Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer has been elected as the new chair of the BMA’s England GP Committee (GPC England).

Members of the committee voted for the new chair earlier today, as well as three deputies: Dr David Wrigley, Dr Julius Parker and Dr Samira Anane.

Dr Bramall-Stainer is a GP in Hoddesdon. She has been Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire LMC and Chair of the UK Conference of LMCs since 2019. Prior to this she was a medical director for North West London at Londonwide LMCs and a partner in a practice in Hertfordshire.

On being elected, Dr Bramall-Stainer said: "I am very grateful to GPC England for its support and pay tribute to the outgoing team for their commitment and hard work. As GPC England begins a new chapter, our focus and greatest challenge is to safeguard the very survival of our profession. 

“I will be writing to Rishi Sunak and Steve Barclay in the coming weeks to ask to meet with them to discuss how we can better redistribute investment into the core GP contract, because any other proposal stands to leave our nation’s health and finances much worse off. 

“I look forward to setting out our vision, strategy and plan this Autumn: to restore trust in the patient-doctor relationship; champion GPs' unique role as independent health advocates for our patients and focus on continuity of care - all three improve and lengthen patients’ lives, and sustain our own professional wellbeing too.”

On her election as deputy chair, Dr Samira Anane said: “I would like to give huge thanks to the officer team for their unwavering dedication and hard work over the past few years.

“I am grateful to GPCE and committed to constructively working together as a committee and profession to addressing the challenges ahead.”

Dr David Wrigley, deputy chair of GPC England, said: “I am delighted to have been elected by my colleagues as deputy chair of GPC England. This is a critical time for general practice; the profession is on its knees with unmanageable and unsafe workloads and a woeful lack of investment in the service and our premises. Now is the time for politicians to understand the true scale of the problem and properly invest in NHS general practice so it can provide safe and high-quality patient care.”

Dr Julius Parker, deputy chair of GPC England, said: “I am delighted to have this opportunity to join the GPC England officer team and am grateful to GPCE members for their support.

“The significant challenges facing NHS general practice were well-described by all candidates at this election. I look forward to contributing with colleagues to constructively addressing these, for the benefit of both the profession and patients.”

Dr Kieran Sharrock, who has been acting chair of GPC England since 2022, said: “I would like to congratulate Dr Bramall-Stainer on being elected to chair of GPC England. I look forward to returning to the back bench where I will support Katie and her team in their work to negotiate the contract desperately needed by the profession. I would like to thank the BMA team and the officers who have worked so hard whilst I was acting chair. It has been a privilege to undertake this role.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

The BMA is a professional association and trade union representing and negotiating on behalf of all doctors in the UK. A leading voice advocating for outstanding health care and a healthy population. An association providing members with excellent individual services and support throughout their lives.

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