Dr Iain Kennedy's Avatar

Dr Iain Kennedy

@driainkennedy.bsky.social

Highland Doctor. Chair of The BMA Scottish Council @the-bma.bsky.social

240 Followers  |  288 Following  |  4 Posts  |  Joined: 24.11.2024  |  1.7681

Latest posts by driainkennedy.bsky.social on Bluesky

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πŸ“’ Medical students in Scotland

Have your say on student intake numbers and how it's affected your university experience by taking a few minutes to complete our latest survey πŸ‘‡

forms.office.com/e/BNkE6ZkaiF

05.11.2025 12:28 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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RESIDENT DOCTORS IN SCOTLAND

πŸ—“οΈThe ballot for IA will open one week today

➑️Here’s a reminder of some important steps you can take now

🧡1/4

07.11.2025 15:15 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Scottish Resident Doctors to be Balloted for Strike as Scottish Government Breaks Deal Despite months of negotiations around resident doctors’ pay, it is now unfortunately clear that we have reached a dead end. The Scottish Government appear prepared to – and indeed intend to &…

‼️IMPORTANT UPDATE – RESIDENT DOCTORS IN SCOTLAND

BMA’s Scottish Resident Doctor Committee has voted to enter into formal dispute with the Scottish Gov & plans to ballot members on strike action in the coming weeks

SRDC chair Dr Chris Smith explains why ⬇️

bmascotland.home.blog/2025/10/10/s...

10.10.2025 11:15 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ“£ICYMI πŸ“°

BMA Scotland chair @driainkennedy.bsky.social spoke to
@neilmackay.bsky.social for an in-depth look at the issues facing the NHS πŸ‘‡

Full story here (paywallπŸ’·)
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2550016...

29.09.2025 15:16 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Aviation Medicine Awareness Among GPs in Scotland We are conducting a short, anonymous survey to explore how General Practitioners (GPs) in Scotland approach aviation medicine in clinical practice. This includes your experience advising patients abou...

✈️ Calling all GPs & GP trainees in Scotland!
I’m conducting a short anonymous survey on how GPs handle aviation-related consultations. Takes 5 mins & closes 07/09/25.

πŸ”— docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Please complete the survey & kindly share with GP and GP trainees across Scotland πŸ™

24.08.2025 18:15 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Response to General Practice Workforce Survey - BMA media centre - BMA Press release from BMA Scotland 

πŸ—£οΈβ€œThese figures should do very little to reassure anyone that the crisis in general practice is anywhere near being fixed”

SGPC chair @drimchairsgpc.bsky.social comments on the latest GP workforce data published today

Read the full response πŸ‘‡πŸ‘‡

🧡 1/3

www.bma.org.uk/bma-media-ce...

26.08.2025 14:30 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

🏴󠁧󠁒󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Resident doctors’ leader @chrissmith2211.bsky.social

πŸ—£οΈ β€œThe Scottish Government knows that our members are resolute and united: now is their chance to lead reform and avoid the mistakes made by Whitehall so far in under-estimating how powerful that is.”

🩺 Read more ⬇️⬇️⬇️ @bmascotland.bsky.social

17.07.2025 12:52 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
BMA members and staff are joined by members of the emergency services for a memorial event, 20 years after the 7/7 bombings.

BMA members and staff are joined by members of the emergency services for a memorial event, 20 years after the 7/7 bombings.

Today marks 20 years since the 7/7 bombings struck London.

On that day, 52 people were killed, with many more injured.

We remember all those who lost their lives and were – and continue to be – impacted by the events of that day.
www.bma.org.uk/news-and-opi...

07.07.2025 10:32 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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NHS is 'dying before our eyes', warns doctors' union BMA Scotland sounded the alarm after a new poll revealed the extent of private medical care

NHS is 'dying before our eyes', warns doctors' union
www.scotsman.com/news/politic...

