Professor Allyson Pollock, an academic and prominent critic of the government's NHS reforms, won BMA members' support after writing in her campaign statement: 'We need to reinstate the NHS in England and end privatisation, which is undermining services, staffing and quality of care.'
A total of six GPs won election to the BMA council - London GP Dr Sam Everington, Lancashire GP Dr David Wrigley, GPC Wales deputy chairman Dr David Bailey, London GP Dr Una Coales, GPC deputy chairman Dr Richard Vautrey and former GPC chairman Dr John Chisholm.
Professor Pollock, a founder member of the Keep our NHS Public campaign, joins other anti-privatisation campaigners on the BMA council. London GP Dr Louise Irvine and consultant Dr Clive Peedell - members of the National Health Action party remain on the council until 2016, and are joined by Dr Wrigley and Dr Jacky Davis who won election to the council this year.
Professor Pollock's full statement reads: 'I am committed to publicly available and accountable universal health care and against growing corporate control and private ownership of services. No country provides universal health care through a market. If elected, I will work through the BMA to reinstate the NHS in England; restore the ministerial duty to provide health care, abolished by the Health and Social Care Act and to restore planning structures and fair terms and conditions for all staff.'
