1

Part 1 – Procedural and formal

matters
10.0 RETURN OF REPRESENTATIVES
0

1 Motion by THE CHAIRMAN That the late return of

representatives to the Junior Doctors Conference 2009
(Guide for representatives - JDC(C)2, 2009) be received.

LATE RETURN OF REPRESENTATIVES

2 Motion by THE CHAIRMAN That the late return of

representatives (JDC(C)2A, 2009 - document) be received,
taken as read, and entered in the minutes.

APOLOGIES

3 Motion by THE CHAIRMAN That apologies for absence from

members of conference be received, taken as read, and
entered in the minutes.

JUNIOR DOCTORS CONFERENCE, APRIL 2008:

MINUTES

4 Motion by THE CHAIRMAN That the minutes of the Junior

Doctors Conference (JDC(C)10, 2009 - document) be
confirmed.

STANDING ORDERS

5 Motion by THE CHAIRMAN That the standing orders of

conference (JDC(C)3, 2009 - guide) be adopted for the 2009
Junior Doctors Conference.

DISTURBANCES DURING CONFERENCE

6 Motion by THE CHAIRMAN That this conference directs that

all attendees who disturb the proceedings of the conference
shall be invited to pay a voluntary fine to a charity
nominated by the conference. Such disturbances may, at
the discretion of the chairman, include but not be limited to:
i. mobile telephones or paging devices (even if switched to
a 'silent' mode)
ii. audible alarms from other electronic equipment
iii. excessive/inappropriate use or abuse of standing orders
iv. late return from lunch
This policy shall stand for the duration of each conference
only and be subject to annual re-adoption (policy first made
in 2001)
 2

REPORT OF THE CONFERENCE AGENDA COMMITTEE

Membership

7 Receive: THE CHAIRMAN membership of the Conference

Agenda Committee for 2008-09
Dr Eleanor Draeger (Chairman)
Dr Ahmed Sewehli (Deputy Chairman)
Dr Andrew Thornley (Chairman of JDC)
Dr Tom Dolphin (Vice Chairman of JDC)
Dr Andrew Heeps
Dr Andrew Kelso
Dr Gordon Lehany
Dr Debs White

8 The members of the Conference Agenda Committee have

met as recommended and have, in the light of the motions
received, drawn up and agenda which has been arranged in
sections to cover important topics.
Grouping of motions and amendments

9 The committee has arranged in groups certain motions and

amendments which cover substantially the same ground
and has selected in each group one motion or amendment
(marked with an asterisk) on which it proposes that
discussions should take place (standing order 18(c)(i)).

Motions and amendments prefixed 'A' are either non-

controversial or already policy of the Junior Doctors
Conference, and therefore will be voted on without debate
(standing order 18(c)(i)).

Priority motions for JDC action

1 Near the end of the conference, a list of motions carried

0 will be available with a form allowing members of
conference to choose the five areas/motions which they
think should be given priority for action by the JDC during
the 2009-10 session.

Lapsing and retention of policy

1 Motion by THE CHAIRMAN That, in accordance with

1 standing order 10, policy made or re-adopted at the 2004
conference be allowed to lapse or be retained as set out in
(JDC(C)11, 2009 - guide).

NOTE: WOULD ANY MEMBERS OF THE CONFERENCE

WISHING TO RETAIN POLICY WHICH IT HAS BEEN
SUGGESTED SHOULD LAPSE SHOULD NOTIFY THE
 3

SECRETARIAT BY FRIDAY 1 MAY 2009.

'A' motions

1 Motion by THE CHAIRMAN That all 'A' motions in the

2 conference agenda be carried.

Order of business

1 The committee RECOMMENDS:

3 i. That the business be taken in the order and at the time
indicated below:
Registration and coffee 09.00
Teach-in 09.30
(This session explains the process of debate – there
is no need to book, this is an opportunity to
familiarise yourself with the terms and process that
will be used throughout the day.)

Morning session
Procedural and formal matters 10.00
Grass roots event motion 10.10

Junior Doctors Taking the Lead?

Presentations
-Dr Shreelatta Datta, Chairman, Terms and 10.15
Conditions of Service and Negotiating Sub-
Committee 10.30
-Panel discussion – question and answer session.

Medical Education and Training 11.00

European Working Time Directive 11.30
International Medical Graduates 12.05
World Issues 12.10
BLT 12.35
LUNCH 12.45
Three motions from the grass roots event 13.45
Doctors and Dentists Review Body 14.00
Medical Profession 14.05
Employment 14.10
The British Medical Association 14.20
Open debate on a topic to be chosen by grass roots 14.30
attendees
Report of the Junior Doctors Committee 15.00
-speech from the Chairman of JDC
-questions to the Chairman, Vice Chairman and
Deputy Chairmen of JDC
COFFEE 15.25
Elections of members of the Conference Agenda 15.40
Committee 2008-09
 4

Supplementary agenda 15.45

Feedback from the morning and afternoon open 15.50
debate sessions
The National Health Service 15.55
Morale and Motivation 16.10
General Practice 16.30
Chosen Motions 16.35
Results of the elections to the Conference Agenda 16.45
Committee
LSD 16.50
Summary of the Day 16.55
CLOSE 17.00

ii. That a ballot (form JDC(C)9, 2009 – nominations pack) be

held before 12.25 to determine which motions from any
part of the agenda shall be debated.

iii. That, in the event of any section being completed before

the allotted time, other items be considered and taken in
order.

14 Motion by the Chairman That the report of the Conference

Agenda Committee (Items 7-15) be approved.

Elections

15 Elect: Conference Chairman, Deputy Chairman, Agenda

Committee and conference representatives to ARM.

NOTE: Nomination forms should be handed in at the

following times:
11.15 Nomination of the Chairman of the Conference
(JDC(C)5, 2009 - nominations pack)
11.25 Nomination of the Deputy Chairman of the
Conference (JDC(C)6, 2009 - nominations pack)
14.00 Nomination of four members of the Conference
Agenda Committee (JDC(C)7, 2009 - nominations pack)
14.00 Nomination of 28 Junior Doctors Conference
representatives to the BMA Annual Representatives Meeting
(JDC(C)14, 2009 - nominations pack).
 5

Part II – Motions and debate

10.1 GRASS ROOTS EVENT MOTION

0

Please see supplementary agenda (JDC(C)1A, 2009)

tabled on the day.

10.1 DOCTORS TAKING THE LEAD?

5

Presentations

Dr Shreelata Datta, Chairman, JDC Terms & Conditions of

Service and Negotiating Sub-Committee

10.3 Panel discussion - question and answer session

0

11.0 MEDICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING

0

1 Motion by NORTH WESTERN RJDC That this conference

strongly opposes the introduction of "modular
credentialing" as it believes this is more likely to result in
the movement of doctors in training into non-training
grades. We call upon the JDC to counter any move to
introduce this.