24.06.2025 09:06 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ—£οΈ'Our message to all politicians in the coming months as the Scottish Parliament election approaches is that it is not too late to save the NHS – but we cannot afford to wait another five years for the necessary action.'

@driainkennedy.bsky.social comments in @holyroodmag.bsky.social

Read πŸ‘‡

17.06.2025 15:28 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Stand with your surgery: Please don’t let us burn out I am a GP who genuinely loves her job. It is a challenging but wonderfully rewarding vocation. The team I work with are driven by an incredible desire to do their best for their patients. But to be…

🚨 NEW BLOG

β€˜Please don’t let us burnout’

✍️ Dr Sharon Hamilton writes from personal experience on the β€˜relentless’ pressures GPs are facing - and why full funding restoration is needed
#standwithyoursurgery

Read πŸ‘‡

bmascotland.home.blog/2025/06/19/p...

19.06.2025 11:18 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
SGPC chair Dr Iain Morrison standing outside the Scottish Parliament being interviewed by a journalist with a camera in the foreground

SGPC chair Dr Iain Morrison standing outside the Scottish Parliament being interviewed by a journalist with a camera in the foreground

SGPC chair @drimchairsgpc.bsky.social speaks to ITV Representing Border at the Scottish Parliament after taking part in an evidence session held by @parliament.scot Public Audit Committee in which he outlined the challenges being faced by GPs πŸ‘‡

18.06.2025 11:26 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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The Sunday Show - 15/06/2025 - BBC Sounds News, discussion and interviews from politics and beyond.

πŸ“»β€˜The result of our survey…showed us GPs are absolutely exhausted… We have not enough resource to meet the needs of our patients and services are really suffering’

SGPC chair @drimchairsgpc.bsky.social on BBC's The Sunday Show

Listen back πŸ‘‡ from 1:20:30

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

16.06.2025 15:47 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Letter to Dr Dilip Bhanushali
President, National Indian Medical Association
Sent via email

Dear Dr Bhanushali,
I am writing to express my condolences to the Indian Medical Association on behalf
of the British Medical Association, and to express support for the IMA at this incredibly
difficult time.
I have watched the news of the plane crash in Ahmedabad with great shock and
sadness, as well as the news that the plane struck a doctors’ hostel.
I would ask that you especially communicate this message of support to your members
in the Indian Medical Association Gujarat State Branch, the site of this terrible tragedy,
who will have members and their relatives who have been directly affected, as well as
members who are currently working to treat those injured in the crash.
Of course, a tragedy such as this will have a lasting impact for all of the families and
colleagues of these students, as well as medical students and doctors across the
Gujarat, across India, and across the world.
Our thoughts remain with the IMA and your members after this awful event.
Yours sincerely,
Prof. Phil Banfield
BMA Chair of Council

Letter to Dr Dilip Bhanushali President, National Indian Medical Association Sent via email Dear Dr Bhanushali, I am writing to express my condolences to the Indian Medical Association on behalf of the British Medical Association, and to express support for the IMA at this incredibly difficult time. I have watched the news of the plane crash in Ahmedabad with great shock and sadness, as well as the news that the plane struck a doctors’ hostel. I would ask that you especially communicate this message of support to your members in the Indian Medical Association Gujarat State Branch, the site of this terrible tragedy, who will have members and their relatives who have been directly affected, as well as members who are currently working to treat those injured in the crash. Of course, a tragedy such as this will have a lasting impact for all of the families and colleagues of these students, as well as medical students and doctors across the Gujarat, across India, and across the world. Our thoughts remain with the IMA and your members after this awful event. Yours sincerely, Prof. Phil Banfield BMA Chair of Council

We are deeply saddened by the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad. On behalf of the BMA @drphilbanfield.bsky.social has written to the Indian Medical Association to express our condolences and support at this difficult time.
Our thoughts are with the families, students, doctors, and all those affected.

