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The British Medical Association

1912; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 89; Issue: 2231 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/089566b0

1476-4687

Healthcare Systems and Challenges

THE eightieth annual meeting of the British Medical Association was held in Liverpool on July 19 to 27. The first four days were devoted to the representative meeting, at which the representatives of the branches and divisions of the United Kingdom and the Colonies discussed various matters affecting the association, the most important being the question whether the association should make further representations to the Government in respect of the disfavour with which the Insurance Act is regarded by members of the association. After prolonged discussion, in the course of which the ill opinion of the Act entertained by the medical profession was freely expressed, it was decided by 181 votes to 21 to break off negotiations with the Government. In most cases the representatives had already been instructed as to their vote by meetings of the local divisions, at which resolutions directed against further conferences with the Government had been passed unanimously or by large majorities. It may here be observed that the medical profession, which is often regarded as very conservative, is efficiently organised for medico-political action upon trade-union lines. The representative meeting has no executive functions, but its resolutions, confirmed in general meeting, are binding upon the council, which is elected by a postal vote upon a proportional representative basis. The association has about 25,000 members, the number of medical men in the United Kingdom being about 33,000.