British Medical Association (BMA)

Description

The BMA is the doctors' professional organisation in the UK established to look after the personal and professional needs of our members. It is also an independent trade union dedicated to protecting individual members and the collective interests of doctors.

Member benefits

The BMA are committed to providing valuable, high quality benefits and services advice and information during your training and throughout your career that meet the needs of doctors. We can help you on matters relating to personal and professional finance, and provide support for your future and that of the medical profession.

Mission / Aims

To represent the interests of doctors and medical students locally, nationally and internationally, and to provide services to improve their professional lives.

To promote the delivery of the highest quality patient-centred services in UK healthcare, to advocate for health and thus improve the health expectation and experience of individuals and of the UK population.

To influence governments' policies and decisions on health and health service issues, in the UK, and where appropriate internationally. To communicate and represent BMA views and policies to members, the public, parliaments and other stakeholders.

To recruit and retain a high level of membership.

To exercise sound stewardship of the BMA's assets, including BMJPG, enabling the BMA to advance its broad strategic aims.

Principal activities

The British Medical Association represents doctors from all branches of medicine all over the UK. It has a total membership of over 137,000, rising steadily, including more than 3,000 members overseas and over 19,000 medical student members.

The BMA:

Is a voluntary professional association of doctors,
Speaks for doctors at home and abroad,
Provides services for its members,
Is an independent trade union,
Is a scientific and educational body,
Is a publisher,
Is a limited company, funded largely by its members.

It does not:

Register doctors that is the responsibility of the General Medical Council (GMC),
Discipline doctors that is the province of the employer/primary care trust and/or the GMC recommend individual doctors to patients.

Its policies are decided by elected members, mainly practising doctors. It is supported by a professional staff and works with other bodies to meet i