Medact

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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

Fossil Free Health - Global Divestment Day
2015-02-14 12:30 - 14:00 (Europe/London)
Are you a health professional? Are you concerned about climate change? Are you wondering what you can do about the global health emergency?

On Saturday 14th February thousands of people across 5 continents will turn out to take collective action demanding divestment from fossil fuels. If you’re in London join Medact and Healthy Planet UK members and supporters as they take part in the day of action. If you’re elsewhere, join in events taking place across the country.
Global Divestment Day — 13–14 February 2015Watch this video on YouTube By driving climate change, the fossil fuel industry is harming the health of both human and planet right now – from the direct impact of urban air pollution to the rising threat of extreme weather events – yet the world continues to invest in oil, coal and gas companies.
City Hall, London – 12:30pm – Saturday 14th February

Join doctors, nurses and others from across London at City Hall – 12:30 sharp – to ensure the voice of the health community is heard on Global Divestment Day – as well as have some fun and meet some like-minded health professionals! We will be supporting ‘Divest London’ who have chosen City Hall as their main target for the day.

Join the Facebook event to stay up-to-date.

Whilst the Mayor of London and the London Assembly say that his offices are fully committed to both reducing London’s impact on the climate and safeguarding the city’s future against the impacts of climate change – their pension fund, the Greater London Pension Fund Authority, still invests millions of pounds in fossil fuel companies every year.
We will be bringing along scrubs, stethoscopes, face masks and banners, and calling on the Mayor of London and the London Assembly to DO NO HARM. Bring yourselves, your family, friends and colleagues. Wear blue and bring an umbrella if you can!
If you’d like to know more contact A&E doctor, Medact member and Fossil Free Health volunteer Zoe Steley at zoe.steley@gmail.com.
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This action is part of our Fossil Free Health campaign – to find out more visit the campaign page or sign-up here to get more involved.

How to lobby the European Parliament and TTIP with Jude Kirton-Darling MEP (North East)
2015-02-13 17:00 - 19:00 (Europe/London)
A meeting to discuss lobbying the European Parliament about the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

Launch of Unhealthy Investments report - Should health organisations divest from fossil fuels?
2015-02-03 18:30 - 20:00 (Europe/London)
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This event is taking place to mark the public release of a report about the case for divestment from fossil fuels by the UK health community, including representative bodies such as the medical and nursing Royal Colleges, academic institutions working on healthcare or public health, and health-focused charities and foundations, such as the Wellcome Trust. The report is being published by a group of UK-based health organisations including Healthy Planet UK, Medact and the Climate and Health Council. It will bring together a panel of expert speakers to discuss the question of whether other organisations which work to improve health should continue to invest in fossil fuel extraction and production companies, focusing particularly on the UK, given the health impacts of air pollution from fossil fuels and the rising threats to health from climate changes The report’s publication is topical, coming after the decision by the British Medical Association in the summer of 2014 to end its investments in fossil fuels and with ongoing discussions about this question taking place in many other organisations, including various health bodies. The event is also taking place shortly before the Global Divestment Day on February 14th. Only recently, academics at UCL analysed which existing reserves cannot be burned in order to prevent dangerous climate change, finding that 82% of coal reserves, for example, must stay in the ground up to 2050 if this target is to be met. What is even less well-known is that the transition to clean energy which this requires has the potential to have immense benefits for public health, as well as creating significant economic savings through reduced healthcare costs. These complex and topical issues will be examined from several perspectives, including public health, climate science, healthcare sustainability, finance and socially responsible investment. You are invited to join us for what promises to be a lively and informative evening, which we hope will inspire you to raise this question with your own representative body or organisation and give you a clear insight into the arguments both for and against health organisations continuing to invest in fossil fuel companies. Confirmed speakers include:

Rachel Stancliffe, Director of The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, who will speak about the role of health professionals in driving change for sustainability through changes to clinical practice and through advocacy for better policy on climate and health-related subjects.

Christophe McGlade, Research Associate at UCL and lead author on a recent Nature paper which showed that, globally, a third of oil reserves, half of gas reserves and over 80 per cent of current coal reserves should remain unused from 2010 to 2050 in order to stay under the globally agreed 2 °C warming limit.