12.06.2025 16:55 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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β€˜The future feels quite bleak’: Survey reveals unemployment concerns of resident doctors We’d all heard the anecdotes and the rumours: whole cohorts of FY2s not getting into training. Half a rota emigrating to Australia in August. Hundreds of applicants per Clinical Fellow role, includ…

🚨NEW BLOG

β€˜It’s more shocking than we imagined’

SRDC chair @chrissmith2211.bsky.social takes an in-depth look at the themes which emerged in the BMA Scotland survey on resident doctor unemployment

Read here πŸ‘‡

bmascotland.home.blog/2025/06/13/t...

13.06.2025 15:35 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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πŸš¨πŸ“½οΈ NEW STAND WITH YOUR SURGERY VIDEO!

🏴󠁧󠁒󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Find out about the difference our ask for #fullfundingrestoration would make for GPs and patients across Scotland.

πŸ‘€ Have a watch below....

πŸ‘‡πŸ‘‡πŸ‘‡

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05.06.2025 13:15 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Highly skilled doctors leave Scotland in massive brain drain over lack of jobs A new BMA Scotland survey has found that 7 in 10 resident doctors are concerned about unemployment from August.

πŸ—£οΈ'The emerging medical unemployment crisis in Scotland...is by extension a crisis for our NHS and patients'

@chrissmith2211.bsky.social comments on a new BMA Scotland survey which found 7 in 10 resident doctors are concerned about unemployment

Full story πŸ‘‡

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottis...

11.06.2025 09:26 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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DDRB recommendations: Scottish consultant and SAS committee reaction While it may seem a very short time ago that last year’s pay rises started appearing in your payslip, we are now entering back into the whole process for 2025/26.Β  Central to how we procced wi…

🚨NEW BLOG: Scottish Consultant & SAS doctors

Dr Sine Steele & Dr Alan Robertson respond to the DDRB recommendations in their latest blog

πŸ—£οΈOnly by properly investing in the workforce can we hope to begin solving this senior medical staffing crisis

bmascotland.home.blog/2025/05/26/d...

26.05.2025 15:09 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Pay Restoration: The Scottish Government must do better than the same-old DDRB I’ll cut to the chase: 4% and a paltry cash sum would be nowhere near good enough for Scottish resident doctors.Β  The DDRB has recommended that our resident doctor colleagues in England, Wales…

πŸ“£ β€˜The Scottish Resident Doctor Committee in Scotland is clear: Full Pay Restoration is a principle that we will not abandon’

SRDC chair @chrissmith2211.bsky.social responds to the DDRB pay recommendation

Read more πŸ‘‡

bmascotland.home.blog/2025/05/22/p...

23.05.2025 10:36 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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BMA Scotland responds to DDRB recommendations - BMA media centre - BMA Press release from BMA Scotland

πŸ—£οΈ β€˜Investing sufficiently and strongly in the medical workforce both now and for the future is as vital as it has ever been’

Chair @driainkennedy.bsky.social comments on the DDRB pay award recommendation today

Read the full response πŸ‘‡πŸ‘‡

www.bma.org.uk/bma-media-ce...

22.05.2025 15:20 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ“£'Across the four nations of the UK, general practice is crumbling'

πŸ“„Read this new report which spells out why it is so important that GPs are properly valued πŸ‘‡

08.05.2025 13:59 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Doctors gathered with signs calling for action on the GP unemployment crisis.

Doctors gathered with signs calling for action on the GP unemployment crisis.

GP unemployment is having a devastating impact on GPs and patients.

Today at #UKLMC2025 we gathered to call for urgent action to end this crisis.

We need the additional funding to get GPs into work NOW.

08.05.2025 13:57 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
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GPs: #UKLMC2025 @BMA_GP

Please consider donating to @TheCameronFund

Helping GPs and their families in times of need - it could be you or me.

Dr Rob Barnett has made it easy for you ⬇️⬇️⬇️

08.05.2025 15:27 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
We're calling for urgent and decisive action by the Governments of the UK to show they know the value of GPs.

