Medact

Paper crane folding day for Hiroshima commemoration
2016-08-16 10:30 - 12:00 (Europe/London)
To be held at Jesmond Library St Georges Terrace Jesmond Newcastle upon Tyne

Nuclear Convoy meeting
2016-07-31 10:00 (Europe/London)
At Broad Acre House Market St Newcastle upon Tyne

Humanity in Healthcare - Training the Trainer
2016-07-14 09:00 - 13:30 (Europe/London)
The Medact Refugee Solidarity Group, in partnership with Doctors of the World UK, are currently working on an education project to deliver access to healthcare training in universities and workplaces across the UK. We are hoping to form a collective of healthcare students and professionals who can undergo training and then deliver this across the country. Anna Miller, Right to Care project lead from DOTW, will be delivering this training to Medact members. This will include a three hour training session and time for tea/coffee and chance to discuss getting involved with the Medact Refugee Solidarity group. We need to have a rough idea of numbers so if interested please confirm attendance via refugeesolidarity@medact.org. If you are unable to make the training but keen to get involved we are also holding our next meeting the same evening, at 6.30pm. Look forward to seeing you there. Medact Refugee Solidarity Group

Launch of Shale Gas Production in England Report
2016-07-07 10:00 - 12:00 UTC
Medact are launching an update of our 2015 report Health and Fracking. Since the release of the first teport over 350 new peer reviewed studies have been published, with significant implications for health locally, and climate change globe.
Dr David McCoy. Director of Medact, and Professor John Middleton, in-coming President of the Faculty of Public Health, will present the findings of an updated analysis of available evidence, and be available for questions.

This is an update of Medact’s 2015 report Health and Fracking.
Since the first report was released Medact’s director David McCoy has provided expert witness testimony to the public inquiry into fracking in Lancashire.
The launch will take place in the same week that the Secretary of State Greg Clark will receive a recommendation from Wendy McKay, the inspector who chaired the inquiry into fracking in Lancashire, on whether to overrule the local planning decision regarding Cuadrilla’s application to explore for shale gas.
We are currently awaiting release of a report by the Committee on Climate Change about the implications of fracking for climate change.

The event is free to attend but spaces are limited so please register.
Read the report: Shale Gas Production in England – an updated public health assessment

Blair Protest - Chilcot: Time for Truth and Justice
2016-07-06 10:00 - 12:00 (Europe/London)
After a seven year wait the Chilcot Report is finally going to be published on June 6th. Despite its astounding length (2.3 million words) it is highly likely that it will fall short of an outright condemnation of the Iraq war and fail to apportion blame to those who were truly responsible for the catastrophe. We are joining this protest on the day of publication outside the QEII Centre to demand #IraqTruthAndJustice

Tracking Health Through Peace
2016-07-04 18:00 - 20:00 (Europe/London)
Medact and Queen Mary University London (QMUL) are holding an event called ‘Tracking Health Through Peace‘ on July 4.
The panel discussion and Q&A will be held at the Morris Lecture Theatre in the Robin Brooke Centre, from 6-8pm. We are offering a limited number of free tickets to people who email us at healthpeace@medact.org ! The discussion will be based around the latest report from the Global Peace Index, which is the world’s pre-eminent think tank measuring peace. There is a growing global inequality in peace, and low peace levels have a profound impact on health systems and health indicators. Academics and campaigners working on peace and health will be tying in this latest research on peace levels with national health indicators. They will also discuss the development and importance of the movement for peace in the health community.
Speakers:

Helen Tanner, Global Peace Index Ambassador

Dr Frank Boulton, Medact trustee and medical academic

Dr Helen Leveret, Medact Refugee Solidarity Group

Ben Clavey, Medact Arms Control Group

Chaired by Dr Jonathan Kennedy from Queen Mary University London (QMUL)
To register, please visit: https://www.tickettailor.com/buy-tickets/57950/6ae6 An event poster is also available: here Please do promote this event in any way you can – on social media or via your various networks. We use #healthpeace for all Health Through Peace events and campaigns.

Health and Fracking Masterclass
2016-06-10 11:00 - 16:30 UTC
The prospect of unconventional shale gas production through hydraulic fracturing has become a contentious public health issue worldwide. Medact are organising this masterclass in partnership with the Faculty of Public Health, the aim of which is to provide an opportunity for public health professionals to learn about the process of high volume hydraulic fracturing for shale gas production, the role that shale gas may play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and the social, economic and health impacts of shale gas production.
Listen to audio recordings from the event:

