Threads of Survival

Christine Hyde, one of the founders of Threads of Survival, said: “More than 160 people across the country – from children to 80 year olds, from professional textile artists to those who had never sewn before – became involved in the making of a national quilt, and numerous local quilts. “We are grateful to them all.” DAUK invited Christine, and Cathy Dunbar and Gaynor Lloyd from the project, to exhibit at our recent conference. They used the platform to encourage people to create a quilt or quilts, inspired by and in memory of Dr Vaughan. Dr Ellen Welch, DAUK vice chair and lead for the conference, said: “Threads of Survival was such a powerful project during the pandemic and continues to provide social and political commentary. “It really resonated with DAUK and we were delighted to be able to welcome them to our conference. “We were touched by their invite for people to create something inspired by Jenny and the things she stood for.” Anyone interested in making a patch should email Threads of Survival. Find out more about Threads of Survival. DAUK is run by frontline doctors for frontline. Please support our work by contributing to our crowd funder or by becoming a member.

Physician associates

DAUK is actively involved in the national discourse around the roles of physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs). Our committee members have been vocal in the media, raising concerns about the roles and the regulation of PAs and AAs by the General Medical Council (GMC). We briefed politicians in the House of Commons and House of Lords on the draft Anaesthesia Associates and Physician Associates Order 2024, the legislation for the regulation of non-doctors by the GMC, as it passed through Parliament.

Leng review

DAUK also briefed Peers ahead of a Lords debate on the Leng Review, which we welcomed when it was announced in November. We responded to the GMC consultation on their regulation, highlighting the widespread concern on the lack of scope and standards in what is being proposing. The GMC has now begun regulating PAs and AAs, despite a lot of concern around it, with our chair Ms Helen Fernandes saying it will not protect patients or doctors. We have given our support and contributed financially to a legal challenge by Anaesthetists United to the GMC regulation of PAs and AAs. DAUK will not let up on the issue of PAs and AAs. We firmly believe the future of the medical profession and the patients it looks after are at risk.

Dr Jenny Vaughan

We were deeply saddened by the death our dearest friend and colleague Dr Jenny Vaughan. Jenny was a founding member of DAUK, a past chair, and absolutely lived and breathed the Association. There were touching obituaries in the Guardian, the BMJ, and on BBC Radio 4’s Last Word. We are holding a FREE conference in memory of Jenny on 17 May (10am to 4pm) which will feature panels, discussions, and presentations on the causes she was passionate about, as well as some of the challenges facing the NHS.

GP crisis

Our GP committee has been extremely busy highlighting the issues that face general practice. Dr Ellen Welch’s book, Why Can’t I See My GP?, has been a cornerstone of our work with a copy sent to every MP before the general election to help them understand general practice and to make it a key issue. Since the election, copies have been sent to members of the Health Select Committee and to MPs who are also doctors, and we have relaunched our GP manifesto. Dr Welch featured in the Daily Mail, the Sunday Times, i News and the Daily Express, and was interviewed on Sky News, BBC Radio 5Live and BBC Radio Cumbria – among others. Her book prompted debate on ITV’s Good Morning Britain about which types of ailments people should see their GP with, and whether children should be taught in schools how to use and access the NHS.

Manifesto

The GP committee hosted an election briefing during which it unveiled its manifesto for saving general practice. Since the election our GP committee continues to hold the new government to account on issues around general practice. We warned that the increase in employer National Insurance contributions could put financial pressure on already struggling general practices. And while we cautiously welcomed an announcement by the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, for an extra £889m for general practice, we stressed that a huge amount of the money will be swallowed up meeting those National Insurance obligations. DAUK continues to call for funding to help solve the GP crisis. Indeed, we welcomed the findings of the Darzi Review, which advised the government to invest in general practice.

Work with government

We have offered to work with the government on solutions to the issues facing primary care. Our research has found that the equivalent of 3,000 doctors are currently unemployed or underemployed stand ready to work in general practice with the right investment. Committee members have been incredibly busy speaking to the media to highlight the issues facing general practice, not least Dr Sarah Jacques who shared her powerful story of burning out as a GP on BBC Breakfast and in the Telegraph. GP spokesperson Dr Steve Taylor has produced an astonishing wealth of data and statistics on the NHS and general practice, which he shares in his social media network. It’s helped Dr Taylor build an extensive following, including with health journalists, and insert him and DAUK into social media conversations.

NHS Practitioner Health

We highlighted a move by NHS England to stop the funding for hospital doctors referred for help to NHS Practitioner Health. Those who support doctors through Practitioner Health were also told just the week before it was due to be closed. One of our members, at that meeting, anonymously tipped us off. A social media campaign highlighted the NHS England plans in the media and the decision was reversed less than a week later.

Dr Sarah Benn

We were ‘shocked and saddened’ by the sanction handed down to Dr Sarah Benn following her Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing. Dr Benn, a GP for 32 years, was suspended from the medical register following her participation in peaceful climate protests. DAUK’s Dr Steve Taylor wrote a letter to the Times on the case and the discussions around it, saying that protesting would not affect clinical judgement or trustworthiness.

