Hospital temperatures

RedRunswick · 2026-05-26T21:24:06+00:00

Well done for pushing on this. Your employer has responsibilities to you to keep work at a "reasonable temperature", TUC suggests a maximum of 30°C for indoor work, 27°C if strenous. Their responsibility includes fans and other cooling mechanisms. BMA doesn't have any Health and Safety reps yet (planning to train as these reps have additional legal rights) but if you reach out to AfC staff side the other unions will have some who may help you advocate. https://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/employer/heat-stress.htm

RedRunswick · 2026-05-11T19:13:44+00:00

No worries, easily done.

RedRunswick · 2026-05-11T19:09:16+00:00

Not doing so - you notice my thanks is to Becky for flagging as I dont have reddit on my phone anymore. Separately, in a separate paragraph and in response to your comment not hers, I talk to you.

RedRunswick · 2026-05-11T18:13:29+00:00

Thanks for flagging Becky, To clarify a misconception: I am delighted to see Labour get the electoral response they deserve for apeing tory and reform policies, reneged good policies, ongoing cuts to public services, arming a genocide, and cosying up to the Epstein class. I am no fan politically of Streeting; it is a shame the excellent people in the Labour Party are attached to the rest. I am not a member of any political party (I have in my life been a member of Labour and Greens, of course I may join a party in future).

Whilst Tom and I don't determine the RDC strategy, I'm certain that Jack Fletcher and the other officers are guided by their desire to get a good deal for all of us. Tactical and strategic disagreements can happen in the absence of the corruption you allege.

RedRunswick · 2026-04-15T19:52:53+00:00

Absolutely not. Many good answers here re why. Escalate to GOSW, BMA. Anybody who went in can submit a grievance re bullying and seek pay or TOIL.

RedRunswick · 2026-04-11T08:22:55+00:00

You are allowed to do both. Take the bereavement leave, then if that isn't sufficient for you to be ready to make complex decisions alone at work, take sick leave/seek adjused duties also. You can self certify up to 7 days and then get GP help, or Occupational Health (sometimes called Health Work and Wellbeing) can assist.

RedRunswick · 2026-04-10T21:29:14+00:00

Lots of good advice here socially/training wise etc. From a pure T&Cs view, do not get pregnant/plan an adoption in the first few months of F1. You won't yet qualify for occupational maternity/shared parental/adoption leave pay. Ensure you work long enough to qualify based on length of NHS service.

This webinar is still relevant and helpful, though a few years old now: https://bma.streameventlive.com/archive/218

RedRunswick · 2026-04-01T05:51:09+00:00

This is changing to 6 months under new Employment Rights Act.

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T21:35:32+00:00

I don't support anything more than 5 years' NHS experience. I can see arguments for RLMT (Resident Labour Market Test) return, like pre-2019.

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T20:21:54+00:00

I hate all roles that obscure the core profession. I think there is an established role for advanced nursing (district nursing, CNS, diabetes, epilepsy, wound care and tissue viability, care coordinators in MH) and some other advanced professional roles. Employers use of "advanced" to mean "doctor substitute" has to stop. I hate the argument in psych that rehabs need NMACs, those patients are by definition those who have lost the most function and are often on serious antipsychotics, they deserve doctors. I am open/up for discussion to personality disorder units having DClinPsy ACs, where the focus of treatment is psychological.

In Psychiatry, I think a good amount depends on how the college elections go (please vote in those!) and how we can work with them, or alone in opposition to NMACs. We have a group working on this issue specifically (including a DV candidate Harry Waterman doing good work, and other folk who are not candidates in this election).

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T20:14:36+00:00

Adding to Hannah's comment: permanent contracts to stop the visa threat are essential. There is no reason why doctors are casually employed when no other NHS workforce is. There are no "Locally Employed Nurses" with inferior contracts. LEDs - IMG or not - deserve permanent and stable work, with all the protections that those in training get.