Speakers
Dr David McCoy, Dr Patrick Saunders, Dr Jo Hawkins, Dr Grant Allen, Professor John Middleton, Professor David Smythe, Professor Ernest Rutter, Professor Simon Capewell
Programme
11:00 Welcome and Introductions, Alice Munro
11:15 Overview of Fracking and its impact on health, Dr David McCoy
11:50 Risk to human health from direct exposures to hazards, Dr Patrick Saunders, followed by questions
12:30 Lunch
13:15 Fracking and Regulatory Issues, Dr Jo Hawkins
14:00 Climate change Impacts of Fracking: Emerging science from the USA and the potential for translation to the UK, Dr Grant Allen
14:45 Coffee break
15:00 Panel discussion: Uncertainties Regarding Health and Fracking Chair: John Middleton. Prof. David Smythe, Prof. Ernest Rutter and Prof Simon Capewell
16:30 Close
17:00 Drinks at Three Tuns, Lee Croft, Sheffield

Health Needs of Forced Migrants
2016-05-27 09:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London)
Medact Member Sophie North is on the organising committee for the following conference at the University of East Anglia. For more info contact Sophie or email migranthealth@uea.ac.uk
Do you work with Asylum Seekers, Refugees, Individuals who have been Trafficked and People from other Migrant Groups?
Are you interested in providing support to individuals from such communities?
If so, we would like to inform you about a very exciting upcoming conference at the University of East Anglia on the 27th of May 2016.
This conference is bringing together many of the leaders in this field to offer unique and exciting training and networking opportunities to delegates on how best to support asylum seekers, unaccompanied asylum seeking children, refugees, individuals who have been trafficked and people from other migrant groups.
Key Note Speakers include:

Maurice Wren, Chief Executive of The Refugee Council
Alex Fraser, Head of Refugee Support at the British Red Cross
Dr Angela Burnett, Lead Doctor, London Clinic of Freedom from Torture
Andrew Keefe, Director of National Clinical Services, Freedom from Torture
Gervais Koulungou-Mambs, British Red Cross, Norwich
A panel of ‘Experts by Experience’ from across the globe

An array of workshops will allow delegates time to explore areas which are of particular relevance to their field of work.
Workshops include:

Supporting survivors of human trafficking, Dr Sian Oram, Lecturer in Women’s Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences, Kings College London
Honour Based Violence, Bal Howard, Suffolk Constabulary
Working with Survivors of Torture, Dr Frank Arnold, Medact
Exploring the Mental Health Needs of Forced Migrant Groups, Professor Cornelius Katona, Medical Director of the Helen Bamber Foundation
Addressing Sexual Health in Migrant Groups, Samantha Gilliham, Doctors of the World
Supporting Pregnant Asylum Seeking Women, Rosalind Bragg, Director of Maternity Action
Supporting Asylum Seeking Children, Clare Shortall, Family Clinic Lead, Doctors of the World
“No choices about me without me” Hearing Voices from a panel of Experts by Experience
Working across languages, Nicky Glegg, Translation Consultant

Places cost £120 or £80 for students and charities. To secure a place please book now at https://www.uea.ac.uk/medicine-health-sciences/continuing-professional-development/mhc

Health Through Peace Cornwall
2016-05-14 10:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London)
Medact believes that health professionals have an important role to play in working towards peace and a more sustainable idea of security. In November 2015, we ran the ‘Health Through Peace’ conference which saw 700 members of the health community come together to discuss the impact of war, violence and militarism on health. Since then, a growing group of health students and professionals have been taking forward the energy and vision of this conference, campaigning on issues from refugee rights and healthcare, to nuclear weapons and the arms trade. We want to engage with members of the health community alongside peace and social activists across the UK, to discuss how we can build and strengthen the health through peace movement over the coming months and years. We need to harness our collective skills and energy, and work together to be effective drivers of a strong and sustainable movement for peace. At the Health Through Peace Workshop in Truro on May 14, 2016 we will be discussing how we can build a progressive movement for peace in the health community there. All are welcome – join us to plan how we can work together towards a more peaceful, healthier world. Register your place here! Facilitated by Medact, and Helen Tanner Training and Consultancy.

Medact London Launch - film night screening 'The Divide'
2016-05-05 18:30 - 21:00 (Europe/London)
Medact members in London are joining together to form a local group! To celebrate the launch of Medact London, they are screening “The Divide” on 5th May at the Lush shop on Oxford Street, and the director Katharine Round will be attending for a Q&A session. The film aims to explore the growing gap between the rich and the poor in the UK and the US. It is inspired by the book “the Spirit Level” by Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson. http://thedividedocumentary.com/about Trailer: http://thedividedocumentary.com/trailer?r Tickets cost £4.50, and can be purchased here. We hope to see you there!