2 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

i. Recognises the concerns of surgical trainees and others
that diminishing hours of work during training programmes
has led to a reduction in the confidence of trainees to care
for their patients independently by the time of CCT
ii. Condemns the proliferation of post-CCT fellowship posts
designed to address these concerns by providing extra
consolidatory training outside the structures and
protections of approved training programmes
iii. Believes that at the point of CCT, doctors should be
fully trained to the standards set out in the curriculum for
that programme and should be both competent and
confident in the delivery of specialist care to patients.
iv. Calls on the Royal Colleges to acquire firm evidence
about changes in competence and confidence at the point
of CCT, and thereafter consider whether the current
indicative length of training programmes is correct.

3 Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference believes

that the contracts between Postgraduate Deaneries and
employers for the training of junior doctors should include
 6

targets for training, based upon demonstrable evidence

and include financial sanctions if these are targets not
met. These targets should be informed by the relevant
College. These targets should be phased in, implemented
with junior doctor input and this scheme reviewed
regularly by a review group with JDC input and should
cover all 4 administrations.

4 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference wishes to

express its disgust at the extortionate cost of Royal
College membership and examination fees and feels it not
only exacerbates existing junior doctor debt, but acts as
another deterrent to potential applicants for medical
schools. It therefore:
i. Calls on the BMA JDC to work with the CCSC to lobby the
Royal
colleges for a reduction in college fees;
ii. Calls on the Royal Colleges to remove the charge for the
online
portfolios which are a mandatory requirement in many
specialties for
achieving ARCP assessments;
iii. Calls on the BMJ Learning Group to create specific
entrance examination revision courses as a membership
benefit for members, at a highly discounted price;
iv. Calls on the BMA to publicly condemn the Royal
Colleges for the extortionate fees they charge for
examinations;

5 Motion by TRENT RJDC 1. That this conference notes

current JDC policy calling for a national unified application
portal for all training jobs and believes that the best way to
recruit junior doctors into training posts is through a
national recruitment system and thus calls for the Junior
Doctors Committee to:
i. push for this method of recruitment for all specialities
ii. push for a recruitment system that would co-ordinate
recruitment to different specialties
iii. maintain, as always, that any recruitment system
applied should be evidence based and have been piloted
before full implementation
OR
1b. This conference believes that all job offers and
interview dates should occur within a 3 week period during
which time any applicant is allowed to “hold” an offer for a
post until the outcomes of other post applications are
known and calls for Education and Training subcommittee
of the Junior Doctors Committee to make this a priority.
 7

6 Motion by NORTH WESTERN RJDC That this conference is

concerned that more experienced, pre-MMC juniors are
being asked to prove competencies for simple skills using
only workplace-based assessments, with little flexibility to
use other methods such as letters signed by supervisors.
We call upon PMETB to issue guidance to doctors in
training, ARCP panels and any other relevant stakeholders
on the acceptability of other methods of proving
competence other than workplace-based assessment
forms.

7 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference is

concerned that increasing financial pressure on English
Foundation Trusts leads to “efficiency savings” affecting
soft targets such as training budgets. We call on:
i. SHAs to demand robust accounts and cost-effectiveness
analyses of all training funding from Local Education
Providers
ii. PMETB to analyse any differences in training quality
between Foundation and non-foundation Trusts.

8 Motion by SOUTH WESTERN RJDC That this conference

believes that the NHS Employers desire for the creation of
a specialist post CCT non-consultant grade:
i. Is the end result of poor medical workforce planning by
NHS Employers
ii. Should not be welcomed as a return to the pre-Calman
Senior Registrar posts, as these would not be recognised
post-graduate training posts
iii. Should be met by a robust rebuttal by a cross branch of
practice working group, as doctors in these posts would
fall outside the current remits of the Junior Doctors’,
Consultants’, and Staff and Associate Specialists’
Committees.”

9 Motion by WESSEX RJDC That this conference believes

that advertisement of jobs for junior doctors needs to be
centralised, easily accessible and that jobs need to be
advertised for an adequate length of time such that no
single doctor is unfairly disadvantaged by the
advertisement process.

10 Motion by WESSEX RJDC That this conference believes

that job allocation in the transition to foundation year 2
from foundation year 1 needs to be an open and
transparent process within each deanery that does not
disadvantage certain groups of doctors.

11 Motion by WESSEX RJDC That this conference believes

that selection for the academic foundation programme
 8

needs to be a nationalised process rather than deanery led

to ensure fairness and that the academic foundation
programme should seek to appoint and nurture those that
are interested in academic medicine, not simply appoint
individuals with an already existing background in
academia.

12 Motion by EASTERN RJDC This conference notes that a

number of individuals wish to take time out between FY2
and specialist training, yet are concerned about the
perceived prejudice resulting from ‘failure to progress’ in
training and calls on the JDC to work with deaneries to
ensure interview panels have the appropriate attitude
towards candidates who have not come directly from
foundation posts.

13 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

i. Notes with concern the reduction or withdrawal of
ophthalmology services out-of-hours in many hospitals
ii. Believes that this over-centralisation of emergency
ophthalmology services is putting patients’ sight and lives
at risk
iii. Believes further that this over-centralisation of
ophthalmology services is diminishing the capacity for
training in ophthalmology
iv. Calls on the BMA to investigate these concerns in
conjunction with the Royal College of Ophthalmologists

14 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

believes that there is a strong body of evidence about
safety through working patterns, in terms of fatigue and
medical errors
i. believes that the pattern of working can have as great an
effect on fatigue as the actual number of hours worked
ii. notes that doctors have on occasion come to harm
through road accidents caused by fatigue due to working
patterns
iii. demands that all employers of doctors demonstrate
that their rotas and patterns of working are based on this
evidence, to be as safe as they can be for the doctors and
their patients
iv. calls on the Regional Action Teams or those handling
their responsibilities to verify that this is the case and
publish this information

15 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

believes that trainees should have autonomy in
determining the most appropriate experience and study to
make them competitive in applying for and progressing in
their future careers. As such we call on Deaneries, Medical
 9

Royal Colleges and PMETB to agree that:

i. Foundation trainees should have the opportunity to
study for and take post-graduate examinations
ii. Examinations should not become part of the personal
specification for training application post-foundation
programme.

A 16 Motion by NORTH WESTERN RJDC That this conference

deplores the position that doctors in training are put in
during recruitment rounds when they are offered job
interviews which clash. We call upon the JDC to lobby
deaneries to ensure maximum flexibility in offering
applicants a choice of interview slots to maximise the
chance of juniors being able to attend all their interviews.

17 Motion by NORTH WESTERN RJDC That this conference

supports the opportunity for FY2 doctors to have “taster
weeks” in other specialties to inform their choices about
future career pathways. However we call upon JDC to
consult with the relevant bodies to support similar
opportunities for FY1 doctors, to ensure that these “taster
weeks” can be taken before applications to specialty
training are made during the FY2 year.

A 18 Motion by NORTH WESTERN RJDC That this conference

recognises that some junior doctors may not progress at
the same rate as their colleagues. We call upon the
relevant bodies to offer as standard supervised
placements designed to address these difficulties.