Jon Hoare, Director of Investor Networks at ShareAction, who will speak about some of the financial dimensions of fossil fuel divestment and discuss considerations faced by ethical organisations in making decisions about divestment and other forms of shareholder action.

Isobel Braithwaite, clinical student at UCL and past National Coordinator of Healthy Planet UK, who will provide some background to the Unhealthy Investments report being launched and the current status of divestment by health organisations in the UK.

The panel will be introduced and chaired by Dr. David McCoy, Director of Medact. A Q&A with the audience will be followed by short calls to action from Dr. Hugh Grant-Peterkin, NHS psychiatrist with an interest in sustainability, who also stood as local councillor in London, and a student at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who is currently coordinating a campaign for the University to end its investments in fossil fuels.

Global Health Justice Lecture - Conflict and Health
2015-01-28 18:00 - 19:30 (Europe/London)
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.

4th Lecture: Conflict and Health
Date: Weds 28th January
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
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In this fourth lecture our speakers will exploring the impact of war, violence and conflict upon health. Two well-respected speakers, Maria Kett from University College London and Richard Sullivan from Kings College, will be discussing disability and Ebola in conflict zones. Chaired by Dr Sophie Harman (QMUL) – Dr Sophie Harman (QMUL) Sophie Harman is a Reader in International Politics at Queen Mary University of London where she teaches and conducts research into the global politics of health and Africa and International Relations. She has published widely in these areas, notably the books Global Health Governance, the World Bank and HIV/AIDS, African Agency and International Politics (edited with Will Brown), and most recently the Global Politics of Health Reform in Africa (with A Barnes and GW Brown). She is co-convenor of the British International Studies Association (BISA) Global Health working group and Executive Board member of the International Studies Association (ISA) Global Health section. Dr Maria Kett (UCL)
Maria Kett has a particular interest in disability-related issues in situations of disasters and conflicts. Her other main research interests include social exclusion; psychosocial impacts of conflict; effects of displacement, measures to alleviate poverty, and broader issues around development and human rights. She has undertaken work in countries including Bosnia, Azerbaijan, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Liberia. Her work has culminated in her role as Global Focal Point for Disability in the current revision of the Sphere Handbook on Millennium Standards in Disaster Response (2010). Maria Kett has extensive experience of working at the interface of research into policy and practice, and was previously the Chair of the International Disability and Development Consortium Task Group on Conflict and Emergencies’, and in this capacity represented IDDC to a number of major international donors and organisations, including the European Union and the United Nations.
Prof Richard Sullivan (KCL) Richard Sullivan is the Chair of Cancer Policy and Global Health and Director of the Institute of Cancer Policy (ICP). He also teaches on the conflict and security module of the Global Health iBSc and is the cancer lead for the King’s Sierra Leone Partnership. He leads a number of research and capacity enhancement programmes directed towards cancer and non-communicable diseases research and strengthening care systems in emerging and low-income economies. Richard’s research programmes extend from the public policy of global cancer, to the development of care and research systems in emerging economies and the development of public health systems, particularly NCDs, in high-risk conflict areas focusing on DR Congo, Afghanistan & Libya. He was formally Clinical Director of Cancer Research UK, including leading their global health policy research and was past UK Director of the Council for Emerging National Security Affairs (CENSA) a Washington-based national security think-tank where he specialised in the security implications of global health and bioweapons.

Sell Tickets Online through Eventbrite

Human Rights and Health Care at the Bleeding Edge
2015-01-09 09:00 - 2015-01-10 17:00 (Europe/London)
We live in a world where people’s basic human rights are being denied on an extraordinary scale. This raises immediate questions: who should try to do what about it?
These dilemmas can be particularly tangled for medical and health professionals. This conference addresses students and scholars of war and peace, healthcare practitioners, human rights organisations and activists. It seeks to:

inform people about medical impacts of human rights violations around the world
help health professionals to carry out their duties in difficult and dangerous situations
advise civil society organisations on making best use of clinical assistance in campaigning
reflect on moral and practical issues that arise.

The focus is on two central themes:

Assisting survivors of conflict zones, prisons and forced migration
Documenting and using the evidence – why, how, and at what risk?

