they have not made much use of them, abdicating the discussion forum part of the website to DoctorsNet & losing leadership in medical jobs postings to the NHS jobs website. Listening between 1999 & 2002 might have made a difference.
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A website has been set up to collect signatures for an Extraordinary General Meeting of the BMA to hold a vote of No Confidence in both the chair of the BMA, Mr James Johnson, and the chair of the JDC, Dr Jo Hilborne.
1400 signatures are needed from BMA members.
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March 30th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
I voted ‘No’ and waited for the results to come out, and surprise surprise - 81% share my opinion. Just as I thought.
I mean, the BMA serves some of its purpose - the BMJ and sBMJ are still widely read in the UK and throughout the Commonwealth - but it’s failing miserably in its role as advocate. This is what happens when doctors try their hand at politics - the ones with the huge egos float to the top, get into the BMA, then try and kiss both their members’ and the government’s arses at the same time. In the end they get support from neither.
BTW, you run a great blog here - Crippen’s been raving about you for weeks. I’ve added you to my blogroll. Hope you don’t mind the heading I’ve given you
April 20th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
Disagree with The Angry Medic in that have thought for years that if science professionals want “control” over their futures they need to be involved in the politics. Has long been an issue with R&D funding for science research. I don’t know about the BMA but surely there are other avenues for involvement - well we know this with the evolution of BLOGS. But at some stage politically skilled medics have to be in the midst of the decision making process?? Idon’t know where the NHS system can accommodate this. Maybe that’s a target for change.
April 27th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
Dr Richard Taylor, ex-hospital consultant & Independent MP for Wyre Forest criticises the “leaders” of the profession in the Guardian.
Medical leaders should take a stand
June 17th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
where have you gone?
am missing the analytic excellence of front point
June 24th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
Butler worked for a big government department previously and his friends ay the BMA employed him for a fat-cat salary. It is now obvious that BMA’s image and credibility had sreadily deteriorated since Butler was employed. He seems to be a serious liability, and at times appears to be generating work for his own fat-cat survival. With membership dwindling,surely BMA must review the need to have fat-cats like Butler and consider making him redundant with a few others. BMA website is hardly used by its members, though Butler is making a big fuss about it to strengthen his own position. What an organisation the BMA has turned out to be.
October 25th, 2007 at 9:52 am
[...] Or maybe not as recounted by Private Eye in their Medicineballs column. Brian Butler has been mentioned here before and he is joined by colleagues in the IT & legal [...]