Growing concern about the market-based policies in the Health Bill has led to calls for the BMA to change its stance from 'critical engagement' to reject the bill outright. 

A group of more than 100 doctors has criticised the BMA's position on the NHS reforms and urged the union to take a stronger line against the proposals.

Unnamed consultants quoted in The Guardian suggested that pressure to change the BMA's stance could force Dr Meldrum to quit.

The special representative meeting is due to take place on March 15 in London.

A BMA spokesperson said the union was currently going through 'around a hundred motions' ahead of the deadline next week. 

'Given the Health and Social Care Bill is a complex Bill with huge ramifications for the NHS it is not surprising that there are wide-ranging views. An agenda will be published in full ahead of the meeting. 

'The BMA has many concerns about the direction of NHS reform and has been a vocal critic in seeking to change the most damaging aspects of the Bill. The issues have been discussed many times in various BMA meetings and its policies agreed by the majority of members elected to BMA Council.'

The deadline for motions is 21 February.

Editor's blog: Should BMA chairman Dr Hamish Meldrum resign for failing to express doctors' opposition to the Health Bill?