19 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference wishes to

express its concern at the nationwide recruitment crisis
that is engulfing hospitals and affecting junior doctor rotas.
It therefore calls on BMJ
Careers to:
i. create an advice service to help trusts address
recruitment issues;
ii. reduce the cost of advertising in BMJ careers;
iii. work closely with NHS jobs to provide an integrated
service that includes search options that allow candidates
to identify doctor specific jobs available within local areas
iv. create a free online service for trusts to advertise posts;
v. provide a “free 2 week” trial period for employers to
advertise posts where there is a 25% gap in staff numbers
on any one rota;
vi. carry out a survey of members on the reasons why they
prefer to move abroad to work.

20 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference feels that the

current “all Wales” application system is proving
 10

detrimental to the recruitment of junior doctors in Wales.

It therefore proposes:
i. That BMA Cymru Wales lobbies the Wales Deanery to
allow applications to specific regions of Wales;
ii. That BMA Cymru Wales continues to produce
recruitment DVDs highlighting the benefits of working in
these specific regions;
iii. That BMA Cymru Wales continues to lobby the Welsh
Assembly Government to ensure that junior doctors'
accommodation in hospitals in all parts of Wales is
maintained to a suitable standard and remains free for all
F1 doctors working in Wales.

21 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference is concerned

that the current format of the ePortfolio system is failing as
a tool to support the learning and development needs of
junior doctors. The ePortfolio is in places impractical,
complex to navigate and the recording/linking of entries is
both time-consuming and repetitive. It therefore calls on
the JRCPTB to undertake an urgent review into the
methods used to validate the present design as a workable
entity.

22 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference is concerned

that the success of any ePortfolio system may be limited
by a lack of understanding of its role in the development of
junior doctors. It therefore:
i. Reiterates the importance of the need for adequate and
continued
training of both educational supervisors and junior doctors
in the use of the ePortfolio to ensure it is used to its full
potential;
ii. Proposes that JRCPTB create a working group, with both
junior doctor and consultant representation, to ensure that
individuals using the system on a day-to-day basis are able
to do so effectively and efficiently.

23 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference is concerned

that struggling trainees identified by work-based
assessments in a given post may be ‘lost’ due to the
transitory nature of 4 monthly
rotations. It therefore demands that any concerns raised
from an individual’s previous
rotations are followed up in subsequent posts to ensure
that improvements are made.

24 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference wishes to

express its aversion to the increasing charges being placed
on trainees for training, including that of the ePortfolio
systems. It therefore:
 11

i. Criticises the hefty subscription fees charged by JRCPTB

to junior
doctors for their own training, in order to gain access to
the
ePortfolio and complete the ARCP;
ii. Recommends that payments of fees be suspended until
the system is more vigorously validated.

25 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference believes that

junior doctors are not made sufficiently aware of the
full cost and financial implications of training fees prior to
accepting training posts. It
therefore calls for:
i. clarity from foundation level of costs of training;
ii. a return to the charging of enrolment fees to only those
doctors at ST3 and above as was the situation during
decoupled training;
iii. PMETB and the Royal Colleges to recognise the costs
involved in being a junior doctor and the implication of
adding another cost when reduction in banding has led to
a salary reduction.

26 Motion by SOUTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

believes
i. Junior doctors are having to make career choices at an
earlier stage in comparison to their predecessors
ii. Many Foundation Year One and Two trainees are sitting
membership exams and attending courses in their
speciality of interest to explore that area further
iii. Career choices should be informed and not rushed
and therefore mandates the JDC to
a) campaign that every foundation year one and year two
trainee is offered and encouraged to take up taster days in
specialities outside their rotations
b) campaign for every foundation year one and two trainee
to be offered the opportunity to take up study leave should
they wish to do so
c) Campaign for every foundation year one and two
trainee to be offered career interviews to help them make
the right choices

27 Motion by SOUTH WESTERN RJDC That this conference

believes that inter-deanery transfer rules during
foundation are too restrictive and that applications for
'other' reasons for transfer should be possible and
considered on an individual basis.

28 Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference believes

that the contracts between Postgraduate Deaneries and
employers for the training of junior doctors should include
 12

targets for training, based upon demonstrable evidence

and include financial sanctions if these are targets not
met. These targets should be informed by the relevant
College. These targets should be phased in, implemented
with junior doctor input and this scheme reviewed
regularly by a review group with JDC input and should
cover all 4 administrations.

A 29 Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference does not

believe that a ranked national exam should be used for the
purpose of longlisting of candidates for selection to posts
for postgraduate medical training

30 Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference supports

the selection centre method for selection to posts for
postgraduate training, however;
i. these should be free of charge,
ii. should occur in working time,
iii. all trainees should be allowed attend and that this
should be counted as 'working time'
iv. and that before further specialities use this technique it
should be piloted and externally-reviewed.

31 Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference feels that

“workforce planning” in the NHS for junior doctors cannot
succeed without accurately knowing how many junior
doctors (trainee and non-training) are employed or
working in the NHS and that collection of such data by
employers should specifically include the number of
locums and of rota gaps in these rotas and that these data
should be reported to the SHA (or equivalent), who should
in turn report this to the relevant authority for workforce
planning (for example NHS MEE, NES), the Colleges, the
BMA and publish this on their website.

32 Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference wishes to

see mandatory skills-based study days, funded in their
entirety by the Deaneries for trainees in procedural
specialities and that Postgraduate Deans should receive a
significant uplift to support this.

33 Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference believes

that the existing assessment and supervision requirements
of trainees (i.e. ARCP) should be sufficient for Relicensing
requirements and that this process should be free to the
trainee. Parallel systems for non-training junior doctors
should be funded and organised by their employer.

34 Motion by SCOTTISH JDC That this conference believes:

i. that it is unfair to expect trainee doctors to fund courses
 13

which are listed as ‘desirable’ on the person specifications

for specialty training programmes, in order to demonstrate
their commitment to a specialty, given the significant
costs involved;
ii. that ‘desirable’ courses should not be included on the
ST/CT1 application form and instead a candidate's
commitment to specialty should be assessed through
research, audit, personal statements and interview;
iii. that any courses that are mandatory for progression in
a particular specialty should be fully funded as part of a
trainee's study leave.

35 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

recognises the importance of the PMETB survey as one
tool in assessing quality of training, and that
improvements have been made. However we note with
concern that completion of the optional survey is now
compulsory which may be an infringement of personal
freedoms; that trainees have reported concerns that their
responses may not be anonymous; and that this may
affect the survey’s validity. We thus ask that JDC work with
PMETB to:
i. make explicit in the survey introduction just how the
survey is anonymised, how trainees are protected and how
concerns are processed by PMETB
ii. find ways of encouraging participation as opposed to
making the survey compulsory
iii. if it is to remain compulsory, allow respondents not to
answer particular questions
iv. if there is enough concern expressed, allow trainees to
request a site visit safely and anonymously on the survey
form
v. allow trainees who so choose an alternative route to
raise concerns via a link on the survey to an appropriate
page on the BMA website.

