The Welsh council ensures the voices of the medical profession in Wales are heard.
Our priorities
The focus of the BMA Welsh council follows the three key aims of the UK council. These are:
- keeping the public healthy
- valuing current and future doctors and supporting them and how they work in a pressurised environment
- health services that deliver excellent care and address current pressures.
Our people
Chair: Dr Iona Collins
Deputy chair: Dr Phil White
Representatives for consultants
Simon Hodder (WLNCF Chair)
Stephen Kelly (WCC Chair)
Amol Pandit (Mid and West Wales)
Iona Collins (Mid and West Wales)
Vivek Goel (South East Wales)
Representatives for GPs
Gareth Oelmann (GPCW Chair)
Philip White (North Wales)
Ian Harris (South East Wales)
Evan Sun (South East Wales)
Representatives for resident doctors
Oba Babs-Osibodu (WRDC chair)
Imogen John (South East Wales)
Deiniol Jones (South East Wales)
Thomas Grother (South East Wales)
Representatives for SAS doctors
Ali Nazir (WSASC chair)
Michelle Hatch (North Wales)
Julie Jones (North Wales)
Kodali Prasad (South East Wales)
Representatives for students
Fatemeh Tajdin (WMSC chair)
Representatives for public health doctors
John Watkins (WCPHM chair)
Michael Thomas (Mid and West Wales)
Representatives for retired members
Jay Nankani (North Wales)
Other
Martyn Bracewell (North Wales)
UK Council representatives (non-voting)
David Bailey
Gabrielle Jee
Philip Banfield
Our meetings
Welsh council meets four times a year, with meetings open to Welsh council members.
Meeting dates:
- Thurs 03 October 2024
- Thurs 16 January 2025
- Thurs 27 March 2025
- Thurs 12 June 2025
All meetings take place between 10.30am and 4.30pm and are held virtually or at:
BMA Cymru Wales
5th Floor
2 Caspian Point
Caspian Way
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff
CF10 4DQ
The executive committee of Welsh council (comprising the chair of Welsh council, and branch of practice committee chairs) meet on an ad hoc basis to deal with urgent business between these times.
Our terms of reference
To consider any and all matters of specific relevance to the medical profession and healthcare in Wales. Welsh council shall determine policy and action where the application is exclusive to Wales.
Welsh council (whether carrying delegated powers or not) shall take all reasonable steps to implement policy decisions of the association and no action shall be taken by Welsh council or any sub-committee, which may affect materially the interests of another part of the profession without full prior consultation with the parties concerned.
With voting rights: the chairs of the Welsh consultants committee, General practitioner committee Wales, Welsh staff grades and associate specialists committee, Welsh committee for public health medicine and community health, Welsh residents doctors committee, forum of Welsh local negotiating committees, and Welsh medical students committee.
Without voting rights: the president of the BMA, chair of UK council, chair of the representative body, the treasurer and members of UK council whose electoral zone is Wales, limited to the duration of their UK office and while having a registered address in Wales.
With voting rights: 15 directly-elected members who shall, by the application of electoral constraints, broadly reflect the distribution of the profession in Wales between:
- those engaged or employed wholly or mainly in the following nine professional groupings: general practice, hospital consultants, staff grade doctors and associate specialists, doctors in training grades, academic medicine and/or research, medical students, public and community health medicine, retired members, and armed forces members plus those members in practice but not covered by the other specified professional groupings; and
- the three principal geographical regions of Wales, namely North Wales, Mid and West Wales, and South East Wales; together with up to three co-opted members who shall offer Welsh council such ongoing expertise that cannot otherwise be met by the ex-officio and directly elected membership.
Without voting rights: a number, to be determined by Welsh council, of observer members.
How to join the Welsh council
There are many advantages to becoming involved in our committees. You can actively influence BMA policy-making and negotiations, represent your colleagues' voices and develop your leadership skills.
Each committee has a few routes to becoming an elected member. In the case of Welsh council, these are:
- Seats/term - every three years, elections for 15 seats on Welsh council take place for a three-session term.
- Timeline - elections are usually held prior the start of the session.
- Eligibility - all BMA members who work and live in Wales are eligible to stand and vote in this election.
The election section below is kept up to date with details about any running elections, so make sure you keep checking it throughout the year.
Elections
Elections to Welsh council have now concluded.
Get in touch
We are happy to answer any queries, give advice or help on any matter related to Welsh council.
Write to:
BMA Cymru Wales
5th Floor, 2 Caspian Point
Caspian Way
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff
CF10 4DQ
Telephone: 029 2047 4646
Fax: 029 2047 4600
Email: [email protected]