Invited speakers include: Health workers helping survivors of abuses in conflict zones such as the Democratic Republic of Congo; Syria; Ukraine; Gaza; Iraq; Guantanamo Leading clinical ethicists, medical journalists and health workers’ professional bodies Early booking is advised as places are limited. Book tickets below – or by clicking here. The conference will be live-streamed and recorded highlights posted on the web.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

Contagion of fear - Ebola and future global health security responses
2014-11-27 18:30 - 20:30 (Europe/London)
Part of the Global Health Advocacy seminar series held by the Royal College of Physicians and the Alma Mata Global Health Network, this seminar will address the current Ebola crisis in West Africa. It will analyse the international community’s response to the outbreak, and ask which factors have contributed to the delayed response by the WHO/UN and triggered individual state responses? How can health professionals in the UK contribute to the global response? And how will this outbreak affect future global health security responses?

Chaired by:

Dr Titilola Banjoko, Africa Recruit

Speakers:

Dr David Mabey, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Dr Colin Brown, Alma Mata Global Health Network/King’s College London

Ms Ali Readhead, Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative/Sierra Leone MoH

Dr Michael Edelstein, Chatham House

The Seminar will be held at the Royal College of Physicians, 11 St Andrews Place, Regents Park, London. It will take place from 6:30-8pm with a drinks reception afterwards to allow networking and further discussion.
The seminar is free to attend. To reserve your place, email international@rcplondon.ac.uk.

Take A Stand
2014-11-26 19:00 UTC
A tribute to Manning, Assange and Snowden, organised and sponsored by Italian sculptor Davide Dormino and his supporters, Charles Glass, Laure Boulay, Marco Benagli and Jean Michel Boissier.
This evening of tributes, talks, film, food and drinks is for all Frontline Club members and their guests. It coincides with a simultaneous celebration at Shakespeare and Company Books, 7 Rue de la Bûcherie, 75005 Paris to be linked by video and live-streamed.
The purpose of this occasion is to show gratitude to Manning, Assange and Snowden for their revelations and the risks they took to bring them to public notice.
Come, bring friends and say thanks.
Speakers:

Vaughan Smith, founder of London’s Frontline Club, award-winning independent cameraman and member of the board of representatives for the Frontline Freelance Register (FFR).
Norman Solomon, the coordinator of ExposeFacts.org, a new organisation for whistleblowing and independent journalism and author of many books on media, war and public policy.
Gavin MacFadyen, director of the Centre for Investigative Journalism and visiting professor at City University London.
David Dormino, a sculptor and visual artist, he works in Rome and teaches sculpture at Rome University of Fine Arts (RUFA).
In Paris, at Shakespeare and Company linked by video, the speakers are William Bourdon, distinguished French human rights advocate and lawyer for Edward Snowden; and Jean Michel Boissier of Reporters Sans Frontieres. Chaired by writer, Adam Biles.

The project is supported by the president of the Human Rights Committee of the Italian parliament, Mario Marazziti and Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF).
Find out more about the concept behind this project here Book a ticket to the event at the frontline club on their website here

How Nearly Everything in Dr Strangelove is True, and What We Need to Do About It - with Eric Schlosser
2014-11-25 18:00 - 19:00 (Europe/London)
Details: The risks and consequences associated with nuclear weapons are much higher than previously acknowledged. Investigative journalist and author Eric Schlosser will describe some of the findings in his book Command and Control, which tells the story of Cold War ‘near-misses’ using exclusive and recently de-classified documents and interviews. Humanitarian disarmament expert Thomas Nash will outline the exciting international developments leading to a new treaty banning nuclear weapons.

