Not in Our Name – Doctors object to the British Medical Association’s proposed critique of the Cass Review
NB: The attached letter was sent to Professor Philip Banfield, chair of BMA council, as well as to the other chief officers Latifa Patel, Trevor Pickersgill, and Emma Runswick, as well as the co-chief executive officers Neeta Major and Rachel Podolak on Tuesday 7th August.
On 31st July, the BMA announced that they would undertake an evaluation of the Cass Review on gender identity services for children and young people, stating that the BMA council had recently voted in favour of a motion to ‘publicly critique the Cass Review’, and calling for the implementation of the Cass Review’s recommendations to be paused while the BMA undertakes this work.
The attached letter was initiated by a group of concerned doctors who are all BMA members, and has now garnered the support of over 900 doctors (577 of whom are BMA members), including 60 professors and 23 former or current presidents of Royal Colleges and other clinical leaders. Some key figures who have supported the letter are listed below.
The letter objects to the BMA’s decision to critique Cass, and to the secretive conduct of the BMA council on the passing of the motion, calling it a “failure of accountability to members and simply not acceptable”. The letter highlights the fact that the Cass Review is the most comprehensive review into healthcare for children with gender-related distress ever conducted, pointing out that it will be difficult for the BMA to conduct a fair evaluation when it has already attacked the Review. Finally, the letter calls for the BMA to abandon its proposed evaluation and welcome the Cass Review.
The BMA’s actions, which threaten to undermine the careful, evidence-based approach of the Cass Review, clearly do not reflect the views of the membership or the profession.
Key figures who have supported the letter:
Professor Simon Kenny National Clinical Director Children & Young People
Dr Jackie Cornish Previous NCD C&YP
Dr Sheila Shribman Previous NCD C&YP
Dr Carol Ewing Previous VP Health Policy RCPCH
Dr Alison Steele Previous Officer for Child Protection RCPCH
Dr David Vickers Previous Registrar and then Treasurer RCPCH
Dr Jonathan Darling VP for Education and Professional Development RCPCH
Professor Bernadka Dubicka Previous chair Child & Adolescent Faculty RCPsych
Dr Elaine Lockhart Chair of Child and Adolescent Faculty RCPsych
Dr Máire Cooney Immediate past chair and executive member of the RCPsych LGBT+ Special Interest Group (RCPsych Rainbow SIG)
Dr Fiona Moss Previous Postgraduate Dean RSM
Dr Jane Young Previous Head of London School of Radiology
Dr Camilla Kingdon Past President Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health
Dr Suzannah Lishman Past President Royal College of Pathology
Professor Dame Clare Gerada Past President Royal College of GPs
Professor Wendy Burn Past President Royal College of Psychiatrists
Dr Peter Green Designated Doctor for Child Safeguarding and Co-Chair NNDHP (National Network of Designated Healthcare Professionals)
Professor Deidre Kelly Chair, Evelina London Children’s Hospital
Dr Valerie Dias GP, Chair of Governance and Head of West London CCG in Safeguarding Children in the Community
Prof Sheila Hollins Independent member House of Lords
Dr Anne McConville Retired Public Health Director
Dr J Stanton Director of Population Health
Dr Phil Hammond Medical correspondent for Private Eye
Dr Steve Hajioff former BMA chief officer
Dr Aideen Naughton Past National Director for Safeguarding Service in Wales
Dr Martin Robinson Past Chair of two NICE guidance committees
Dr David Bogod Past Chair of Ethics Committee RCoA
Dr Sara Hanna Evelina London Children’s Hospital Medical Director
Some comments from the signatories:
“The BMA is wrong on this issue and has no role on this issue. If the BMA continues to lobby in an area of healthcare like this in an overtly political way without consideration of the evidence, I will withdraw my membership.”
“The BMA’s behaviour has shocked me and does not represent me or most doctors. I have treated trans patients for years.”
“It is the BMAs serial failure to seek the views of or adequately represent those views of the needs of the profession that have led me to resign my membership this year. Doctors have a responsibility to “first do no harm” and the BMA seem to have forgotten this.”
“I am outraged by the BMAs proposed action. I have chaired two NICE guidance committees and would have felt betrayed if the BMA considered themselves able to override the efforts of all those involved in the work. Which sensible doctor would consider the BMA representative of our profession.”
“Knowing our limitations is a crucial quality for doctors. The BMA has stepped outside of its limitations in attempting to critique a large body of carefully conducted specialist research. This will compromise its ability to represent us doctors.”
“As a union, primarily, it is the role of the BMA to represent its members, and not to drive clinical opinion, especially in specialist areas. I am considering resigning after membership of 42 years.”
“Primum non nocere.”
“I lead high quality Cochrane systematic reviews and have expertise in relevant research methodology. The BMA’s approach is reprehensible. I have resigned my membership of BMA twice on ethical grounds due to your undemocratic behaviour on previous occasions on ethical matters, and failure to fairly represent the views of the medical progession.”
“The BMA’s response to the Cass report is unprofessional and brings the profession into disrepute. Those responsible should resign”
“On the basis of the BMA’s outrageous stance on the superbly researched and written Cass Report, which has my full support and endorsement, I have decided to leave the BMA having been a member for 50 years since I qualified as a doctor. Increasingly, they not only fail to represent my views, they display no respect for the very premise and ethos inherent in being a medical professional.”
“I am SO horrified and angered that the BMA is taking a view that does NOT represent the view of many BMA members without consultation – and certainly I think it’s an irresponsible and unjustified stance. I am SO close to resignation of my membership of this.”
Press contact: contact@NotinournameBMA.co.uk
Not In Our Name BMA 