36 Motion by NORTHERN IRELAND JDC That this conference

is appalled with the current quantity of empty training
posts in the UK and calls on the Health Departments to
immediately recruit more junior doctors both at home and
overseas to alleviate the current crisis.

MEDICAL STUDENTS AND UNDERGRADUATE

TRAINING

37 Motion by SOUTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

i. Notes with concern the recent news reports that there
may be moves to lift the cap off top up fees for
undergraduate education
ii. Believes that the introduction of top up fees has been
 14

detrimental to diversity in medical applicants

iii. Believes that lifting the cap off top up fees will be
particularly detriment to courses with long duration such
as medicine
iv. Mandates the BMA to campaign against lifting the cap
off top up fees.

38 Motion by NORTH WESTERN RJDC That this conference

believes that time management is a vital skill for all
doctors. We call upon the Medical Students Committee to
lobby for the introduction of this as a core part of the
undergraduate medical curriculum.

A 39 Motion by NORTH WESTERN RJDC That this conference

recognises the role of qualified doctors in helping medical
students gain the competencies they need to progress in
their careers. We call upon our employers to recognise
that this is a key part of the non-clinical duties that doctors
undertake and to ensure that this is adequately resourced.

40 Motion by NORTH WESTERN RJDC That this conference

calls for Final Year Medical Students to undergo pre-
employment assessment prior to commencing their
Foundation Training. If this process raises concerns then
further structured monitoring and training should be
offered to doctors prior to commencement of Foundation
Training.

11.3 EUROPEAN WORKING TIME DIRECTIVE

0

41 Motion by SOUTH THAMES RJDC That this conference is

deeply concerned about the impact on training in General
Surgery, Orthopaedics, ENT, Plastics, Neurosurgery,
Vascular surgery, Cardiothoracic, Paediatric surgery and
Urology in moving to a 48 hour week to comply with the
EWTD.
There have been numerous statements from trainee
organisations including the JDC, ASiT and BOTA to optimise
training and discussions at a national level to prepare for
August 2009. Despite this, it appears at Trust level, the
emphasis has been on maintaining service to the
detriment of training. This conference is concerned and
agrees that: -
a. The current provision of service and training in the 9
surgical specialties mentioned above will not allow optimal
training to be achieved in a 48 hour week
b. The changes required to optimise training will not be
implemented at Trust level by the August 2009 deadline.
We therefore call upon JDC and other relevant BMA
 15

committees to:
i. Work with ASiT, BOTA and other surgical trainee
organisations to urgently develop achievable solutions to
protect training in the aforementioned specialties.
ii. Work with all relevant stakeholders to enable trainees, in
the 9 surgical specialties mentioned above, to voluntarily
opt out of the current 48hour per week limit to the
maximum number of hours permissible by law for the
benefit of their training.
iii. To protect those trainees that do not voluntarily want to
work more than 48 hours per week from coercion, bullying
or harassment by individuals or organisations.
iv. To work with all relevant organisations to ensure that,
despite changes to further limit the maximum number of
hours worked per week, the current standard of a CCT in
the 9 surgical specialties mentioned above is maintained.

42 Motion by NORTHERN IRELAND JDC That this conference

i. believes that effective training can be delivered inside a
48 hour working week for most specialties, however, due
to current workforce numbers, believes that there is a
potential for patients and doctors to be put at risk.
ii. calls on the Health Departments, the Royal Colleges,
PMETB, JDC and other interested parties to strive to
restructure junior doctor training within the principles of
EWTD in an appropriate time span.
iii. calls on the Royal Colleges, PMETB and others to agree
on an appropriate length of training for those specialties
where it is not felt effective training can be delivered
inside the 48 hour limit.
iv. supports derogation from the 48 hour limit where it is
felt that patient or doctor safety is at risk, on condition
that employers provide adequate indemnity for trainees,
New Deal rest requirements are adhered to, and
appropriate remuneration is paid.

* 43 Motion by CONFERENCE AGENDA COMMITTEE That this

Conference:
i. notes that many hospitals’ plans for the challenge of
EWTD compliance rest heavily on recruitment of more
doctors to staff paper-compliant rotas
ii. believes that many hospitals which are compliant on
paper will not
be compliant in reality due to gaps on rotas, as well as
rotas not reflecting the real hours doctors work
iii. believes that rota gaps are resulting in foundation
doctors
spending excessive time unsupervised on the wards and in
junior doctors being unable to attend compulsory teaching
 16

sessions
iv. believes that junior doctors should not be complicit with
employers in producing false compliance data by
submitting incorrect hours monitoring information
v. insists that solutions to EWTD compliance should not
rely on creating posts that are not approved for training
vi. calls upon employers and/or the four Departments of
Health and/or the Postgraduate Deaneries to collect
information on rota gaps and actual versus reported EWTD
compliance.

44 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference:

i. notes that many hospitals’ plans for the challenge of
EWTD compliance rest heavily on recruitment of more
doctors to staff paper-compliant rotas.
ii. believes that many hospitals which are compliant on
paper will not be compliant in reality due to gaps on rotas,
as well as rotas not reflecting the real hours doctors work
iii. insists that solutions to EWTD compliance should not
rely on creating posts that are not approved for training
iv. believes that junior doctors should not be complicit with
employers in producing false compliance data by
submitting incorrect hours monitoring information
v. calls upon employers and/or the four Departments of
Health to collect information on rota gaps and actual
versus reported EWTD compliance.

45 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference wishes to

show its dismay that rota gaps are creating a dangerous
working environment for doctors where training posts are
serving as service provision posts. It also wishes to note
the following:
i. Rota gaps are resulting in foundation doctors spending
excessive time unsupervised on the wards;
ii. On-call commitments are resulting in junior doctors
being unable to attend compulsory teaching sessions;
iii. Doctors are being forced into covering additional on-call
shifts to ensure that teams are not left empty during on-
call takes
It therefore calls on the postgraduate deaneries to carry
out a nationwide audit to identify the prevalence of rota
gaps, and to assess the percentage of training being
provided to trainees.

46 Motion by TRENT RJDC That this conference believes that

the RCS suggestion of a 65hr working week for surgical
trainees is not an achievable aim given current European
law. We urge the RCS and ASIT to provide solutions that
are achievable within current European law.
 17

47 Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference

i. believes that the EWTD limits on hours of work and
requirements for rest represent important protection for all
workers
ii. believes that quality specialist training is possible within
an average 48 hour working week
iii. supports the JDC in its continuing work to improve the
quality of training in the craft specialties
Northern rJDC

48 Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference believes

full compliance with the EWTD should be vital for a trust to
hold Foundation Trust status.

49 Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference

recognises that hours limits for work are written into UK
legislation (for example Working Time Regulations 1998)
and should be binding. However we remain concerned that
these limits will not be met without significant detriment to
the training of junior doctors and to the quality of UK
medical practice. This requires not only open and honest
reporting of working hours by all parties involved, but also
significant ring-fenced investment not only for the
purposes of implementing UK law but also for the
maintenance and improvement of training, especially in
the procedural specialities.