Click here for more details Date and time: 6-7pm, Tuesday 25 November 2014 Venue: UCL, Medical Sciences Building – Medical Sciences Lecture Theatre 131 A V Hill, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT (entrance from the end of Malet Place, opposite the Print Room Cafe) Booking: free entry but please reserve your seat by visiting eventbrite to avoid disappointment

Forum 2014 - Health In Action
2014-11-15 09:30 - 17:30 (Europe/London)
This year’s forum, chaired by Gill Walt, Emeritus Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a long term Patron of Medact, was in partnership with Health Poverty Action, a London based international NGO. HPA, whose social justice approach to health mirrors that of Medact, works with the most marginalised communities in low income countries to strengthen their struggle for health.
More details on the conference page

Launching The People Vs PFI
2014-11-01 09:00 - 2014-11-02 17:00 (Europe/London)
Follow us on twitter @thepeoplevspfi and help spread the word by using the #PPLvsPFI hashtag
PFI – The Biggest Scam You’ve Never Heard Of

You’d never be able to tell from the outside, but hundreds of our hospitals, schools, prisons roads and even homes are no longer controlled by us, the people. Why? Because politicians have given away our public buildings to private companies – only to have us rent them back at extortionate cost. Our money is making these tax-avoiding corporations rich, while we end up losing frontline services. This is what they mean by the Private Finance Initiative (PFI).

PFI – Doesn’t Make Sense

Every year PFI costs us £10 billion – more than the entire 2012 Olympics! The UK taxpayer will pay almost £300bn for PFI – but most of that will end up in offshore tax-havens.

The government and private contractors consistently conceal details of PFI contracts. Why should public spending be allowed to be kept secret?

The worst part of it all is that the public were given no choice about PFI. PFI was implemented by corruption of the democratic process. We need to take back our rights.

PFI – Needs To Go

There is an alternative – there are cheaper and better ways to provide public infrastructure. It’s time for us to stand up and say NO to the politicians and private contractors that want privatisation-by-stealth. It’s time to make public services ours again. Join public sector workers, professional groups, trade unionists, campaigners, researchers, journalists and members of the public for a one day event to launch this vital campaign to end PFI. Hear from experts in the field to learn how you can make a difference, and tell your own story about how PFI is harming you, your family and your country.

To find out more, learn how to contribute and register, email: peoplevspfi@gmail.com

Morning
9-9:45 am Registratio9
8:45 am Introduction Why This Conference – Dr David McCoy
10:00 – 11:30 am Why PFI is Unacceptable
PFI in context: financialisation, privatisation and the debt industry – Ann Pettifor (Advocacy International)
PFI impact on the NHS: financially disastrous and clinically unsafe – David Price (Queen Mary University)
PFI inequity: shifting the debt burden to the next generation – Ashley Seager (Inter-generational Foundation)
PFI and the Global South: financial extraction and the growing wealth gap – Nick Hildyard (Corner House)
PFI and social housing: ruthless profiteering at the expense of democratic accountability – Stuart Hodkinson (University of Leeds)
11.45– 1pm
Public Testimony Against PFI Campaigners, public service users, communities Chair: Dr. Jacky Davis, (Keep Our NHS Public)
2-4pm Parallel Workshops
Follow the money – how does private finance work as a corporate scam? Who pays and who profits? – Dexter Whitfield (European Services Strategy Unit) & Tamasin Cave (Spinwatch)
Freedom of Information for beginners – Sid Ryan (Centre for Investigative Journalism) & Megan Waugh (University of Leeds)
Getting stories into local news and social media – Centre for Investigative Journalism, John Lister (London Health Emergency) & Caroline Molloy (openDemocracy)
Contract monitoring – how to hold public bodies and private contractors to account – Stuart Hodkinson with PFI housing activists
Mobilising communities around protest and direct action – UK Uncut & Focus E15 Mothers
4.15- 5.30pm Roundtable Debate on How to Fight PFI
Roundtable Debate on:

How to Fight PFI
Legal challenges
Civic Strategy – local action
National co-ordination
Political strategy – providing the alternatives
Media and Public Education
Contractual Strategy – helping managers locally

Chair: Dr Guddi Singh (Medact)
Speakers: Joel Benjamin (Move Your Money) Fran Boit (Positive Money) Richard Brooks (Private Eye) Rosa Curling (Leigh Day legal firm) Cat Hobbs (We Own It) John Lister (London Health Emergency) Dexter Whitfield (European Services Strategy Unit)
BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW BELOW OR AT: http://www.peoplevspfi.org.uk/
Contact us: peoplevspfi@gmail.com
Click here to download a PDF version of the programme

Concert for Peace
2014-10-31 19:30 - 21:00 (Europe/London)
MANA – Musicians for Peace
presents a
Concert For Peace
Click here to book your ticket

