It’s almost time for this year’s annual junior doctors’ conference. An opportunity for you to contribute to and shape BMA policy to make sure it reflects the needs of junior doctors.

This year the conference will cover a wide range of motions on issues including education and training, environmental sustainability, health and wellbeing of pregnant doctors and pay.

In my opinion, it’s really important the conference allows grassroots members to shape the BMA’s policies and hold our leadership to account. I know that many junior doctors, who are not members, are deeply frustrated with working conditions.

I also know that some haven’t felt that their voice has been heard or adequately represented in the past. This is why I wanted to be involved in organising the conference and help change this.

The junior doctors’ conference agenda committee has been working to bring about changes to make this year’s conference truly representative of all members. For example, we have made sure that half of the agenda is directly voted for by grassroots junior doctors. We are not shying away from putting controversial motions into the main agenda.

We have been trying to increase publicity about the conference so we can engage better with the rank and file of our union.

I am excited to see the conference becoming more representative of the needs of junior doctors. I hope members will get more out of it as a result.

Looking forward, I see the BMA being a stronger union, leading the way in improving working conditions for NHS workers, and fighting tooth and nail for the health of all who live in the UK.

To make sure this happens, it needs grassroots members to be involved, trying to make change happen. So, if you want to bring out real change and ensure the BMA reflects the needs of junior doctors, get involved, come to conference and let’s work together to change things.

Joanna Sutton-Klein is agenda committee member for the junior doctors’ conference.