Candid evidence on sunbeds gives more support to our fight for regulation of the industry

The Assembly’s Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee started hearing evidence yesterday into its inquiry into sunbed use in Wales. And it was certainly powerful evidence for the case FOR regulating the industry.

The mother of teenager Kirsty McRae who suffered 70% burns after using a coin-operated sunbed spoke to the committee of how worrying it is to not know what underlying damage may have been caused to her daughter’s skin, having been exposed to such a substantial dose of UV rays at a very young age. And the 14-year-old was able to use the sunbed without her parents’ knowledge and without anyone checking her age, because the very nature of these coin-operated machines means no members of staff needs to be present.

It’s partly because of cases like Kirsty’s that the committee is holding this inquiry, but it’s a shame that such extreme incidents have to happen, before even an inquiry is held, let alone action taken. As readers of this blog will know only too well, BMA Cymu Wales has campaigned for the tanning industry to be regulated for many years and in our evidence to the committee this is exactly what we’ll be calling for. We really can’t have any more repeat cases like Kirsty’s.

Health Minister’s decision to extend free accommodation for junior doctors indefinitely is great news

It’s been confirmed this afternoon by the Welsh Assembly Government that all first year doctors training in Wales will now benefit from free hospital accommodation INDEFINITELY. This really is great news.

Most junior doctors reading this will no doubt be aware that Health Minister Edwina Hart had previously agreed to extend the provision of free on-site housing for F1 training grade doctors in Wales, until summer 2010. Well, this will now continue for the foreseeable future.

The decision follows the recommendations by an Accommodation Review Group (with strong representation by BMA Cymru Wales) supported by collaborative discussions between BMA Cymru Wales, the postgraduate deanery and the Welsh Assembly Government.

After the requirement for pre-registration doctors to be resident at a hospital was removed from the Medical Act last year, it led to protests by medical students outside the University Hospital of Wales, in Cardiff.

Without this free hospital accommodation, its estimated there would be an additional cost to newly-qualified junior doctors of around £4,800 a year, on top of average student debts of £20,000.

So I do think this decision demonstrates the Welsh Assembly Government's commitment to value the role of junior doctors in the NHS and will help to ensure Wales becomes the destination of choice for medical training. It is testament to the collaborative working between the profession and government as NHS Wales returns to the core principles on which the health service was founded.

The minister clearly recognises the importance of valuing junior staff in Wales. We have severe shortfalls in posts in Wales and this will go some way towards creating the culture which is necessary to attract the best medical talent for the future. This, associated with a number of other initiatives to improve training opportunities and academic medicine and research programmes, will bode well for the future of training in Wales and ultimately for Welsh patients.

BMA Cymru Wales will now continue, via the Accommodation Review Group, to ensure the quality of accommodation for junior doctors in Wales is improved to meet at least basic standards and to press for accommodation that does not, to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

Reminder about GMC Licensing campaign

I thought it important to bring to members’ attention the launch of the next phase of the GMC’s licensing campaign, called ‘Licensing: it’s time to decide’.

The GMC’s been asking registered doctors to confirm whether they wish to hold registration with a licence or registration without a licence when the scheme begins on 16th November 2009.

Having spoken to people in the GMC in Wales, apparently more than half the doctors on the medical register have now confirmed what they would like their status to be from November. So the focus of the next phase of the campaign is on those who’ve not yet made their licensing decision. A letter going out to these doctors over the next few weeks will ask them to confirm their choice before Friday 14th August, so time is fast running out.

There is also a new website called Licensing help, which you might find useful to take a look at. It features cases studies of doctors in different professional situations, as well as support from senior figures within the medical profession, who’ve already made their licensing decisions.

I filled in and sent off my reply indicating my decision after the first letter I received and I have to say it was a painless process but will be a more difficult decision for some, than for others. However, it is a decision we all have to make.

Last chance to have your say and be in with a chance of winning an iPod

Just to remind all F1 doctors in Wales about this blog post.

We would like you to complete our online survey for BMA Cymru Wales' 'Guide to Welsh Hospitals for F1s' publication. In doing so, you will be entered into a draw to win an iPod Classic 80G. The closing date has now been extended to Monday 13th July.

ARM – day four – rounding off with occupational health, tobacco and alcohol debates

To kick off the last session of the BMA’s 2009 ARM conference, members looked at the topic of occupational health, something which has been a pertinent issue at BMA Cymru Wales recently. We’ve been seeking assurances that the future of the Primary Care Support Service (PCSS), which is the ONLY occupational health service for doctors in primary care, will be secured during the NHS reorganisation agenda.

Next – on to motions on the environment, calling on the BMA to do more to highlight the global health risks associated with climate change and to reduce our own carbon footprint. We then turned to the important public health issues of nutrition, exercise and obesity, an area in which Wales faces considerable challenges if we are to address them, particularly childhood obesity. Motions calling for more local recreational facilities (swimming pools, cycle routes etc) remind me that when I get back I must find out how Dr Dai Lloyd AM’s proposed Measure on playing fields is getting on.

The HPV vaccine sparked a valuable and lively debate with conference deciding that the roll-out of the vaccine should be extended to boys not just girls, and that it has been a missed opportunity to vaccinate against other diseases such as genital warts.

Also a subject with high prevalence rates in Wales: drugs and addiction. The topics covered by this set of motions call for minimum unit pricing for alcohol; clearer labelling; a ban on alcohol advertising in the media and the redirection of revenue into prevention and rehabilitation programmes. These motions passed UNANIMOUSLY.

Tobacco also generated a good discussion with motions proposed for all forms of tobacco advertising to be banned, including at the point of sale and another calling for cigarette vending machines to be restricted.

After four days of rigorous and impassioned debate, conference draws to a close and its time to return to Cardiff. The ARM has set BMA policy and determined many of the issues that we will be working on for the next twelve months.

For anyone who wants to see a full webcast and results of the motions debated this week click here.