Oxford Health Through Peace Network Day
2016-04-16 10:00 - 17:00 (Europe/London)
Medact believes that health professionals are uniquely placed to address the root drivers of war and conflict; and to work towards peace and a more sustainable idea of security. In November 2015, we ran the ‘Health Through Peace’ conference which saw 700 members of the health community come together to discuss the impact of war, violence and militarism on health.
Since then, a growing group of health students and professionals have been taking forward the energy and vision of this conference. See more about their recent activity on this page!
We need to harness our collective skills and energy, and work together to be effective drivers of a strong and sustainable movement for peace. The Oxford Health Through Peace Network Day is an opportunity for health professionals and students working on issues related to peace and security in and around Oxford to network, promote their campaigns and events, and more generally begin to work as partners in the Health Through Peace movement. It’s also an opportunity for members of the health community who wish to be involved in the movement to find out more!
If you would like to join us, please get in touch with Rhianna at rhiannalouise@medact.org

Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics and Medact Conference 2016
2016-04-14 09:45 - 16:30 UTC
Resources from the event are now available on this page
Antibiotics and Farming: Prescriptions for change
14th April 2016, Kennedy Lecture Theatre, Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, WC1N 1EH
The critical nature of antimicrobial resistance has been well documented by experts across the globe, and the inappropriate use of drugs in livestock farming is widely recognised as a contributory risk.
The UK Government-appointed O’Neill Review found that there is “compelling” scientific evidence that antibiotic resistance is being transmitted from farm animals to humans and states that this warrants a significant reduction in farm antibiotic use. The recent finding of colistin-resistant E. coli from pigs and humans in England and Wales is the latest sign that the future efficacy of our antibiotics is under threat.
And yet, the overuse of these vital medicines within the farming sector continues. Across Europe, twice as many antibiotics are used in farm animals than are used in humans. Routine, purely preventative dosing of groups of healthy animals remains legal within the EU, despite opposition from the European Medicines Agency and several European countries. In the UK, veterinary use of antibiotics classified as “critically important for humans” is at an all-time high.
Our conference will bring together multi-disciplinary stakeholders; from policy-makers, health professionals, livestock farmers and veterinarians, to scientists, civil-society and environmental groups. The event will explore practical steps to reduce farm antibiotic use; drawing on successful interventions taking place across the EU.
Download the full Agenda here
Travel
Train – King’s Cross and Euston mainline railway stations are within walking distance and the Institute is easily accessible by underground from other national and international rail terminals including Charing Cross, Waterloo, Victoria, Marylebone, Paddington and Liverpool Street. The closest underground stations are Holborn on the Central Line and Russell Square on the Piccadilly Line.
Parking – There are no parking facilities for delegates but there are National Car Parks in Marchmont Street and Judd Street. There are also meters on the roads adjacent to the Institute.
A map is also available from the institute’s website
Facilities for the disabled
All the conference facilities including the lecture theatre are easily accessible by wheelchair and the theatre is fitted with an induction loop system. Please confirm if you would like to make use of these facilities.
Refreshments
Tea and coffee will be provided as will a sandwich lunch. Please let us know as soon as possible if you have any dietary requirements.
For more information, please contact Claire cwest@saveourantibiotics.eu, 07814 910 295
The Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics is a coalition of health, medical, environmental and animal welfare groups campaigning to stop the overuse of antibiotics in animal farming. It was founded by Compassion in World Farming, the Soil Association and Sustain and is supported by the Jeremy Coller Foundation
Medact is a London-based global health charity whose goal is to inspire and enable health professionals to act on the social, political, ecological and economic determinants of health and health inequality. Its work with Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics is part of a larger body of work supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

Health Through Peace Skillshare
2016-04-09 10:00 - 16:30 (Europe/London)
On April 9th, we’re holding a Health Through Peace Skillshare, where you can gain some campaigning skills and connect with the current Health Through Peace action groups.
10.00 – 10.30: Welcome and Introductions Please bring an item/photograph to share that speaks to you personally about the health peace movement, or your involvement/interest in campaigning/activism.
10.30 – 12.30: Nuclear Weapons: Campaigning effectively as health professionals With speaker training from Rebecca Sharkey (ICAN) and a discussion on nuclear weapons and health led by Frank Boulton (Medact)

The detonation of just one nuclear weapon in or over a city, whether by accident or design, would have utterly devastating health consequences. The most immediate effects are heat and blast, which immediately kill tens of thousands near the epicentre and affect more tens of thousands lucky enough to be a little further out or relatively sheltered. In addition, powerful X-rays can cause acute radiation syndrome which, even in the absence of physical injuries, can kill within hours or days. Finally, highly radioactive ‘fission products’ within the mushroom cloud fall out onto ground downwind from the detonation, causing further radiation damage to exposed people and animals. Even those who have no physical injury are at higher risk of contracting leukaemias or other cancers in later life. Devastation of local health facilities mean that there will be no effective health care system for the survivors. At this workshop, you can learn more about how to campaign effectively about nuclear weapons as members of the health community.

12.30 – 13.30: Bring and Share lunch
13.30 – 15.00: Health vs. the Arms Trade Campaigning workshop led by Campaign Against the Arms Trade: UK-made weaponry has played a central role in Saudi Arabia’s attacks on Yemen. The UK has continued to support Saudi air strikes and provide arms– an astonishing £2.8 billion since the bombing started – despite strong evidence that war crimes may have been committed. Homes, schools and hospitals have been bombed, and CAAT is pursuing legal action against the UK government unless it stops arming Saudi Arabia. Join us to find out more about the UK arms trade and arms sales to Saudi, and get some practical ideas for action you can take to help to stop arming Saudi.
15.00: Coffee/Tea break 15.30 – 16.00: Update from the Medact Refugee Solidarity Group! 16.00 – 16.30: Reflections on the day and next steps! Please contact Rhianna at rhiannalouise@medact.org if you would like to come!

