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| Doctors fury at government policy | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Doctors feel under attack from the government, the leader of the British Medical Association says. | Doctors feel under attack from the government, the leader of the British Medical Association says. |
| Dr Sam Everington, BMA acting chairman, said the government had lost the support of many NHS staff, who now felt they were just financial commodities. | Dr Sam Everington, BMA acting chairman, said the government had lost the support of many NHS staff, who now felt they were just financial commodities. |
| Speaking at the start of the BMA annual conference in Torquay, he urged incoming prime minister Gordon Brown to listen to the profession. | Speaking at the start of the BMA annual conference in Torquay, he urged incoming prime minister Gordon Brown to listen to the profession. |
| It comes ahead of a series of critical motions at the four-day meeting. | It comes ahead of a series of critical motions at the four-day meeting. |
| One of the first motions says the government has showed a "contemptuous disregard" for the views of doctors. | One of the first motions says the government has showed a "contemptuous disregard" for the views of doctors. |
| Vocation, dedication and lifetime commitment to patients and the NHS has little value in this new world - we are just financial commodities Dr Sam EveringtonBMA acting chairman | Vocation, dedication and lifetime commitment to patients and the NHS has little value in this new world - we are just financial commodities Dr Sam EveringtonBMA acting chairman |
| This has resulted in reforms which are "not fit for purpose" and damaging care. | This has resulted in reforms which are "not fit for purpose" and damaging care. |
| Other motions set to be debated include criticism of the government's use of the private sector and closure of A&E units to save money. | Other motions set to be debated include criticism of the government's use of the private sector and closure of A&E units to save money. |
| Doctors will also debate a call for the NHS to be removed from direct political control by setting up an independent board to run the health service. | Doctors will also debate a call for the NHS to be removed from direct political control by setting up an independent board to run the health service. |
| A survey of the public by the BMA, released on Sunday, found four in 10 did not think the NHS had improved under Labour. | A survey of the public by the BMA, released on Sunday, found four in 10 did not think the NHS had improved under Labour. |
| Quitting medicine | Quitting medicine |
| Dr Everington said many junior doctors were leaving the profession over the botched introduction of new training and job application system. | Dr Everington said many junior doctors were leaving the profession over the botched introduction of new training and job application system. |
| He said GPs had been given no pay rise for the second year running despite providing excellent services. | He said GPs had been given no pay rise for the second year running despite providing excellent services. |
| And he added consultants were facing "real threats of redundancies due to ill-thought-through plans for hospital reconfiguration". | And he added consultants were facing "real threats of redundancies due to ill-thought-through plans for hospital reconfiguration". |
| Dr Everington said: "Doctors feel under attack, the government wants to turn everything into something that has just a monetary value. | Dr Everington said: "Doctors feel under attack, the government wants to turn everything into something that has just a monetary value. |
| "Vocation, dedication and lifetime commitment to patients and the NHS has little value in this new world - we are just financial commodities." | "Vocation, dedication and lifetime commitment to patients and the NHS has little value in this new world - we are just financial commodities." |
| And in a personal message to Mr Brown, he said: "Listen to us not because we are doctors but because we have given a lifetime of service to patients in the NHS - we are their champions." | And in a personal message to Mr Brown, he said: "Listen to us not because we are doctors but because we have given a lifetime of service to patients in the NHS - we are their champions." |
| Delegates at the conference passed a vote of no confidence in England's chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson, and called for his immediate resignation. | |
| Jo Hilbourne, chairman of the BMA's junior doctors committee, said he had done a "grave disservice" to junior doctors by being distant over the issue. | |
| Doctors will also raise concerns about public health issues such as obesity. | Doctors will also raise concerns about public health issues such as obesity. |
| Obesity | Obesity |
| A motion has been put forward calling for obesity in the under-12s to be considered parental neglect. | A motion has been put forward calling for obesity in the under-12s to be considered parental neglect. |
| Concern will also be raised about the rising number of alcohol-related deaths, with a proposal for the legal age for buying alcohol in shops to be raised to 21, although pubs could still serve those aged 18 and over. | Concern will also be raised about the rising number of alcohol-related deaths, with a proposal for the legal age for buying alcohol in shops to be raised to 21, although pubs could still serve those aged 18 and over. |
| Doctors will also debate whether to call for a ban on the drinking of alcohol in streets. | Doctors will also debate whether to call for a ban on the drinking of alcohol in streets. |
| Abortion laws will also come under the microscope with a proposal put forward to allow terminations in the first trimester on an "informed consent" basis, scrapping the rule that requires two doctors to agree on the procedure. | Abortion laws will also come under the microscope with a proposal put forward to allow terminations in the first trimester on an "informed consent" basis, scrapping the rule that requires two doctors to agree on the procedure. |
| Health minister Andy Burnham defended the government's record, and said exciting changes were taking place in the way primary care, in particular, was delivered to patients. | Health minister Andy Burnham defended the government's record, and said exciting changes were taking place in the way primary care, in particular, was delivered to patients. |
| He said the government would push ahead with reforms to offer patients the services they want, a time that was best for them. | He said the government would push ahead with reforms to offer patients the services they want, a time that was best for them. |