50 Motion by MERSEY RJDC That this conference believes

that, to ensure doctors are working EWTD and New Deal
compliant rotas, it is necessary to have a clear definition of
what constitutes a natural break and how frequently
natural breaks should be taken during a shift. This
conference therefore instructs the JDC to negotiate an
agreement with the relevant employers and / or
departments of health to define more rigorously “natural
breaks”, including how many breaks are needed for
different shift lengths and when these should be taken,
and for this definition to be used when assessing the pay
band of a rota, including at Banding Appeals.

A 51 Motion by WESSEX RJDC That this conference believes

that all junior doctors in training posts be entitled to
adequate teaching both formal and informal. This is
especially important in the current climate with the
introduction of the European Working Time Directive and
the threat this poses to our training. We must ensure we
are not just service providers.

52 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference feels that the

full implementation of the EWTD for junior doctors is likely
 18

to be haphazard and that such an implementation will

prove detrimental to patient safety, quality of care, and
the standard of training of junior doctors. It therefore:
i. criticises the Medical Royal Colleges for not preparing for
the EWTD
deadline despite adequate forewarning;
ii. lobbies the BMA to create a specific EWTD toolkit for
medical rota organisers to use in order to adapt rotas to
become EWTD compliant;
iii. calls on all four UK Departments of Health to establish
monitoring bodies to ensure that EWTD compliance is
implemented in hospitals at the earliest possible
opportunity.

53 Motion by OXFORD RJDC This conference accepts that

prospective cover is not always compatible with EWTD
compliant rotas and:
i. Seeks reassurance from NHS Employers and NHS Trusts
that alternative cover will be found so that union
representatives can attend union activities
ii. Where alternative cover is not available reasonable
flexibility is exercised to release representatives for union
activities.

54 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference believes that

the implementation of the European Working Time
Directive should not impact on the quality of working
environment, job satisfaction and training of junior
doctors. It further believes that the increased pressure
and changes to working patterns will be detrimental to
patient care and in direct violation of the Hippocratic Oath
and principles of “Good Medical Practice”. It therefore
calls for:
i. The number of junior doctors in the workforce to be
increased to allow effective working within a firm
structure;
ii. The abolition of cross cover to specialties a doctor is not
being trained in during the normal working day;
iii. Gaps in rotas to be outsourced early to locum agencies
to prevent pressure on in house doctors and the illegal
practice of “carrying the bleep”;
iv. The immediate cessation of the practice of vetting
MRMlive® and other monitoring programmes by
administrative staff so breaches are dealt with effectively.

55 Motion by NORTHERN IRELAND JDC That this conference

i. is concerned that some shift rotas introduced to meet
EWTD legislation are negatively impacting on the quality
of medical training by reducing the supervision of trainees
 19

by their senior colleagues and making outpatient clinic,

ward round experience and other training opportunities
less accessible.
ii. calls on DoH/Association of Royal Colleges/PMETB to
assess the impact of EWTD shift rotas on junior doctor
training.

12.0 INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL GRADUATES

5

56 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

notes the striking similarities between the government’s
Medical Training Initiative (MTI) and Permit-free Training
Visa (PFTV) and further notes the coincidence of increasing
numbers of gaps on rotas and the recent drastic
immigration changes. We call on the BMA to work with
NHS Employers and others to:
i. ensure that MTI training opportunities are genuine and of
high quality
ii. make clear to international applicants that MTI visas are
not a route to settlement
iii. reflect these concerns on the BMA and NHS websites

12.1 WORLD ISSUES

0

57 Motion by NORTH WESTERN RJDC That this conference

joins Doctors Without Borders (MSF), ICRC, and UN Human
Rights Council in their condemnation of the killing of
medical personnel, the bombing of hospitals and the
obstruction of paramedics from treating wounded civilians
by the Israeli military in their recent offensive in Gaza. This
conference also:
i. applauds the immense effort of Physicians for Human
Rights-Israel in petitioning the Israeli High Court to
‘demand that the State stop targeting emergency medical
personnel and ambulances, and that it stop preventing the
timely evacuation of wounded people to hospitals in Gaza’
ii. calls on BMA Council to consider suspending contact
with the Israeli Medical Association for their relative
silence, and instead increase cooperation with Physicians
for Human Rights-Israel
iii. calls on the UK government to exert strong pressure on
Israel to allow unrestricted entry of medical supplies and
personnel into Gaza.

58 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

notes the extraordinary volume of disposable materials
used every day in the provision of medical care in the
United Kingdom, and calls upon the Government and NHS
 20

employers to investigate the environmental impact of this

and generate solutions to minimise this impact.

59 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

i. notes the contribution of wasted energy use to climate
change
ii. calls for all NHS buildings to be fitted with automatic
timed light switches and other devices, where it is safe to
do so, to reduce the energy wasted through lighting
unoccupied rooms
iii. calls for all NHS computers and photocopiers to be set
up to automatically power down at night where it is safe to
do so
iv. calls for all doctors to act on their shared responsibility
as inhabitants of our planet to turn off lights in unused
rooms wherever they find them when it is safe to do so

12.3 BLT
5

60 Motion by OXFORD RJDC This conference accepts that

animals are widely believed to have stress-reducing
properties and calls upon the JDC to recommend that
every junior doctors' mess in England, Wales, Scotland and
Northern Ireland should endeavour to acquire and
maintain a non-human 'Mess Pet'.

61 Motion by SCOTTISH JDC That this conference notes the

proliferation of flippant motions to conference and calls
upon the next conference agenda committee to ensure
that no humour is allowed within Conference.

62 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

notes that a life outside work (LOW) can lead to exhaustion
and impact on the standard of a doctor’s work.
We call for the EWTD and New Deal to be extended
beyond work to all those with a life outside work (LOW), to
cover parents and those with social lives. This includes:
a. All time not at work is counted as time away from work,
but potentially thinking about work
b. Adequate compensatory rest following OOH LOW duty,
to be taken as soon as possible
c. An EWTD and New Deal compliant shift pattern for LOW
that has been signed off by the relevant authority, with no
continuous shift outside work exceeding 13hours and rest
breaks every 6 hours
d. On the issue of remuneration, this will be index linked
and inversely proportional to the time spent at work
e. Supporting derogation from LOW where compliance is
likely to compromise the individual
 21

(BLT)

12.4 LUNCH
5

63 Lunch will be served in the Lutyens Suite

13.4 THREE MOTIONS FROM THE GRASS ROOTS EVENT

5

64 Please see supplementary agenda JDC(C) 1A tabled on

the day.

14.0 DOCTORS' AND DENTISTS' REVIEW BODY

0

65 The following Emergency Motions were submitted to the

Conference Agenda Committee by Friday 1 May 2009 in
accordance with Conference Standing Orders (7b)
Motion by JDC EXECUTIVE SUBCOMMITTEE That this
conference notes with tired déjà-vu that the DDRB annual
pay uplift is yet again disappointingly low and
i. Calls on the BMA to explore alternatives to engaging
with the DDRB with regard to pay negotiations
ii. Calls on the BMA to establish whether these options
would be more
advantageous to doctors than the current arrangements
iii. Calls on each of the Branch of Practice committees
which participate in submission of evidence to the DDRB to
decide based
on this exploration whether to withdraw their particular
branch of
practice from the DDRB process at the earliest beneficial
opportunity.

