The British Medical Association (BMA) General Practitioners Committee for England (GPCE) is voting on a motion of ‘no confidence’ against their first female elected GPCE Chair, Dr Farah Jameel, on Thursday 20th July 2023 (GPC England to hold no-confidence vote in chair this week - Pulse Today). Soon after Dr Jameel was elected in November 2021, she faced sexism including conduct and culture that had impacted her health and wellbeing and forced her to raise concerns (GP leader had to take sick leave following reports of sexist comments and culture within BMA - Pulse Today). However, weeks before the birth of her child, the BMA placed her allegedly under temporary suspension (BMA GPC England chair under temporary suspension - Pulse Today), following complaints from members of staff who no longer work at the BMA. The processes employed are seemingly antiquated and opaque since Dr Jameel has been on maternity leave since December 2022 and has remained under this alleged suspension since November 2022.(https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/breaking-news/revealed-leaked-email-from-gpc-chair-casts-doubt-on-bma-attempts-to-address-sexism/

 

Whilst Dr Jameel has faced allegations, there appears to be lack of transparency about the reasons for her suspension by the BMA. The organisation does not appear to have shown any care or compassion for Dr Jameel, a mother of two, who is an international medical graduate from a marginalised global majority group. The fact that the complaint and suspension occurred shortly before she started her maternity leave in November 2022 appears to show no consideration for her wellbeing both during and after her pregnancy. We can only imagine the psychological stress and trauma she must be experiencing. The BMA as a union is supposed to protect her. In addition, it is alleged that at the BMA Annual General Meeting on 4th July 2023, she was escorted in and out of the conference hall with a three-person escort consisting of the Director of Human Resources, a BMA staff member and a security guard. Dr Jameel attended the conference with her baby in a pram. Such a heavy-handed approach can only have been designed to intimidate her with one reason in mind, that is to apply pressure on her to resign.

 

The BMA was independently reviewed in 2019 by Daphne Romney QC who recommended the organisation address gender bias and wider harassment after women doctors raised concerns about sexism and sexual harassment by elected BMA members. The Romney report (bma-daphne-romney-qc-report-oct-19.pdf) described the BMA as ‘toxic’ with an ‘old boys’ club culture’ which treats women ‘as of less importance and ability’. The report made 31 recommendations which were accepted by the BMA as part of its journey to become an institution free from discrimination, fairer, progressive and representative of its staff and member diversity. The experience of Dr Jameel, the first female GPCE Chair in the committee’s 100-year history, demonstrates that nothing has changed.

 

A report by Ijeoma Omambala QC into the BMA’s GPCE found evidence of bullying and marginalisation of women and people from the global majority (Draft Report (gpdf.org.uk))

 

Note that this is the same union that suspended one of only three Black doctors on the 69-member BMA Council and released a statement to the press without making the reason clear. This BMA council member is also currently under suspension and investigation for reasons that lack transparency (BMA council member is suspended while complaint is investigated | The BMJ 

 

We have NO confidence in the BMA and how it treats people from the global majority. We need a leadership that can address issues of discrimination such as sexism, racism and anti-Blackness as described above. There is an apparent message that members of the global majority are not welcome and do not belong in the BMA. 

 

We the undersigned are opposed to the motion of ‘no confidence’ in Dr Farah Jameel as we believe that she has been unfairly treated on the basis of a number of protected characteristics and ask that the motion is withdrawn - #IAmFarahJameel

*The links to all references can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lmFXxZ9ToTk7F4WOG0p6jSFebR2nlARd/view?usp=drivesdk

 

Mushtag Kahin

Evelyn (Evie) Mensah