We're calling for urgent and decisive action by the Governments of the UK to show they know the value of GPs.

A blue image shows the BMA's new report: The Value of a GP

A blue image shows the BMA's new report: The Value of a GP

πŸ“£ The Value of a GP
We've made it very clear: general practice is vital to a healthy NHS.

This new BMA report lays out the evidence – economic, clinical, and human – that shows why GPs are essential. Continuity of care is the remedy.

Read here πŸ‘‰ cdn.intelligencebank.com/eu/share/qMb...

08.05.2025 11:03 β€” πŸ‘ 24    πŸ” 15    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 3
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Spring pensions update for doctors in Scotland My last pensions blog was at the end of 2024.Β  I’ve been holding off in issuing another one in the hope that I could report good news and that everything was sorted with the McCloud Remedy but sadl…

❗NEW BLOG: Pensions update

With statements now going out, an update on issues including:
πŸ‘‰Delays to RPSS
πŸ‘‰Inaccuracies in ABS-RSS
πŸ‘‰Concerns about the level of service being provided by the SPPA
πŸ‘‰Practitioner contributions

Read the blog here πŸ‘‡

bmascotland.home.blog/2025/04/17/s...

17.04.2025 14:30 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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BMA are considering next steps after a disappointing ruling from the High Court in our case against the GMC for blurring the lines between doctors and physician associates.

Full statement πŸ‘‡ @drphilbanfield.bsky.social
bma.org.uk/bma-media-ce...

17.04.2025 10:27 β€” πŸ‘ 28    πŸ” 11    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 4
Front cover of a BMA report, titled: "BMA Reporting Portal Submissions. Physician Associated and Anaesthesia Associates."

Front cover of a BMA report, titled: "BMA Reporting Portal Submissions. Physician Associated and Anaesthesia Associates."

Introduction to the report, by Professor Phil Banfield.

Introduction to the report, by Professor Phil Banfield.

We have published a report compiling the shocking testimonies of doctors who have witnessed unsafe practice by PAs and AAs. Patients are being let down by the repeated failures of NHS leaders to keep them safe.

Read the full report here: www.bma.org.uk/media/p13lea...

03.04.2025 10:15 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 4
Dr Iain Morrison standing in front of a lecture theatre screen which shows a slide saying 'Where to now?'

Dr Iain Morrison standing in front of a lecture theatre screen which shows a slide saying 'Where to now?'

Busy evening for SGPC chair @drimchairsgpc.bsky.social
speaking to GPs in Fife last night

You can also find out more about 'Where to now?' for GPs in Scotland by reading the latest blog from the SGPC team πŸ‘‡

bmascotland.home.blog/2025/04/01/b...

02.04.2025 13:40 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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BMA Scotland GP update: Audit Scotland report, NI rises and Cabinet Secretary meeting General Practice is currently operating in the most challenging circumstances of a generation. Last week’s Audit Scotland report set out exactly why, in bleak detail. But, at the BMA’s SGPC committ…

‼️NEW BLOG: GPs in Scotland - read the latest update from the SGPC team covering:

➑️ Audit Scotland GP report reaction
➑️ Impact of National Insurance increases
➑️ Meeting with Cabinet Secretary

Read here to find out all the details πŸ‘‡

bmascotland.home.blog/2025/04/01/b...

01.04.2025 14:30 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Drivetime - 31/03/2025 - BBC Sounds Breaking down the days talking points with comment and opinion.

πŸ“»β€˜It’s good we are talking about a plan…but we are very sceptical that this is going to make any difference’

BMA Scotland chair @driainkennedy.bsky.social spoke to
BBC Radio Scotland on the Scottish Government’s latest plan for the NHS

Listen back πŸ‘‡ from 1:07:16

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

01.04.2025 10:47 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

@driainkennedy is following 20 prominent accounts