14.0 MEDICAL PROFESSION

5

66 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

i. notes with dismay the changes in recent years to
medical training, medical careers and prospects, working
conditions for doctors, the financial situation of medical
students and recent graduates, the mental health of junior
doctors, public perception of the profession as a whole,
and professional self-regulation
ii. acknowledges the privileges afforded to doctors in being
able to care for our patients and to help people at the
most vulnerable times in their lives, but nonetheless:
iii. calls on the BMA to cease to recommend a career in
medicine
 22

iv. calls on the BMA to actively discourage people from

entering medicine, promoting instead alternatives which
may better allow them to fulfil their potential.

67 Motion by SCOTTISH JDC That this conference considers

that hospital and public health medicine consultants
represent good value for money to the NHS across the UK
and again calls upon the departments of health to actively
encourage an increase in consultant numbers

14.1 EMPLOYMENT
0

68 Motion by SCOTTISH JDC That this conference believes

that the current paternity leave allowance of two weeks:
i. is insufficient and does not allow fathers enough time to
bond with their newly born child and support their partner
before they have to return to work;
ii. does not give fathers the opportunity to become
primary carers for newly born children and return to their
job in the same way as mothers.

It therefore calls on the BMA to lobby for improvements to

current paternity leave provisions and explore options that
would allow a father to be recognised as primary carer.

69 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

believes that medical managers are placed in a complex
position having to choose between their duties as a doctor
and duties as a manager of hospital budgets, which may
mean cutting services or training to meet savings targets.
We call on the BMA to work with organisations like BAMM
to investigate and clarify a fair medical ethical standpoint
for medical managers and to publicise these findings
appropriately.

70 Motion by NORTH WESTERN RJDC That this conference

supports current government policy to encourage doctors
to take up senior roles within NHS management. We call
upon the JDC to lobby the Department of Health to ensure
that this is adequately resourced.

71 Motion by NORTHERN IRELAND JDC That, in response to

junior doctors having difficulty accessing their MPs/MLAs
out of standard office hours, That this conference
i. Local politicians should open for “evening surgeries” at
least one evening per week to allow members of their
electorate who are may find it difficult to access the clinics
during normal office hours, such as doctors and other
professionals.
 23

ii. Where there are larger concentrations of population,

local and national government should be combined to
allow rapid access to an enhanced range of services and
integrating services where appropriate. These “poly(tics)
clinics” would allow representatives to exploit economies
of scale to the benefit of the electorate.
iii. All measures should be done within a 48 hour working
week with appropriate rest periods in accordance with the
European Working Time Directive.

72 Motion by WESSEX RJDC That this conference believes

that hospitals need to provide adequate mess facilities for
their junior doctors in terms of both size and quality. This
requires the BMA to draw up revised specific standards as
current standards are currently open to interpretation by
NHS trusts.

73 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

notes that Foundation Year 1 doctors have lost free
hospital accommodation and are now paid less than their
year 1 nursing colleagues despite longer training and
differing roles. We thus urge the Doctors and Dentists
Review Body (DDRB) to consider the years of commitment,
sacrifice and debt necessary to become a doctor; the
responsibility taken by doctors for patient care; and time-
linked remuneration levels in parallel professions; to
recommend a fair above-inflation improvement in the
basic pay of junior doctors.

74 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

i. notes with concern the increasing proportion of hospital
accommodation which is owned or managed by external
companies, taking them out of the direct control of the
hospital;
ii. believes that accommodation provided to doctors as a
consequence of their employment by an employer is
subject to the nationally agreed standards for
accommodation;
iii. calls upon the BMA and NHS Employers to issue
guidance to this effect, for avoidance of doubt

75 Motion by TRENT RJDC That this conference believes that:

i. back to work interviews should only be necessary for
those who have been on extended sick leave
ii. if necessary should be conducted in a confidential
manner by occupational health
and calls for the JDC to issue good practice guidelines on
the topic.

76 Motion by TRENT RJDC That this conference believes that

 24

the Medical Training Initiative (MTI):

i. has the potential to abuse international medical
graduates
ii. and calls the JDC to actively oppose it and its
implementation and to encourage the royal colleges and
other sponsors of the scheme to do the same.

77 Motion by MERSEY RJDC That this conference believes

that subsequent to withdrawal of free hospital
accommodation provided to Foundation Year One doctors
it is necessary to;
i. redefine the standards expected of doctors mess
facilities
ii. ensure that an individual takes responsibility within each
employing authority to ensure that the agreed mess
standards are met
iii. clarify with employing authorities that it is their
responsibility to ensure that the agreed standards are met
and it therefore instructs the JDC to negotiate an
agreement with the relevant employers and / or
departments of health in accordance with the above.

A 78 Motion by WESSEX RJDC That this conference believes

that junior doctors should be able to complete their diary
monitoring honestly without any undue pressure from their
hospital trust.

79 Motion by SOUTH WESTERN RJDC That this conference

believes that the current situation of varied interpretation
by deaneries regarding the administration of, qualification
for, and payment of relocation expenses whilst on a
training scheme is scandalous, and calls for greater
transparency regarding public monies paid to trusts by
deaneries for this purpose.

A 80 Motion by SOUTH WESTERN RJDC That this conference

believes that doctors who are contractually obliged to
have access to their own car whilst at work, for the
undertaking of their employers' duties, should not have to
pay hospital parking charges.

81 Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference

congratulates the JDC on the "Know your contract, know
your rights" campaign, believes that it is vital that all
junior doctors understand the key features of their
contract of employment, and calls for this to be taught at
medical school.

82 Motion by SCOTTISH JDC That this conference believes

that a UK-wide contract is the best option for junior doctors
 25

in the UK and that, to achieve this given the increasing

divergence of healthcare systems across the UK, any team
negotiating a new contract must have representation of all
the nations of the UK to ensure any new contract is fit for
purpose across the UK.

83 Motion by OXFORD RJDC This conference accepts that

trade union activity is an important component of
professional life and enjoins consultants with responsibility
for rotas to
i. complete rota planning with at least as much notice as is
trust policy for Juniors' leave requests
ii. work towards granting such leave before the rota
becomes available if i. is not possible.

84 Motion by OXFORD RJDC This conference accepts that

Trainees may be able to arrange cross-cover in ward based
situations such as F1 and F2 attachments but not do so for
fear of senior reprisal, either against the absent doctor or
the doctor covering, and enjoins all Consultants aware of a
junior in this situation to support their attendance at the
relevant activity and support the trainee who has agreed
to cover, if necessary securing the approval of the
covering doctor's senior or consultant .

85 Motion by OXFORD RJDC This conference believes that

NHS staff should not be penalised for adverse weather
conditions and condemns the recent decision by many
NHS Trusts and GP surgeries to insist that staff take annual
leave, unpaid leave or work extra time unpaid as an act of
'bad faith' which further decreases that levels of goodwill
on which the NHS depends.

