{{Short description|British doctor}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}} {{Use British English|date=May 2022}} '''Hamish Meldrum''' (born 1948) is a British doctor who worked as a general practitioner and was Chair of the Council of the British Medical Association (BMA) from 2007 to 2012. He took this role on after being Chair of the BMA's General Practitioners Committee (GPC) from 2004 to 2007.
==Early life== Meldrum was born in 1948 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He lived in Aberdeen for seven years, then moved to Stirling where he attended Stirling High School.<ref name="Herald 2012">{{cite news |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13060007.profile-doctors-leader/ |title=Profile of doctors' leader |work=The Herald |location=Glasgow |date=1 June 2012 |access-date=1 May 2022}}</ref>
==Career== Meldrum graduated from Edinburgh Medical School in 1972, then worked as a GP in Yorkshire.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.bmj.com/content/336/7638/s38 |title=15 minutes with… The chairman of the BMA Council |first1=Steven|last1=Gresham |first2=Menaka|last2=Jegatheesan |journal=BMJ|date=2 February 2008 |volume=336 |issue=7638 |pages=s38 |doi=10.1136/bmj.39471.710301.7D |s2cid=79833685 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
He joined the BMA's General Practitioners Committee (GPC) in 1991.<ref name="Herald 2012"/> He chaired the GPC from 2004 to 2007.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.gponline.com/meldrum-leads-charge/article/932552 |title=Meldrum leads the charge |work=GP Online |date=14 June 2007 |access-date=1 May 2022}}</ref>
Meldrum was elected as chair of BMA council in 2007.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.bmj.com/content/335/7609/15.9 |first=Zosia |last=Kmietowicz |title=Hamish Meldrum elected BMA chairman |journal=BMJ |date=5 July 2007 |volume=335 |issue=15 |pages=15.9–15 |doi=10.1136/bmj.39262.570093.DB|pmid=17616096 |pmc=1910661 }}</ref> Among the first issues that he was faced with was the troubled introduction of a new system for junior doctors to be selected for training posts - Medical Training Application Service (MTAS).<ref name="Herald 2007">{{cite news |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/default_content/12781013.doctors-feel-siege-culture-controls/ |title=Doctors 'feel under siege from culture of controls' |work=The Herald |date=2 August 2007 |access-date=2 May 2022}}</ref> He spoke out against private finance initiative (PFI) schemes in the NHS, citing waste and inefficiency.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2009/jun/29/bma-conference-chairmans-speech |title=Doctors' leader denounces government health reforms |first=Owen |last=Bowcott |work=The Guardian |date=29 June 2009 |access-date=2 May 2022}}</ref> In response to the unlawful killing of David Gray by an out-of-hours locum doctor, Meldrum supported the position that practicing doctors should be competent, including having the necessary language skills.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2010/jun/28/foreign-doctors-must-speak-english |title=Foreign doctors need adequate English and better regulation, says BMA chief |first=Mark |last=Tran |work=The Guardian |date=28 June 2010 |access-date=2 May 2022}}</ref> He led doctors into industrial action over pension issues.<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqJiSL5T6AE |title=BMA Conference 2012 - Dr Hamish Meldrum |publisher=British Medical Association |date=26 June 2012 |access-date=1 May 2022}}</ref> He also spoke out against aspects of Andrew Lansley's Health and Social Care Bill.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2011/05/23/interview-bmas-hamish-meldrum/ |title=Interview: BMA's Hamish Meldrum |publisher=Politics.co.uk |date=23 May 2011 |access-date=14 April 2023}}</ref>
In March 2011, Meldrum retired from his practice in Bridlington, East Yorkshire.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/special/power-50/08-dr-hamish-meldrum/ |title=Special > Power 50 > 08. Dr Hamish Meldrum |work=Pulse |date=28 August 2012 |access-date=1 May 2022}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meldrum, Hamish}} Category:1948 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century British medical doctors Category:21st-century British medical doctors Category:Chairs of the Council of the British Medical Association Category:People educated at Stirling High School Category:British general practitioners Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Medical School