DAUK has given its support to a complaint against Wes Streeting over language he has used to criticise the BMA.
The Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) has signed a letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urging him to investigate whether the Health Secretary has breached the Ministerial Code.
The complaint, from GP Dr Shan Hussain, relates to language used by Mr Streeting about the British Medical Association (BMA).
Attacks on BMA
Dr Hussain said ‘direct and personal attacks’ by the Health Secretary had ‘publicly undermined the BMA’s reputation’.
They may ‘constitute a breach’ of the Code of Conduct for MPs, he said.
Those attacks include Mr Streeting comparing the BMA to a ‘cartel’ at the NHS Providers conference in November.
At the same conference, Mr Streeting said the BMA was ‘no longer a professional voice for doctors’.
Moaning minnies
Dr Hussain’s letter highlighted other instances. They included a recent interview with Sky News, in which Mr Streeting accused the BMA of ‘juvenile delinquency’ and behaving like ‘moaning Minnies’.
Dr Hussain said: “As a result of these remarks, the reputation of the BMA, a respected professional body, has been publicly undermined.
“The language used was strongly derogatory, dismissive of the organisation’s professional standing, and appears intended to degrade public confidence in the BMA’s role.”
DAUK has given its backing to the letter.
Health Secretary
Co-chair Dr Ellen Welch said: “The attacks made by the Health Secretary on a number of occasions aren’t what the public expect from their MPs, and certainly not from a secretary of state.
“His comments are unnecessarily unpleasant and hostile.
“The BMA is a democratic organisation and its representatives have been voted for by its membership.
“Therefore attacks on the BMA, such as accusing it of juvenile delinquency, are attacks on its membership of highly-trained, highly-skilled, and highly-motivated doctors.
Code of Conduct
“We support the calls for the Prime Minister to investigate whether they constitute a breach of the Code of Conduct.”
Read the letter in full below.
All of our committee members are volunteers. They speak to the media and campaign on the issues facing doctors in their own time. Please support their work by joining DAUK or donating to our GoFundMe.
Sir Keir Starmer letter