86 Motion by OXFORD RJDC This conference deplores that

the efforts of those doctors who travelled to work in
hazardous conditions in the recent snow went
unrecognised by employers.

14.2 THE BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

0

87 Motion by SCOTTISH JDC That this conference notes the

increasing divergence of the NHS in the nations of the UK
resulting from devolution and calls upon the UK JDC to:
i. ensure that the system of JDCs across the UK is
structured such that junior doctors are well represented
across the UK;
ii. set up a working party including representation of UK
JDC and officers of devolved JDCs to consider current and
likely future issues of representation;
 26

iii. report to JDC within one year.

88 Motion by NRJDC Chairs That this conference applauds

the many high quality aspects of the service provided by
AskBMA. We remain united in striving to continue to
improve the quality of AskBMA. We therefore;
i. call upon JDC to produce a report exploring methods of
quality assurance within AskBMA, as JDC represents a
significant stakeholder interest in the service
ii. call upon Council to ensure that JDC is provided with
adequate access to data to facilitate this.
iii. request that the results be made available to JDC and
Council by the end of 2009.
iv. call upon JDC to work together with AskBMA and
regional services to find innovative solutions in the rare
cases where "things go wrong".

89 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference wishes to

acknowledge that three devolved nations exist within the
UK BMA. We feel that despite being acknowledged in
name, the status of the Welsh
National JDC is not on a par with other “regions”, as it is
not given equal status with
regards to internet resources. It therefore calls on the BMA
to:
i. Allow Wales and Northern Ireland JDCs their own
“regional” section
within the UK JDC website;
ii. Acknowledge National Committees on conference
applications;
iii. Direct sufficient resources to the National Committees
to allow them to
offer the same services as other regions;
iv. Make greater acknowledgement of the interests of the
devolved nations
when discussing JDC policies and forming documents.

90 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

i. recognises the importance of mental health and of
cooperation between member states of the EU in tackling
the significant issues of mental health facing all member
states;
ii. notes that the CPME (Committee Permanent des
Medicins Européens) has called for member states to
volunteer to hold a conference on one of the key topics:
"Prevention of Depression and Suicide", "Mental Health in
Youth and Education", "Mental Health in Workplace
settings", and "Mental Health of Older People"
iii. calls for the BMA to take on the organisation of one of
 27

these conferences between now and the 2010 ARM, with

the specific topic to be chosen by BMA Council; by this, the
BMA will be setting an example within Europe

91 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference wishes to

thank BMA Cymru Wales for its efforts in increasing the
profile of the BMA within Wales. It therefore:
i. congratulates it on its close working with the Welsh
Assembly
Government to improve health services for the people of
Wales;
ii. calls on the BMA to produce bilingual documentation for
selected
BMA publications available in Wales for use by healthcare
Professionals
iii. calls for BMA services, to where appropriate ensure that
employees are available to conduct discussions,
consultations and offer guidance through the medium of
Welsh

92 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference is concerned

that apathy and low morale is endemic amongst junior
doctors and that many have lost faith in the BMA. It
therefore calls on:
i. The BMA to reiterate to all doctors that it acts as a trade
union whose actions affect the lives of all doctors;
ii. JDC to work with MSC to hold new doctor meetings
during the final months of medical school years to
encourage year 5 students to become members of JDC;
iii. National Regional Junior Doctors Committees to allow
open meetings for final year students to attend and ask
questions regarding life as a junior doctor;
iv. JDC and BMA to produce a joint tri-monthly newsletter
for both final year students and foundation year doctors.

A 93 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference recognises

that doctors often move between England and the
devolved nations and calls on the Welsh Assembly
Government to ensure that NHSmail email accounts are
available to all doctors in Wales.

94 Motion by TRENT RJDC That this conference believes that

more support and resources are required in order for
regional employment advisor to offer adequate and timely
support to the working of regional BMA junior doctor
committees (RJDC). More specifically:
i. For JDC to discuss and resolve any ongoing problems
ii. More staffing or adequate planning in order to cover
staff on sick leave
iii. More staffing to spread the work load generated both
 28

from the RJDC and individual BMA members

95 Motion by NRJDC Chairs That this conference believes

that Regional Offices are the backbone of the BMA which
allow representatives to function effectively and engage
with members.
To function well as a representative, adequate support
from Regional Services is imperative. Current caseload
levels limit the amount of support which can be offered to
representatives.
We call upon the BMA to increase resources to Regional
Services such that caseloads are reduced and support for
representatives can increase.
From Chairs of Regional and National JDC

96 Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference wishes to

see more formalised links between RJDCs and
Postgraduate Deaneries, such that RJDCs and Deans have
regular meetings and that representatives from RJDCs are
invited to relevant committee meetings within the
Deanery.

97 Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference wishes to

see the BMA create a UK-wide network for junior doctor
LNC representatives for the purposes of discussing how to
negotiate solutions to local issues and that this network
should have support from elected JDC representatives and
Regional Services.

98 Motion by NRJDC Chairs That this conference believes

that RJDCs are the backbone of Junior Doctor
representation and regional representatives are key in
facilitating engagement of trainees with the BMA, and
representing juniors locally and nationally. To function well
as a representative, adequate support from regional
services to ensure reps feel supported is imperative. We
call upon the BMA to ensure Regional services are
sufficiently well resourced to provide this essential
support.
Chairs of regional and National JDC

99 Motion by NRJDC Chairs That this conference notes that

there is a quick, easy and cost neutral way of using Google
to search the open-access areas of the BMA website. We
request that this be implemented and integrated into the
search function on the BMA website, which will
significantly improve its utility.
Chairs of regional and national JDC committee

10 Motion by NRJDC Chairs That this notes the challenges in

 29

0 communicating with juniors and their reps. To improve

communications and juniors ability to access local
representatives, we call upon regional services to develop
and maintain an accurate list of all junior doctor LNC and
Mess representatives, to be posted on the RJDC websites.

10 Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference notes

1 with gratitude the significant improvements made to the
relaunched BMA website. We note that there is a quick,
easy and cost neutral way of using Google or an
equivalent dedicated search engine to search the open-
access areas of the BMA website. As a further
improvement we request that this be implemented and
integrated into the search function on the BMA website,
which will significantly improve its utility.

10 Motion by NRJDC Chairs That this conference applauds

2 the many high quality aspects of the service provided by
AskBMA. We remain vigilant to continue improving the
quality of advice provided because JDC represents a
significant stakeholder interest in the service. We
therefore;
i. call upon JDC to produce a report exploring methods of
quality assurance within AskBMA,
ii. call upon Council to ensure that JDC is provided with
adequate access to data to facilitate this.
iii. request that the results be made available to JDC and
Council by the end of 2009.
From Chairs of regional and national junior doctors
committee

10 Motion by OXFORD RJDC This conference calls upon the

3 BMA to campaign for a 'Union-half day' whereby all doctors
who are not on-call are relieved from clinical duties and
required to attend a meeting led by regional BMA
representatives for one half day per month, in order to
raise and address professional concerns within this region.

