UK doctors involved in climate protests face threat of being struck off

[Social Media]

 

The intersection of activism and professional responsibilities has come to the fore as several UK doctors involved in climate protests face the threat of being struck off from practicing medicine. Dr. Sarah Benn, a GP near Birmingham, found herself embroiled in this dilemma after her involvement in climate activism led to a series of criminal convictions. Despite her transparency about these convictions, she now faces a tribunal by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) to determine her fitness to practice.

 

Benn's case is not isolated, as other doctors, like Dr. Patrick Hart from Bristol, have also been targeted for their activism. Hart, who received a suspended prison sentence for his involvement in climate protests, rejected warnings from the GMC and faces a tribunal as well. This situation raises questions about the boundaries between personal beliefs, activism, and professional obligations for medical practitioners.

 

 

While the GMC asserts that doctors have the right to hold personal political opinions and engage in activism, a custodial sentence following a criminal conviction mandates referral to the MPTS. This process, designed to assess a doctor's fitness to practice independently of the GMC, has now become a battleground where the activism of medical professionals is scrutinized.

 

For Benn and Hart, their activism is deeply intertwined with their roles as healthcare providers. They see themselves as trusted messengers in addressing the existential threat posed by the climate crisis. Benn, in particular, hopes that the GMC will recognize the importance of her actions and develop guidance for the medical profession on activism.

 

However, the looming threat of losing their professional licenses hangs over them, casting a shadow on their future as doctors. Despite this, both Benn and Hart remain steadfast in their belief that activism has enhanced their ability to practice medicine with compassion and a long-term perspective.

 

Their cases highlight the evolving dynamics between professional responsibilities and advocacy in the medical field. As the climate crisis intensifies, the role of healthcare professionals in addressing societal issues becomes increasingly significant, raising important questions about the limits and responsibilities of activism within the medical profession.

 

17.03.24

Source

 

[thaibeachlovers]

IMO parading around in a shirt saying "just stop oil" marks one as an idiot, and if any doctors think that is a sensible thing they are suspect of being too stupid to practice.

 

Imagine if their wish came true and oil stopped tomorrow. By Christmas most of human life would have ended, given that oil is used to grow most of the food we eat, and make the medicine they prescribe.

[thaibeachlovers]

10 hours ago, Social Media said:

 

I have to assume that the woman in the photo is Benn, and if she thinks wearing a medical uniform while demonstrating against something that most of us need is a good idea, IMO she deserves to be arrested for impersonating a professional medical person.

[transam]

Bunch of fruitcakes, risk their future doing daft stuff, when they could do their protesting in a more ration way.......🤔

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO she deserves to be arrested for impersonating a professional medical person.

She is a Doctor, that's what the story is about.

[Dolf]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO parading around in a shirt saying "just stop oil" marks one as an idiot, and if any doctors think that is a sensible thing they are suspect of being too stupid to practice.

 

Imagine if their wish came true and oil stopped tomorrow. By Christmas most of human life would have ended, given that oil is used to grow most of the food we eat, and make the medicine they prescribe.

Many many uses of oil. These "quacks" should be struck off.

[Dolf]

"Modern health care relies on petroleum products that have few substitutes. Plastics are used in a wide-range of medical devices and petrochemicals are relied on for pharmaceuticals. Products include hospital equipment, IV bags, aspirin, antihistamines, artificial limbs, dentures, hearing aids, heart valves and many more."

 

https://www.capp.ca/oil/uses-for-oil/

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO parading around in a shirt saying "just stop oil" marks one as an idiot, and if any doctors think that is a sensible thing they are suspect of being too stupid to practice.

 

Imagine if their wish came true and oil stopped tomorrow. By Christmas most of human life would have ended, given that oil is used to grow most of the food we eat, and make the medicine they prescribe.

I thought medical school and exams were the means to determine if someone has the smarts to be a doctor..

[jak2002003]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

IMO parading around in a shirt saying "just stop oil" marks one as an idiot, and if any doctors think that is a sensible thing they are suspect of being too stupid to practice.

 

Imagine if their wish came true and oil stopped tomorrow. By Christmas most of human life would have ended, given that oil is used to grow most of the food we eat, and make the medicine they prescribe.

Please don't grow your food in oil. That's not gonna be healthy to eat. 

[Chomper Higgot]

20 minutes ago, Dolf said:

"Modern health care relies on petroleum products that have few substitutes. Plastics are used in a wide-range of medical devices and petrochemicals are relied on for pharmaceuticals. Products include hospital equipment, IV bags, aspirin, antihistamines, artificial limbs, dentures, hearing aids, heart valves and many more."