Medact seminar - Competence, Consent, Confidentiality, and Digital Security
2016-03-23 16:00 - 19:00 (Europe/London)
March 23, 2016 1600-1900h
Royal Society of Medicine 1 Wimpole St London W1G 0AE
Questions around informed patient consent are complicated enough for most UK citizens. When dealing with asylum seeking survivors of serious human rights abuses, these issues become substantially more complex. This is particularly true when permission is sought for audit, evaluation, research, and teaching and where the dissemination of patient-identifiable information carries significant risks to the patient and those they care about.
Programme
Each topic will be introduced by the named speaker followed by discussion Competence to give consent and to give evidence Cornelius Katona: Royal College of Psychiatrists Asylum Mental Health Working Group What are we seeking consent for? Frank Arnold: Medact anti-torture working group What constitutes adequately informed consent? Hugh Davies: Research Ethics Advisor – Health Research Authority Achieving digital security of confidential clinical information Steve Ross-Talbot: visiting professor of computer sciences, Kingston universityPlaces are limited, please book via Chris Venables at Medact: chrisvenables@medact.org This meeting is part of the series of seminars on documenting torture generously hosted at the RSM for Medact. Previous sessions have included:

Photo-documentation of torture scars
Going to court in asylum cases
Recognition of vulnerable persons subjected to administrative immigration detention.

Killing for Peace - launch of Medact Brighton
2016-03-16 18:30 - 20:30 (Europe/London)
Chair: Centre for applied Philosophy, Politics and Ethics, University of Brighton Speaker 1. (Veterans for Peace) Modern war on the ground Speaker 2. (Brighton University) Modern war from the air Speaker 3. (Doctors of the World) What we do to survivors who escape to the UK Speaker 4. (Medact) Modern wars – Syria: more like Vietnam than Spain We are in a state of permanent war across the Middle East punctuated by sporadic atrocities against Western populations. This has already lasted more than 13 years, and is spreading. The death, damage and displacement are immense and distributed across the globe, from Ramadi to London to Raqqa to Paris. It afflicts civilians, particularly children and women, but also those whose idealism and patriotism are abused in service of these misconceived conflicts. Western leaders have no rational plan to end the carnage. Indeed their every invasion, bombing, drone attack and arms sale adds to the disaster. We need a rational and humane way out of these blind alleys. We need to tell our leaders in terms they can’t ignore – too much is more than enough. Stop deluding yourselves and misleading us. Killing for peace won’t work. Most of us have sat through too many meetings harangued or anaesthetised by too many speakers. The audience will be given as much time as possible to contribute practical proposals; up to half the meeting will be given over to the floor. Please bring your ideas and energy. Book your ticket here!

Medact Refugee Solidarity Group meeting
2016-03-07 18:30 - 20:30 (Europe/London)
On Monday 7th March at 18.30, the Medact Refugee Solidarity Group will hold their second meeting at the Grayston Centre in London. The group will be creating placards for their next action, which is to take part in the Surround Yarslwood Demonstration on 12th March. They will also be discussing broader project ideas, along with specific plans for Refugee Week in June, and going to one of the Greek Islands to volunteer in support of refugees. All are welcome! If you’d like to join them, please get in touch with paulinelatil@medact.org

Stop Trident March & Rally
2016-02-27 12:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London)
Medact at the Stop Trident March and Rally Saturday 27th February at 12 noon in central London
Medact, emphasising the health impact and humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons, is one of the supporting organisations for the CND-led Stop Trident March and Rally being held in London on Saturday 27th February at 12 noon. Nuclear weapons are the most destructive and most indiscriminate instruments of war ever created. Their use—and even their possession—goes against every principle of international humanitarian law. Indeed, it is likely that humanity could not survive a nuclear war using even a fraction of the arsenals in existence today. In Spring or Summer of this year, the United Kingdom government will decide on whether to renew its Trident nuclear weapons system. It is very likely that the government, backed by Parliament, will commit to funding the total replacement of the current system – meaning we will have nuclear weapons well into the second half of the 21st century. In doing so, they will be ignoring the growing global movement that is calling for a total ban on nuclear weapons – as has happened with land-mines (1997) and cluster munitions (2008). The UK will also be undermining the potential role it could play as a global leader for nuclear disarmament – failing to recognise that nuclear weapons have no part to play in tackling the global crises we currently face. As the UK Government approaches this ‘Main Gate Decision’ on the renewal of Trident, we believe that now is the time to stand up and be counted. In the months and years to come, we need to build a stronger movement to create a more positive vision for health and security in the 21st century. Please join Medact staff, members and supporters (and thousands of others!) at 12 noon on Saturday 27th February in central London. We’re also hoping to meet up with other health professionals who are marching to highlight how diverting spending from Trident could help fund vital services within the National Health Service.
Where are we meeting?
We’ll be meeting at 11.30am in the Patisserie Valerie near Marble Arch for a pre-march coffee/hot-chocolate – and you’re very welcome to join us. Alternatively, meet us outside Patisserre Valerie at 12 noon, and we’ll head to the start of the march at Marble Arch together. After the march, we’ll head to Westminster Quaker Meeting House, where’ll there’s usually tea and coffee – and an escape from the cold! If you can’t find us on the day – please text or phone Chris Venables (07907 161 225) or Rhianna Louise (07714 194 714). Also, please join the Facebook event and follow us on Twitter.
Other sources of information about the march
CND Facebook Event / CND Event Webpage ‘Care Not Warfare’ Group Facebook Event