14.3 OPEN DEBATE ON A TOPIC TO BE CHOSEN BY GRASS

0 ROOTS ATTENDEES

15.0 REPORT OF THE JUNIOR DOCTORS COMMITTEE

0

10 Motion by THE CHAIRMAN That the 2009 annual report of

4 the Junior Doctors Committee be received.

10 Motion by THE CHAIRMAN OF THE JDC Receive: Oral

5 report from the Chairman of the JDC, Andrew Thornley, on
 30

the committee's activities during the 2008-09 session.

This will be followed by a question and answer session to

the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Deputy Chairmen of the
JDC regarding the Committee's work over the 2008-09
session.

NOTE: WOULD ANY MEMBERS OF THE CONFERENCE

WISHING TO ASK QUESTIONS PLEASE SUBMIT THESE TO
THE SECRETARIAT BY FRIDAY 1 MAY 2009 AT NOON.
Questions will also be taken from the floor, time
permitting.

15.2 COFFEE
5

15.4 ELECTIONS OF MEMBERS OF THE CONFERENCE

0 AGENDA COMMITTEE 2008-09

15.4 SUPPLEMENTARY AGENDA

5

Please see Supplementary Agenda JDC(C) 1B, tabled on

the day.

15.5 FEEDBACK FROM AFTERNOON OPEN DEBATE

0 SESSION

15.5 THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE

5

10 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC This conference:

6 i. Notes that many NHS services record the religion of their
patients to allow equality monitoring and improve the
provision of social and spiritual care that is appropriate to
that patient, as well as for other reasons
ii. Notes that many NHS services likewise record a religion
on the records of children, usually based on information
provided by a parent or carer
iii. Believes that religion is something to be professed by
an individual, not imposed upon them, and that this
applies to children as much as to adults
iv. Calls upon the NHS and other providers of services to
children to ensure that a child’s record shows the religion
of a child’s parents only and not of the child, unless the
 31

child is considered competent to profess their own religion

for NHS records purposes (normally to be demonstrated by
being considered competent to consent to their own
medical treatment).

10 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

7 believes that the National Program for IT (NPfIT) is neither
fit for purpose nor value for money. We call on the NHS to:
i. cancel all NPfIT contracts and use the savings for funding
real improvements in patient care
ii. challenge university IT students to work with jobbing
doctors to design a fit-for-purpose secure and value-for-
money national program for IT.

10 Motion by EASTERN RJDC This conference notes the GMC

8 code of fitness to practice governs the provision or
publication of information about medical services, by
registered medical practitioners to the public, preventing
the manipulation of 'ill-founded fears for their future
health' and
i. Recognises that there is no legislation in the UK
preventing allied health professionals from promoting
screening tests using direct marketing (mailings, door-to-
door salespersons) to members of the public
ii. notes that screening tests have risks as well as benefits
that extend above and beyond false positives and false
negatives
iii. calls on the BMA to lobby the government for legislation
of the marketing of direct to consumer screening tests.

10 Motion by EASTERN RJDC This conference thinks that the

9 government’s ‘memory clinics’, whilst highlighting the very
real problem of dementia, are a poor use of scarce
resources and thinks the £15 million invested in these
should be diverted to improve existing healthcare services
for the elderly and mentally infirm.

16.1 MORALE AND MOTIVATION

0

11 Motion by WELSH JDC That this conference believes that

0 junior doctors are regularly subjected to intimidation from
management, senior colleagues, nurse practitioners and
nurses. It therefore:
i. Calls on employers to acknowledge the existence of this
problem;
ii. Calls for the implementation by all employers of clear
zero tolerance policies.

11 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

 32

1 i. Recognises the bravery and commitment to their

patients that doctors and others show when they raise
concerns about standards of care and training
ii. Condemns the bullying and harassment that can
sometimes occur after these concerns have been raised
iii. Calls on the BMA to produce guidance for trainees
about whistleblowing
iv. Calls on the BMA to ensure that all staff of askBMA and
Regional Services who provide advice to doctors are aware
of whistleblowing guidelines and protections, and know
how to address these aspects of doctors’ requests for help
from the BMA
v. Calls on the GMC to make it clear to doctors who are
managers that this harassment is a breach of Good
Medical Practice guidance.

11 Motion by SOUTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

2 believes that no doctor should be forced to co-operate
with a management plan they sincerely believe would be
harmful to a patient's well-being. This conference calls for
the BMA to
i. Defend and support doctors who are discriminated
against on the basis of a sincerely held conscientious
objection
ii. Work with the relevant authorities to safeguard the right
of conscientious objection in the workplace
iii. Advocate sanctions against employers or supervisors
who violate junior doctors' right for conscientious objection

16.3 GENERAL PRACTICE

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11 Motion by SCOTTISH JDC That this conference notes with

3 concern the difficulties experienced by newly qualified
GP's in obtaining partnerships in practice and calls upon
the BMA to investigate the increase in salaried GPs and
actively pursue ways of increasing the availability of GP
partnerships.

16.3 CHOSEN MOTIONS

5

Chosen motions from the ballot form JDC(C)9, 2009

16.4 RESULTS OF THE ELECTIONS TO THE CONFERENCE

5 AGENDA COMMITTEE 2008-09

16.5 LSD
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11 Motion by NORTH THAMES RJDC That this conference

4 i. Recognises that a distinct difference exists between
London and the rest of the United Kingdom, in many areas
including demographics, house prices, income, attitude,
provision of tertiary and quaternary health services,
provision of doctors per head of population and allocation
of scarce NHS and other public funds
ii. Recognises that this difference has on occasions led to a
separatist attitude from both inside and outside the M25,
and sometimes insoluble conflict in managing the health
services and other aspect of public life of national
importance
iii. Believes that NHS resources are overconcentrated in
London and should be redistributed to reflect population
need rather than historical significance of particular
hospitals.
iv. Notes the Government’s keenness for the devolution of
power
v. Calls for the creation of a separate city state of London,
modelled on the autonomous city states of ancient Greece
and elsewhere.
vi. Calls for all Londoners to be marked with a large “L” on
their foreheads to allow easy identification when travelling
outside London, in case their insufferable smugness and
certainty of the superiority of London were not clue
enough.
vii. Calls for all non-Londoners to be issued with unstylish
clothes to allow easy identification when in London, in case
their regional accents and mannerisms were not obvious
enough
viii. Calls for Boris Johnson to be President of London, and
Ken Livingstone to be his Prime Minister, or possibly vice
versa
ix. Calls for the President of London to begin a campaign to
conquer the Home Counties to incorporate them into
Greater London, except for parts of Essex.
x. Calls for the creation of a parliament of some kind and
some other national institutions for the rest of England
without London, probably in Hull or perhaps Norwich.

Motion by NORTHERN RJDC That this conference believes

that the chair of chairs of regional and national junior
doctors committee should give her/his/their report to
comittee through the medium of contemporary dance;
whilst wearing a tiara.

16.5 SUMMARY OF THE DAY

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17.0 CLOSE
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