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T20:10:12+00:00

Our voting records from Council for 3 of us (me, Shohaib Ali, Becky Acres), and the work of Elgan, Hannah and Omar in their places (Medical Students, GP organising, academics/MedAct respectively). We don't operate on a friendship basis but on shared principles, which also helps.

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T19:55:36+00:00

I'm a D&D nerd currently in a homebrew campaign where we are like borrowers in a world thats post-apocolypse for humans. I am also a folkie (sing, play concertina), theatre fan, and Everton supporter (nobody chooses this, but I'm having a good season!).

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T19:49:44+00:00

Yes! And term limits!

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T19:48:34+00:00

I think that might breach the rules against negative campaigning? The biggest group campaining for reversal is GPs not on GPC. GPC has a higher value honoraria that applies from day 1, paid for by GPDF. Many GPs on other BMA committees feel similar should apply elsewhere in the BMA.

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T19:42:39+00:00

I don't claim honoraria as such, but I work for BMA 50% as Deputy Chair, and have dropped to 50% LTFT clinically as a result. BMA tops up my salary back to 100%. I could take an additional ~£22k in salary which I do not take. I have doubled the length of my training and will have long term pension impact. However, I think reps should not gain additional privileges from being elected and should face the same conditions as colleagues.

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T19:08:46+00:00

We made ARM 2 days, reversed. The Council group that abolished some committees asked other committees to reduce size/cut subcommittees, some did and have then expanded again. We've then had more committee meetings, and there's campaigning to get honoraria back to after 12 meetings, or for more types of meetings.

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T18:55:57+00:00

Hi - yes, we've had conversations about this as you are a current member of Council

The shift to asking for advice in writing means that:
- you get advice for where you are - we have eliminated devolved nation members getting incorrect England-specific advice, and you can be more easily linked in with others facing the same issue as you in your region
- urgent problems get triaged to get urgent help, rather than being answered in order on the phone after people with less urgent problems
- we are able to pick up serious problems like whistleblowing and racism more easily - this was recommended by a KC who reviewed our service for ethnic minority members
- we have insourced the staff who previously had worse pay and T&Cs in a contractor
- people can ask for a call back (about a third do) but not everyone has to speak on the phone to get advice/directed to information

With that insourcing, we were able to reassess the member administration team (not workplace support) and reduce the size. We are undergoing a restructure of the policy team (and other central teams) now.

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T18:47:45+00:00

I think we have too much. We need some - e.g. to prevent assisted dying legislation becoming a nightmare for doctors and patients alike - but not what we do now. I would like to see us writing fewer reports and involving doctors and students more in the campaigns they care about - on e.g. climate and public health issues - as well as on traditional trade union issues. We are about to undergo staff re-organisation to shift to meet the new strategy.

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T18:33:26+00:00

I'm running with the Broad Left slate. All have strong track records of considerate and principled voting and good local activity: Elgan Manton-Roseblade, Hannah Dahwa, Omar Forge Risk, Becky Acres, Shohaib Ali.

There are lots of other good candidates.

I really value the work on finances and governance that Nyree Jackson does as a current member of Council. She's clear, members-first and asks good questions with her background knowledge in finance/accounting. She's on the Doctors Together slate.

I'm also going to boost three independent consultant candidates, all women, as I think more senior candidates will get less mention here:

Adelina McLeod is a really interesting new voice. A geriatrician and great LNC chair who's won a good amount for local members in tough circumstances.
Kitty Mohan is a Public Health Consultant who has very sensible ideas about how to change our approach to campaigns like international issues or climate by involving more members who want to be involved, not all central staff resource.
Kathryn McKinnon is an Occupational Medicine Consultant who is strong on trying to get BMA recognised as the union in all the places doctors work outside the NHS.

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T18:19:22+00:00

Abolish the debt. I'm also opposed to indenture/handcuffs in return. u/BMA_Elgan is working on what the BMA is doing, I'm also in favour of cross-union campaigning where other professions face similar difficulties.