Click here to find out more about Medact’s position on Trident and nuclear disarmament.

Support Refugees Group Meeting
2016-02-15 18:30 - 20:00 (Europe/London)
On Monday 15th February at 18.30, we’re holding the first meeting of the new ‘health through peace’ Support Refugees group. If you would like to be part of this group of health professionals and students uniting in support of refugees in the UK, please join us to: – Discuss our vision, aims and activities – Discuss a skills/training session – Plan our first actions – such as our involvement in Refugee Week in June, and our presence at the Surround Yarslwood demonstration on 12th March All are welcome – get in touch with paulinelatil@medact.org if you’d like to join us!

Medact Newcastle - Tax & Health
2016-02-04 19:00 (Europe/London)
Medact Tyneside and Medsin present Taxing Health a lecture by Dr Guddi Singh on The Relationship Between Tax and Human Health. Dr Guddi Singh is a Medact member, now training in Paediatrics in London. She has a Masters Degree in Public Health from Harvard University and has previously worked with the World Health Organisation. She is passionate about social justice, human health and challenging barriers to access to health.
–
Thursday 4th February at 7.00 pm Barbara Strang Teaching Centre G.36 Queen Victoria Road, Newcastle All welcome ~ Admission free

Health Through Peace - 'Next Steps' Workshop
2016-01-16 10:30 - 17:00 (Europe/London)
On the 16th January 2016 from 10.30 – 17.00, we will be holding a workshop at the Medact offices in London. This is an opportunity for anyone who wants to be a part of the #healthpeace movement to meet, and plan together the next steps we can take over the coming year. The workshop will be fun, action-focused and a springboard for the revitalisation of the #healthpeace movement following the November conference. Are you able to join us to plan the next steps of the Health Peace movement on 16th January? Please fill in the form at the end of this page or get in touch for more information. You can also join the workshop’s facebook page here. Health Through Peace 2015 - Join the movement!Watch this video on YouTube 16th January Workshop Draft Agenda 10.30 – 11.00 – Arrivals, Tea and Coffee 11.00 – 11.40 – Welcome and Introductions 11.40 – 12.00 – Introduction to the health peace movement 12.00 – 12.30 – Building a movement 12.30 – 1.30 – Lunch 1.30 – 2.45 – Action Planning 2.45 – 3.15 – Coffee 3.15 – 4.30 – Next Steps 4.30 – 5.00 – Reflections on the day

Short Film Screenings: Critical Degrees
2015-12-08 14:15 - 17:45 (Europe/London)
As world leaders gather in Paris to discuss a new possible agreement to reduce the threat of climate change, Medact and Shorts On Tap are inviting young people to join us for an exploration of this critical issue, at the foremost institution for film, the BFI Southbank on Tuesday, December 8th. We will present a selection of short films and documentaries, followed by a panel discussion, featuring special guests and experts. This is a FREE EVENT – all welcome. Please register here. We’re targeting this event towards students and young people because it is important that these generations have an opportunity to share their ideas and opinions. Doors open at 2:15pm (BFI NFT2 screen) Films screening start at 3pm Show ends approximately at 4:45pm @ShortsOnTap @Medact @BFI #COP21 #CLIMATECHANGE #LoveShortFilm

