BMA Conference 1999

BMA rejects challenge to end-of-life guidelines
An attempt to scrap guidelines that give doctors the go-ahead to withdraw artifical feeding and hydration from severely incapacitated patients has failed.

NHS initiatives pilloried
Doctors say the government's focus on waiting lists and the launch of the helpline NHS Direct are seriously flawed.

Bans proposed on cigarettes and alcohol
Doctors want bans on smoking in public places and on alcohol advertising in the cinema.

Doctors reject call to legalise cannabis
Doctors have rejected calls to legalise cannabis for medical use, and to decriminalise the drug for recreational use.

Juniors come out fighting
Junior doctors have warned they will take industrial action if the government does not improve their pay and conditions.

Focus on the junior doctors debate
The debate on junior doctors stirred strong passions. BBC News Online gives a fuller flavour of the most telling contributions.

BMA calls for an end to NHS racism
Doctors leaders are told that institutional racism exists in the NHS, and that action must be taken to root it out.

Doctors want fairer compensation system
Doctors have called for the introduction of a non-adversial, no fault system of compensation for victims of medical negligence.

Government accused of undermining doctors
Doctors have rounded on the government for undermining their position and using media spin to sell policies that are bad for the NHS.

Doctors reject patient charges
The BMA has dismissed a call to charge patients a £10 fee to consult their family doctor.

"Why I support patient charges"
Buckinghamshire GP Dr Jonathan Reggler tells News Online why patient charges would help to save the NHS.

GPs to continue push for routine meningitis vaccine
Welsh doctors will continue their campaign for a meningitis vaccine to be given routinely to children after they failed to get a debate on the subject at the BMA conference.

Doctors' leader warns NHS is under threat
Dr Ian Bogle, chairman of the BMA council, warns it may no longer be possible for the NHS to provide a comprehensive service.

Public consulted on doctor-assisted suicides
The BMA has launched a website which will allow the public to contribute views on how to formulate a policy on physician-assisted suicide.

Conference diary: Tuesday
Issues debated on the second day of the conference included whether people with hepatitis B should become doctors and whether more doctors should be recruited from overseas.

Conference diary: Monday
Issues debated on the first day of the BMA conference included millennium pay for doctors and the Private Finance Initiative.