Antimicrobial Resistance - the threat to health, and the need for antibiotic stewardship in the farming sector
2014-10-30
Medact, the Royal Society of Medicine and the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics would like to invite you to a day seminar on Thursday 30 October at the Royal Society of Medicine. While the medical and human health community is fast recognising the need for greater antibiotic stewardship in the human health care setting and for more investment in the development of new diagnostics and antimicrobials, there is less awareness of the issues concerning antibiotic use in the farm sector. It is becoming increasingly apparent that the health community needs to more actively scrutinise the development and implementation of appropriate antibiotic stewardship in the farming sector; as well as to ensure that other associated livestock farming practices are safe and non-threatening to current and future human health, as well as to ecological sustainability. To facilitate the health community’s engagement with these issues, we have organised a seminar and discussion, with a range of top class speakers, specifically on the use of antibiotics in livestock farming. This is an invitation-only meeting. Please book your place online before 24/10/2014. If you would like to attend, or nominate someone in your place, please contact Lalitha Bhagavatheeswaran at globalhealth@rsm.ac.uk.
Session 1

Chair: Professor David Heymann, Head of the Centre on Global Health Security at Chatham House, London

10.00 am Registration Tea and coffee will be served 10.30 am Welcome and introductions Mr Babulal Sethia, President, Royal Society of Medicine 10.35 am Introduction – the threat of antimicrobial resistance Professor Mike Turner, Head of Infection and Immuno-biology, Wellcome Trust 10.45 am Livestock associated MRSA: A case study in antimicrobial resistance found in agriculture Dr Mark Holmes MA, VetMB, PhD, Reader in Microbial Genomics and Veterinary Science, University of Cambridge, Dept of Veterinary Medicine 11.05 am Environmental drivers of antimicrobial resistance Dr Will Gaze, Molecular Microbial Ecologist, University of Exeter 11.25 am Antimicrobial resistance and the need to reduce farm antibiotic use Dr Coilin Nunan, Principal Scientific Advisor, Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics 11.55 am The medical reality – antimicrobial resistance and sepsis Dr Ron Daniels, Consultant in Critical Care, Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust; Chair: UK Sepsis Trust; CEO: Global Sepsis Alliance 12.15 pm Q&A, discussion 1.00 pm Lunch
Session 2
Chair: Dr Gabriel Scally, University of West of England 1.45 pm The UK government 5 year AMR strategy – update Professor John Watson, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, and Professor Peter Borriello, Chief Executive, Veterinary Medicines Directorate 2.05 pm A challenge to the UK govt from Sweden – new opportunities for reduction Sven-Erik Bucht, Minister for Rural Affairs, Sweden (Video) 2.15 pm Reduction of farm antibiotic use – how it is being achieved in The Netherlands Hetty van Beers-Schreurs, Director, The Netherlands Veterinary Medicines Authority (SDa) 2.45 pm Reduction in Denmark Jorgen Schlundt, Director, National Food Institute, Denmark Technical University 3.15 pm Antimicrobial resistance – risk assessment from a German perspective Mr Martin Eikenberg, Director of the Institute for General Hygiene, Bremen 3.35 pm Q&A, discussion 4.10 pm Tea/Coffee break 4.30 pm Discussion – ways forward Chair: Dr David McCoy, Director, Medact 4.45 pm Close of meeting

Global Health Justice Lecture - Nutrition, Climate and Public Health
2014-10-29 18:00 - 19:30 (Europe/London)
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.
2nd Lecture: Nutrition, the Environment and Health.
Date: 29th of October
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: Robin Brook Centre – Queen Mary University at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital

Speakers
Bojana Bajzelj from the Department of Engineering at Cambridge published in nature
Katherine Jenner from Queen Mary University London and Campaign Director of CASH (Consensus Action on Salt and Health)

Twitter @b0jana

Twitter @actiononsugar
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

Afternoon training and discussion on the humanitarian initiative on nuclear weapons
2014-10-25 00:00 (Europe/London)
QPSW, ICAN-UK and Religions for Peace invite you to Friends House, Euston, London for an afternoon of training and discussion on the humanitarian initiative on nuclear weapons
1.30pm – 5pm on Saturday 25th October 2014