Health Through Peace Lecture - John Ashton and Andrew Feinstein
2015-11-13 18:30 - 19:45 (Europe/London)
To close the first day of the Health Through Peace forum, Medact is honoured to present an evening with Andrew Feinstein, former South African MP and author of ‘The Shadow World’, and John Ashton CBE (independent activist and ex-UK climate envoy). Together, they will be discussing the state of global security with a particular focus on how the health community can respond to war, militarisation and ecological collapse. Buy your tickets for the Health Through Peace lecture here. Those with Friday or Two-Day tickets to Health Through Peace do not need to buy an extra ticket for this lecture. Buy your full-access tickets for the Health Through Peace forum here. – Andrew Feinstein is a South African writer and campaigner and Executive Director of Corruption Watch. He was a facilitator in the constitutional negotiations process that led to the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994, when he was elected an ANC Member of Parliament. He served as an MP for over seven years before resigning in protest when the Public Accounts Committee was prohibited from investigating a massive arms deal tainted by allegations of high-level corruption. Andrew will be showing exclusive clips from ‘The Shadow World’, directed by Johan Grimonprez, which will be released early next year. The Shadow World is a feature documentary that exposes the secretive and corrupt world of the international arms trade; examining how it determines foreign and economic policies, and undermines democracy. The film follows Feinstein’s book The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade which has gained international acclaim. Andrew’s Biography: http://www.cw-uk.org/the-team-2/ ‘The Shadow World’: http://www.theshadowworldbook.com/ John Ashton is an independent speaker and activist. His interventions range widely over politics, economics, diplomacy, and culture but a particular focus is climate change. He is an outspoken critic of the effort currently under way to open up the UK for fracking and unconventional gas. From 2006-12 he served as Special Representative for Climate Change for three successive UK Foreign Secretaries. He is a member of the Advisory Board of Post Crash Economics, the growing movement among economics students to challenge the dominance of neoclassical economic teaching in universities. John will call on those who work in medicine and health to be more assertive and effective as a political force, drawing on their professional values of compassion and commitment to the public interest. We are becoming locked into a condition that treats people as if they live in economies not societies; pretends that resource-intensive economic “efficiency” is the only true virtue; and attaches no inherent value to peace and justice. We will only escape from this condition if communities currently outside mainstream politics find their voices. Only in that way can we build a solid basis for peaceful cooperation and avoid a descent, driven by increasingly unmanageable events, into a world of conflict. John’s Biography: http://www.e3g.org/people/john-ashton

Forum 2015 - Health Through Peace
2015-11-13 09:00 - 2015-11-14 17:00 UTC | Friends House, 173-177 Euston Rd, Kings Cross, , London , NW1 2BJ, United Kingdom
Health Through Peace was a a two-day event hosted by Medact, Saferworld, Oxford Research Group, Kings College London, Quakers in Britain, ICAN UK, Campaign Against Arms Trade and others, as a forum for the health community to learn and take on action on issues related to war, armed conflict and militarisation.
For more info, including videos, speakers, and programme – see the dedicated page

RCN Nursing Defence Ethics Workshop
2015-11-05 12:30 - 16:00 (Europe/London)
Title: RCN Defence Nursing Forum & Ethics Committee Workshop: Doing the right thing on a difficult day

Date: Thursday 5th November 2015
Timings: 12.30 – 16.00
Price: £35.00 workshop fee This workshop will look at the challenges faced by frontline professionals in reconciling their professional responsibilities and explore how to get the balance right. It will also explain what support is available for those facing difficult decisions.

Topics to be covered include:

Whistleblowing: life after Mid-Staffs: Keynote presenter: Helene Donnelley OBE
Ethical considerations for defence nurses: Dr Janet Kelly
Planning for future operations: Captain Leslie Rankin
Launch of the DNF oral histories project: Major Chris Carter

This workshop is suitable for military nurses, senior students planning to pursue a career in the field of defence nursing and HCAs (Regular & Reservists with an interest in military nursing practice as well as doctors and other professionals. It would also be suitable for those working in disaster/humanitarian operations, travel health practitioners and civilian nurses and flight nurses involved with the transport, repatriation and care of patients.
To view the programme and to book your place visit www.rcn.org.uk/defence 15 or contact liz.russ@rcn.org.uk

