Background
Dr Sarah Benn became the first doctor to be suspended for taking part in non-violent climate protests recently after the GMC referred her to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS). Sarah had been arrested and then imprisoned for three weeks for holding a sign which read "Stop New Oil" on a road outside an oil refinery which had obtained a private injunction against protest. Under current GMC rules anyone issued a prison sentence or a suspended prison sentence is automatically referred for review by the MPTS.
The MPTS subsequently suspended Dr Benn for 5 months, claiming that her actions had undermined the public's trust in the medical profession and in her as a doctor, despite no evidence to this effect having been submitted during the tribunal hearing.
The ruling has been widely criticised within and outside the medical world, with groups including the BMA, UKHACC, DAUK and Greener Practice penning letters to the GMC expressing their alarm at the ruling.
Support
If you would like to support Dr Benn and other doctors who face fitness to practice tribunals for actions of conscience to protect public health, please consider the following actions:
- Sign and share this petition,
- Download and fill this GMC complaints form and email it to feedback@gmc-uk.org
- Ask that they adjust their guidance to ensure that suspended sentences and custodial sentences for engaging in nonviolent direct action (NVDA) in the pursuit of patient safety & welfare will not automatically result in referral to the MPTS. You may also wish to ask that the GMC take other actions to strengthen their current weak response to the climate and ecological emergency. These would include: Amending their net zero strategy to make it more ambitious, ensuring full divestment of their financial portfolio to include moving to an ethical bank, and amending 'Duties of a doctor' to mandate carbon literacy and sustainable practice amongst doctors,
- Read and share this Twitter thread that outlines the above actions and signposts to letters of support written by the BMA, UKHACC and DAUK,
- Take part in this GMC consultation (deadline 20th May) - Note, you don’t need to fill out the rest of the consultation regarding PAs/AAs to comment on this one aspect. The most relevant question is Q19 and it is possible to answer only this question,
- Complete and share this survey created by DAUK.
Thank you for your support.
Thankyou Alice for posting this. It is really important that we stand behind Dr Benn, Dr Hart, Dr Warner and every healthcare practitioner 'punished' for standing up for what is right.
its absolutely disgraceful that our professional bodies are not supporting healthcare professionals when we know climate breakdown is going to hurt and kill so many patients. The professional bodies should be leading the battle to get proper adaptation, mitigation and support put in place to reduce the harm from the impacts we know will be affecting us all. Shame on those bodies who are not only failing to protect patients but actively trying to shut down the whistleblowers who are raising the issues.
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