BMA chairman Dr Hamish Meldrum said the 'deeply flawed' bill should be 'withdrawn or at the very least significantly amended'.
The BMA Council agreed its next steps at a meeting today ahead of the Health Bill's second reading in the Lords. The council also expressed its 'full support' for Dr Meldrum and fully endorsed his handling of BMA policy on the Health Bill.
Earlier today, GPs moved to back BMA chairman Dr Hamish Meldrum, after a regional council criticised him for not promoting doctors' calls for the Health Bill to be withdrawn. Last week, BMA London Regional Council almost unanimously passed a motion that proposed a ‘vote of censure’ in Dr Meldrum at a meeting.
After today's council meeting, Dr Meldrum said: 'The clear view of BMA Council is that the Health and Social Care Bill remains deeply flawed and should be withdrawn or at the very least significantly amended.'
He added: 'The BMA will continue to publicly and vigorously highlight the concerns of doctors and patients, particularly to peers who have a real opportunity to protect the NHS by addressing the damage that could be done by many aspects of these reforms.'