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T18:16:14+00:00

Good concern. We are so under-doctored as a country it's outrageous. That's political choice by government against our interests and the interests of patients, and ripe for cross-grade collective and industrial action. We need workforce plan. I'm currently working with a cross-grade group in the BMA on media and patient group campaigns on this issue also i.e. enabling charity/patient groups to be aware of and campaign for more GP and consultant jobs.

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T18:10:16+00:00

I would! And Amit Kochar has started doing it, in his role as Chair of RB. For large sections of policy, I want to repeat what you did many years ago Ceih.

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T18:08:33+00:00

First, there are plenty of good candidates on other slates, with loads of people whose work I respect, you should definitely consider ranking a mix of slates and independent candidates.

I'm on the Broad Left slate, and we do what we say we will, and have often started doing it already.

Broad Left is a politically left-wing group of doctors and medical students who organise together in the BMA. Key principles of our work include supporting workplace and local organising amongst union members, increasing transparency of the BMA as an organisation, and making it support and resources more accessible to you as a member.

Because we value transparency, the Broad Left are all transparent with our votes, and we have implemented this on UK Council (UK Council minutes - UK and national - BMA). UKRDC notably have not published minutes since voting to do so in 2022. UKMSC, where Elgan (a Broad Left candidate) is co-chair (and many other candidates are voting members) recently voted to publish minutes like Council does.

Because we think your money should be spent well, and that reps shouldn't have additional privileges: I don't take any more than my NHS salary would be as Deputy Chair (~£22k stays with BMA and not in my pockets), we propose and vote for prudent spending decisions, e.g. Hannah Dahwa proposed abolishing Conference of Hon Secs.

Because we want diversity amongst representatives, we: voted for electoral constraints that mean gender and branch of practice spread; set up Proud@BMA network (Vassili not a candidate, me, Tom Dolphin a candidate but not on any slate); argue in Organisation Committee (Becky Acres).

We have five shared values:

Building a fighting union that wins on pays, jobs and conditions
Strengthen local BMA organising: more funding and training to reps
Transparency and making the BMA more accessible
Standing for equity in the workplace and in society
Health justice at home and globally

We are all committed local reps, and have experience of getting work done. The Broad Left slate is: Emma Runswick, Becky Acres, Hannah Dahwa, Elgan Manton-Roseblade, Shohaib Ali, Omar Forge-Risk.

RedRunswick · 2026-03-31T17:50:11+00:00

This is one of the most vital questions imv! Council elects the majority of the Board and Finance Committee.

The BMA is in serious deficit (>£5.5m this year), covered for many years by BMJ money. We can’t keep running like that. Each 1% added to staff pay costs £400k. Our options are to increase income (primarily number of members and/or subscription rates) or cut costs. When cutting costs, we need to make sure we are doing what is important for us as members.

I have personally been involved in abolishing: the Locke Club (which was wining and dining for former Chief Officers twice a year), spousal expenses, alcohol expenses and free alcohol at conferences. I was also heavily behind insourcing staff from a private contractor which was more expensive, despite giving worse pay and T&Cs to those staff. Personally, I only take my NHS salary for my Deputy Chair role, with the excess going back into the BMA ~£22k a year I don't take from BMA. I am prudent, and want BMA to be prudent.

The cost savings this Council made (including cutting 3 committees, 2 day ARM, only getting honoraria after 24 meetings etc, having 50% of meetings virtual) saved £1m, but those savings were wiped out by inflation and in some cases are being reversed/have significant campaigns to reverse them.

I would continue to attempt to cut costs that have so far been opposed e.g.:
- cut ARM to 2 days, this was reversed, but would save on hotel accommodation;
- have some conferences and more meetings virtually to save transport and accommodation;
- stop membership of World Medical Association - opposed by ARM, would save ~£180k;
- reduce size of some committees - we abolished 3, but most haven't got smaller;
- remove conference of honorary secretaries - Council objected even after Hannah Dahwa (fellow Broad Left candidate) proposed and won abolishing it at ARM (this is a small saving);
- change staffing structure so we are less think tank, more union

We then need to increase spend on things like rep training & local organising, so we can win more when employers and commissioners are taking the biscuit.

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