Climate crisis

We joined Plant-Based Health Professionals UK (PBHP UK) to highlight serious concerns from the medical profession over the Government-backed Let’s Eat Balanced campaign. Dr Matt Lee, DAUK’s sustainability lead, and Dr Shireen Kassam, director of PBHP UK, co-wrote an open letter to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to express their deep concerns at the high level of misinformation within the campaign, and ask for the campaign to be retracted. The letter was reported in a number of publications including the Independent and openDemocracy. A series of guest blogs have been published on our website, including this by Dr Marnie Sethi on the health impact of the climate crisis.

NHS Whistleblowing

DAUK supports the proposal for the Office of the Whistleblower and is working with not for profit organisation Whistleblowers UK to change how society thinks about whistleblowing. Dr David Nicholl is at the forefront of our work in this area to enable healthcare professionals to raise concerns without fear. Dr Nicholl highlighted our work to protect NHS whistleblowers at the Medical Journalists’ Association’s (MJA) symposium on Building Trust in Health Journalism. The symposium was supported by DAUK and gave our committee members the chance to hear presentations on a range of issues, and to make contact and build relationships with key health and medical journalists.

Overseas NHS Workers Day

The NHS came together for our fourth annual Overseas NHS Workers Day on Friday 1 March. Overseas NHS Workers Day is now a firm fixture in the calendar and provides a chance to celebrate the incredible contribution they make to the NHS and the health of our nation. Social media was full of videos, photos and the stories of our international colleagues, using the hashtag #OverseasNHSWorkersDay. Trusts displayed flags representing the countries of birth of overseas staff; colleagues wore blue and green, the colours of the day, and some even had an international-themed lunch. Overseas NHS Workers Day takes place this year on Friday 7 March. Join in the celebrations.

Academic Foundation Jobs

An open letter was sent to all medical school deans urging them to unite in opposition to changes to the allocation of academic foundation jobs. We believe UKFPO’s announcement that all Specialised Foundation Programme (SFP) applications will fall under the Preference Information Allocation system posed serious issues. The frustrations of the many medical students who were allocated to foundation schools outside of their top choices were shared by our student committee. And we requested a formal review of the UKFPO system by the Department of Health.

DAUK in the media

DAUK and our committee members regularly contributed to articles and broadcasts, and provided briefings and background material to journalists working on more in-depth pieces. We are proactive in putting out comment on our website and social media, and sending it direct to journalists. Our members are working hard to build good working relationships with reporers, including though networking at events such as the Medical Journalists’ Association annual awards. Our work to oppose the expansion of PA and AA roles has had real cut through and been highlighted in the national media, and medical websites and publications. And we have had some stunning media coverage for our GP committee, with members regularly invited to comment in health publications such as GP Online and Pulse Online. We look forward to continuing to advocate for doctors, patients, and the profession in 2025. And, if you can, please support our work by becoming a member or donating to our Go Fund Me.

Our chair Ms Helen Fernandes, vice chair Dr Ellen Welch, past co-chair Dr Matt Kneale, Learn Not Blame lead Dr Shonnelly Novintin, and committee member Dr David Nicholl attended the service of thanksgiving.

Dr Nicholl, who met Jenny when they were students, was among the people who spoke at the service at St Paul’s Church in Hammersmith.

Paying an emotional tribute to his friend and colleague, he said: “She was an absolute legend within the DAUK and lobbied for so many colleagues and helped so many colleagues, I don’t know how she did it.

“If we think of the general election and parties talking about reform of whistleblowing legislation, something she has campaigned about for years, that’s part of Jenny’s legacy.

Warm, funny and emotional anecdotes came from Jenny’s family and friends. There was a tribute from David Sellu, who she supported in quashing his conviction for gross negligence manslaughter, while neurology colleagues described her devotion to her patients.

Ms Fernandes said: “The service was a wonderful tribute to Jenny and a chance for so many people to give their thanks.

“Jenny was a force of nature who was absolutely pivotal in founding DAUK, and she’s helped and supported so many people and touched so many lives in a meaningful way.

“Her legacy lives on in DAUK.”

Watch the service again by clicking here.

DAUK’s Dr David Nicholl, her friend and colleague, said: “I first met Jenny when we were both doing PhDs on the genetics of Parkinson’s disease in the 1990s.

“Bizarrely an intellectual passion & curiosity for trying to figure out ‘why something wasn’t right’ in a family tree in our respective PhDs turned out to be directly relevant in our work on injustice.

“She had an innate sense of curiosity and a desire to stand up for those without a voice, and speak with passion and conviction.

“I will miss her wisdom and counsel.

“She was a true friend. When I had a difficult situation to deal with, Jenny was always the person I would turn to.

“Jenny had the biggest heart of anyone I know.

“Our thoughts are with Matt and her sons.”

Ms Helen Fernandes, DAUK co-chair, said: “When I needed help and support during a difficult time Jenny ‘had my back’, sharing with me a resolve and a drive to keep going.

“’When in hell keep walking’ was another motto of hers I often relied on.

“It is an absolute privilege to carry on her work as co-chair of DAUK.

“She has touched so many lives in such meaningful and positive ways.

“Sleep well Jenny.”

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Jenny was a founding member of DAUK, a past chair, and absolutely lived and breathed the Association.

She had a feisty, passionate personality and will be remembered for her tireless work on whistleblowing, on ‘learn not blame’, and on bringing about justice for Dr David Sellu and Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba.

Jenny would help and support anyone who called her, no matter what the injustice, even when she was unwell.

She believed passionately in a fair and just culture in healthcare and we at DAUK will do our very best to continue her work.

We will always remember her mantra, learn not blame.

May she rest in peace.