Medact - How to build a movement? (Post-AGM Event)
2015-06-20 13:30 - 17:30 (Europe/London)
Building strong movements is more important than ever … can you lend Medact your ideas and enthusiasm to help us better understand how we can be more effective, and how we grow?
Come together with Medact supporters, staff and trustees on the afternoon of Saturday 20th June to lend your ideas and creativity in a series of workshops looking at how Medact can be more effective, and how we can best support and nurture our grassroots movement. This is a great chance to learn how you can get involved in our work over the coming months, and let us know what you think we should be doing. Saturday 20th June at Friends House (London) – 1.30pm to 5pm (followed by drinks) –
Programme
Welcome (1.30pm)
A short welcome and introduction from Medact’s staff team.
Campaigns Update (1.45pm)
Hear from Medact staff and project coordinators about recent developments in Medact’s campaigns and projects – including fossil fuel divestment, preventing torture, fracking and renewing trident. This will be an open session in which questions and discussion will be encouraged. It will be followed by a chance to ask questions to the Medact team – come and quiz us on what we’ve done well and what we could do better!
Update Agenda
Welcome – Sridhar Venkatapuram
Communications & Media – Victor Ponsford
Preventing Torture – Frank Arnold
Nuclear Disarmament – Frank Boulton
Fossil Fuel Divestment – Zoe Steley
Peace – Christopher Venables
Fracking – David McCoy
Food, farming and climate – David McCoy
Focussed Discussion Groups (3.00-4.00pm)
Gathering a thousand health professionals for peace: making our November conference a ‘Big Thing’! In November of this year, Medact is leading a coalition of organisations – including The Lancet, Saferworld, Oxford Research Group, Health Poverty Action, Kings College London, Quakers in Britain, Campaign Against Arms Trade and others – to hold a major two-day peace conference at Friends House in London. We’d like to make this event a ‘Big Thing’! But, with only a small amount of staff-time, we need the energy and enthusiasm of our members and supporters to help make this happen. We’ll be briefly introducing the conference, and then asking you for ideas on how we can make Health Through Peace an event to remember! This will be a good chance to get involved in organising a major conference. Growing Medact from the bottom-up: How do we grow and nurture active membership amongst a busy and over-stretched workforce? Medact has a number of active local groups, but we’d like to support more of our members to become active in their communities – taking our campaigns and resources to new audiences, and providing a local platform for the enthusiasm and energy of health professionals. We have 1000 members – and new people joining every week! – but we have little capacity in the office to be able to support and nurture the membership. We’d like to listen to your ideas of how we could better support you in developing local groups, and rethinking what Medact’s members can do in their local communities. Making a small organisation strong: How do we maximise Medact’s full potential to influence and make change happen? We know that doctors and health professionals in general are well respected and trusted. We know that public health evidence –based on sound epidemiology and rigorous policy analysis – is powerful. And we know that most health professionals want to see a fairer, better and safer world. But largely speaking, the health community remains a weak player in politics. It failed to prevent the dismantling of the NHS. It has failed to reverse the widening of health inequalities. And it has not reduced the threats of catastrophic human harm from nuclear war and climate change. So how can we do better as a health community, and how can Medact help as an organisation? We want to hear your ideas and suggestions.
Coming Back Together (4-4.30pm)
After we’ve broken into the smaller groups, we’ll briefly come back together and give each group an opportunity to report back.
Social (5pm onwards!)
We’ll be going for a drink afterwards in a room above a local pub – snacks may be provided! This is a good chance for more informal discussions with other Medact members and supporters, as well as trustees and staff. – Annual General Meeting The afternoon conference will be preceded by Medact’s Annual General Meeting. If you are a Medact member and wish to attend the AGM, please contact Chris Venables – chrisvenables@medact.org. There will be a light-lunch (snacks and sandwiches) provided for those attending the AGM. www.medact.org/agm2015
Reserve a space using the ticket form below
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AGM 2015
2015-06-20 11:00 - 12:45 UTC
Medact AGM 2015

This year’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Saturday 20th June. All Medact members are welcome to attend. The AGM is the business meeting of Medact and serves three main functions:

A chance for members to receive an update and ask questions about the last year of Medact’s work and our future plans
Elections to the Board of Trustees
Voting on motions, e.g. Amendments to the constitution

The AGM is also a good chance to meet Board members and office staff. The AGM is followed by an afternoon conference that takes place in the same building. Details of the afternoon conference and AGM will be made available on-line in late April. This year we will be placing all AGM papers (motions and nominations) on-line on this dedicated page. In the past we have sent all papers in the post, but having everything on-line saves us both time and money. Date/Time: Saturday 20th June from 11:00 until 12:45 followed by lunch Location: Friends House, London If you wish to submit a motion, or would like to stand for election to the Board, please see the information and contact details below. For more information, please contact our Programmes Manager, Chris Venables, by telephone or email: 020 7324 4736 / chrisvenables [at] medact.org
Submitting A Motion
Any member can propose or submit a motion to the AGM. If you wish to submit a motion, please contact Medact’s Chair, June Crown, via the Medact office. You will be able to read the resolutions and the accompanying background papers when they are published in June. Resolutions and background papers will be published here in early June.
Elections for the Board
The AGM is the time of the year when new members to the Board of Trustees are voted in. It is also the time that Trustees step down. Details of the Trustee elections and of those Trustees who will be stepping down will be published here in early June. Download the biographies of Trustees seeking election at this year’s AGM.

PUBLIC MEETING Fracking in Lancashire - what are the risks to health?
2015-06-18 19:00 - 21:30 (Europe/London)
On June 24, Lancashire County Council will decide whether to allow fracking in the county.
Fracking has been banned in New York State due to the “significant public health risks”. It is also suspended in Scotland and Wales due to the high risks.
Come to this public meeting to find out more about the risks and to quiz public health experts on this important issue.

