A new treasurer and deputy chair of the BMA representative body have been elected by members at the ARM.

GP Peter Holden is now the association’s treasurer while specialty doctor Clodagh Corrigan was voted in as the new deputy chair of the BMA’s representative body.

In assuming their new roles, both pledged to stand up for all members in the fight for doctors’ interests.

Dr Holden takes over from Trevor Pickersgill, who has served in the role since December 2018.

Outside of his clinical and BMA work, Dr Holden has worked in a number of roles including as a board member, company director and charity trustee, serving on risk, audit, finance, governance and remuneration committees within these positions.

He has played a key role in a number of important initiatives including the finance and infrastructure components of the 2004 GP contract and designing the 2018 Scottish GP premises buyout scheme.

Dr Holden said that he wanted to see a strong and united BMA, one that would allow members to speak with a single voice ‘to defend our professionalism while securing better services for patients’.

He said: ‘We must not allow ourselves to be divided. We have to look for novel opportunities to work more efficiently. But that does not mean less, it means better.’

Having served as chair of her local LMC, deputy chair of the BMA Northern Ireland council and as a member of the SAS UK conference agenda committee, Clodagh Corrigan has succeeded Amit Kocchar, who has become the BMA’s new RB chair.

Describing herself as ‘small but mighty’, Dr Corrigan pledged to champion equality and inclusion and transparency within the BMA.

She said: ‘I will represent every member. I'm passionate about defending equality, diversity and inclusivity in the face of global onslaught against difference. ARM, under me and under Amit as his deputy, we will reflect this. I will drive forward a transparent process within our ARM and our association.’