 

https://www.capp.ca/oil/uses-for-oil/

Yep, lots of valuable products made from oil.

 

Every drop burned can’t be put to those good uses.

[jak2002003]

21 minutes ago, Dolf said:

"Modern health care relies on petroleum products that have few substitutes. Plastics are used in a wide-range of medical devices and petrochemicals are relied on for pharmaceuticals. Products include hospital equipment, IV bags, aspirin, antihistamines, artificial limbs, dentures, hearing aids, heart valves and many more."

 

https://www.capp.ca/oil/uses-for-oil/

That's the problem. 

 

We need to find alternatives to oil 

 

Anyway they amount tod oil used in these medical things is insignificant compared to the environmental impacts of oil used for fuel, for example.

[Dolf]

Just now, jak2002003 said:

That's the problem. 

 

We need to find alternatives to oil 

 

Anyway they amount tod oil used in these medical things is insignificant compared to the environmental impacts of oil used for fuel, for example.

In your opinion

[Dolf]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Yep, lots of valuable products made from oil.

 

Every drop burned can’t be put to those good uses.

A lot of these nutters want to stop oil mining completely.

[jak2002003]

Just now, Dolf said:

In your opinion

Um... Obviously. What was the point of that comment 🤣

[Chomper Higgot]

Just now, Dolf said:

A lot of these nutters want to stop oil mining completely.

Is that even true?

[stevenl]

5 minutes ago, jak2002003 said:

That's the problem. 

 

We need to find alternatives to oil 

 

Anyway they amount tod oil used in these medical things is insignificant compared to the environmental impacts of oil used for fuel, for example.

The main thing ATM is stopping the subsidies to the oil industry.

 

https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2023/08/24/fossil-fuel-subsidies-surged-to-record-7-trillion

Edited March 17 by stevenl

[Dolf]

3 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Is that even true?

Duh

[Chomper Higgot]

3 minutes ago, Dolf said:

Duh

Oh, it’s a slogan on a T-shirt.

 

Lol

[Dolf]

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Oh, it’s a slogan on a T-shirt.

 

Lol

In the story itself 

[Chomper Higgot]

Me thinks the GMC is digging a hole it needs to get out of.

 

First step, stop digging.

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Oh, it’s a slogan on a T-shirt.

 

Lol

You used to be good at trolling.

 

Sad to say, some might cheer though, you are losing your touch.

[Dolf]

Just now, Chomper Higgot said:

Me thinks the GMC is digging a hole it needs to get out of.

 

First step, stop digging.

 

 

Or stop drilling for oil hey.

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

You used to be good at trolling.

 

Sad to say, some might cheer though, you are losing your touch.

Do you have a contribution to the topic of discussion?

[youreavinalaff]

16 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Do you have a contribution to the topic of discussion?

Yes, I just made it.

[Rampant Rabbit]

Pity they cant give you an appointment for 3  weeks too busy protesting I  guess, friend in  the UK recently hurt his leg  falling off his push bike, it got swollen after a few  days, tried to book an appointment......3  weeks  later  finally saw a doctor who  sent him to A&E, 25 hours on a hard  chair then transferred to a reclining chair  with drip in  until got a bed then 6 days in hospital where they almost amputated  his  leg.

[Rampant Rabbit]

55 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I thought medical school and exams were the means to determine if someone has the smarts to be a doctor..

some of the smartest people I know couldnt cross the road. I used to work for a lot of them years  ago. Professors lovely people but  yeah .......

[stevenl]

3 minutes ago, Rampant Rabbit said:

Pity they cant give you an appointment for 3  weeks too busy protesting I  guess, friend in  the UK recently hurt his leg  falling off his push bike, it got swollen after a few  days, tried to book an appointment......3  weeks  later  finally saw a doctor who  sent him to A&E, 25 hours on a hard  chair then transferred to a reclining chair  with drip in  until got a bed then 6 days in hospital where they almost amputated  his  leg.

This is related how to activities of medical professionals in their off time?

[Rampant Rabbit]

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

This is related how to activities of medical professionals in their off time?

dunno dont  care

[300sd]

The climate agenda has nothing to do with the climate. Vivek Ramaswamy

[stoner]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Oh, it’s a slogan on a T-shirt.

 

Lol

 

well then by that logic so is MAGA right ? it's just a slogan on a hat.