Where: St John’s Minister, Preston, PR1 3BT
When: Thursday, 18 June from 7pm – 8.30pm

Speakers:
David McCoy, Director, Medact
John Ashton, former Special Representative for Climate Change at the Foreign Office
Other Speakers (TBC)
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Ebola - An epidemic waiting to happen again
2015-03-30 18:45 - 19:45 (Europe/London)
The Ebola epidemic that has gripped the attention of the international community for months now, raising an inordinate amount of fear in the West and prompting new offerings of aid and support to the three stricken countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea. In the United States, billions of dollars have been spent on security and surveillance systems in order to protect the American population, while pharmaceutical giants are enjoying the benefits of new research funding to produce treatments and vaccines against the disease. But with minimal medical facilities and staff, little access to sanitation or clean water, and poor education, the current Ebola epidemic was a tragedy waiting to happen in three countries where health indicators have always been appalling. The region’s history of conflict and war; and the ravaging and degradation of the environment are critical factors in the causal pathway of these epidemics which have received little or zero attention. Dr David McCoy is the Director of MEDACT and a senior academic at the Centre for Primary Care and Public Health at Queen Mary University, London. He spent ten years in South Africa as a clinician and in the field of public health and health systems development, and speaks and publishes widely on issues of global health. He will argue that the international health community’s response to Ebola remains short-sighted and will ultimately fail unless we get to grips with the social, political and economic pathologies that plague the African continent. Medact Director Dr David McCoy will be giving a talk on The Ebola crisis on the 30th of March for La Monde Diplomatique.

Time to Act! National Climate March
2015-03-07 12:30 - 18:00 (Europe/London)
The People’s Climate March last September was huge. With around 40,000 people marching in London, 400,000 in New York and many thousands more taking part across the world, together we made history.

2015 needs to be even bigger. The climate talks in Paris this December are crucial if we’re going to protect all that we love. Our movement is growing, and we’re more diverse and determined than ever before.
Across the UK people are already building change – from divestment of funds which prop up the fossil fuel industry, to frontline communities fighting unsustainable energy extraction and fracking, through to those paving the way for a transition towards a 100% renewable energy future which would bring about an estimated one million new climate jobs in the UK alone. We know what needs to be done; the solutions are here now. Climate must be at the top of every politician’s agenda.
Now is the time to act.
Join the scientists and medics bloc on March 7 to bring a message of urgency which cannot be ignored.
And together let’s continue to power up and celebrate our movement – locally, nationally and internationally – throughout 2015, and beyond.

Power concedes nothing without a demand. A reminder why it’s #timetoact2015
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Global Health Justice Lecture - The pharmaceutical industry, TTIP and health
2015-02-25 18:00 - 19:30 (Europe/London)
5th Lecture: The pharmaceutical industry, TTIP and health
Date: Weds 25th Feburary Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Location: The Bainbridge Room on the second floor of the Robin Brook Centre – Queen Mary University at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital followed by The Rising Sun pub at 7:30pm (more details below). In this fifth lecture Deborah Cohen, Investigations editor at the BMJ and Dairmaid McDonald, Advocacy Manager at STOPAIDS and Dr Courtney Davis from KCL will be discussing the impact of pharmaceutical companies, trade agreements and international markets on health in the UK and overseas. Chaired by Dr David McCoy (QMUL & Medact) Directions: Enter St Bartholomew’s Hospital through the main entrance to reach the courtyard and turn right. When you reach the building, do not walk straight ahead into the building, but turn left into the small alley. The entrance to the Robin Brook Centre is via the steps in the alley. We usually head to The Rising Sun pub for drinks and discussion afterwards at 7:30 so please do come along if you want to meet the team and find out more about Medact and our work. https://globalhealthjustice.wordpress.com/ – Dr Deborah Cohen (BMJ) Deborah Cohen is currently investigations editor at BMJ. She graduated from Manchester University having studied medicine with French. Prior to graduating she took an intercalated degree in journalism at Westminster University and worked on a newspaper in Ghana covering health issues. After qualifying, Deborah became editor of the Student BMJ and started to report for the BMJ from places such as the West Bank and Kenya. She subsequently became editor of an academic section of the BMJ before becoming the first features editor. After collaborations with Channel 4 News and the Cochrane Collaboration, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and Panorama, the BMJ decided to have a dedicated investigative journalism post. Deborah has since worked with the Centre of Evidence Based Medicine at Oxford University, Newsnight and Dispatches covering a range of issues from drug and device regulation to buried data and conflicts of interest. Diarmaid McDonald, Advocacy Manager (STOPAIDS) Joined STOPAIDS in January 2010 where he currently leads the campaigning and advocacy work on the financing of the AIDS response and access to medicines. Diarmaid also helps to coordinate the activities of our members and plays a supporting role in the work of our partners at the Student Stop AIDS Campaign. You can read more about STOPAIDS reasons for taking part in the anti TTIP day of action by clicking here. Dr Courtney Davis (KCL) Courtney is a medical and political sociologist with broad research interests in the intersections of science and technology policy, business regulation and public health. For over ten years she has undertaken empirically-based, policy relevant international comparative research investigating the socio-political, economic, cultural and scientific factors underlying trends in regulation and the implications of current techno-scientific standards for public, patient and worker health in relation to two distinct fields of inquiry: pharmaceuticals and occupational health and safety. Global Health Justice (GHJ) is a new public lecture and discussion series organised by the London-based charity Medact and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) focusing on the socio-political determinants of health. GHJ aims to bring a strong social science and humanities perspective to global health and provide a space for students, campaigners and academics to discuss, debate and exchange ideas that will challenge and push forward both research and policy.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