Come and learn about the latest developments moving the international community towards a treaty to ban nuclear weapons as an unacceptable threat to all of humanity.
Equip yourself with the arguments, resources and confidence to give a new urgency and energy to nuclear disarmament efforts in the UK, by putting them in the context of these exciting new international developments.
The 3rd Humanitarian Impacts Conference will take place in Vienna on 8-9 December 2014, preceded by a major ICAN Civil Society Forum on 6-7 December. The UK government boycotted both of the previous conferences on this issue, in Norway and Mexico, and it is not clear yet whether they will participate at Vienna. Whether they do or not, the momentum is now clearly established for the humanitarian imperative to ban nuclear weapons.
There is no charge for attending this training afternoon, but places are limited so
booking is required – at infouk@icanw.org or 020 7663 1067

Training in the documentation of evidence of torture
2014-10-01 12:30 - 2015-03-26 17:00 (Europe/London)
In association with the Medact Preventing Torture initiative, the Global Health Section of the Royal Society of Medicine will be hosting a series of training sessions for clinicians who are called upon to produce medico-legal reports give oral evidence about survivors of torture. These will be half-day sessions, open and participation will be free of charge to members of any relevant NGO or working independently, and will be held on October 1st, 2014, December 3rd, 2014, February 26th, 2015 and March 26, 2015.Date: Wednesday 1st October 2014 Wednesday 3rd December 2014 Thursday 26 February 2015 Thursday 26 March 2015
Content
1230 – 1400 – informal discussion of matters of mutual interest. Please bring lunch. 1400 – 1700 – Taking, reading and using clinical photographs of torture lesions Chair – Mr. David Rhys-Jones -Taking adequate photographs – Mr. Nick Marsh, senior forensic photographer, Metropolitan Police -Systematic reading of clinical images –Radiologist TBA -Use of clinical images in torture cases – Dr. Frank Arnold, Medact -General discussion – all 1230 – 1400 – informal discussion of matters of mutual interest. Please bring lunch. 1400 – 1700 – Taking the fear out giving evidence in court – role play of anonymised cases Doctors in the hot seat, giving evidence Chair – Mr. David Rhys-Jones -Mr. Paul Gulbenkian, Immigration Judge (retired) -Mr. Julian Wells, lately Home Office presenting Officer -Mr. Nick Armstrong, barrister, Matrix Chambers This session will be filmed by Mr. Ed Goldwyn for dissemination by Medact. TBA TBA Topics for the third and fourth meeting will be decided based on Session 1 & 2. The topics suggested include: Psychological evidence – Prof. Cornelius Katona Scarring – Dr. Juliet Cohen Each session will be from 12:30 to 17:00. Please bring your lunch for the lunchtime discussion. Please note there will be a signup fee of £5 per session.
Click here to register your interest and get a ticket on the RSM website

Patient safety in low and middle income countries - ethics and the junior doctor's responsibilities
2014-09-25 18:30 - 20:00 UTC
Venue: Royal College of Physicians, London NW1 4LE
Thursday 25th September, 6:30pm – 8pm followed by a drinks reception

This is the third in this year’s series of Global Health Advocacy seminars, held by the Royal College of Physicians and the Alma Mata Global Health Network. If you missed the last one, you can watch it online here.
This seminar will explore ethical issues and challenging scenarios that doctors may encounter whilst working in low resource settings. A panel of speakers will discuss their personal experiences, present ethical arguments, and review existing guidance to support doctors working abroad. Join us for a lively and interactive Question Time-style debate, with opportunity for further discussion afterwards over a glass of wine.
View the flyer
Chaired by: Professor John Porter, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Speakers: Dr. Julian Sheather, BMA Ethics Dr. Gareth Walker, Doctors of the World UK Mr. Michael Stark, DfE/DfID/DoH/Cabinet Office Dr. Gareth Lewis, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health This event is free to attend: email international@rcplondon.ac.uk to reserve a place.

Global Health Justice Lecture - Inequality and Health (A New Public Lecture and Discussion Series)
2014-09-24 18:00 - 19:30 (Europe/London)
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.
1st Lecture: Inequality and Health.
Speakers
Dr Aaron Reeves from the Department of Sociology at Oxford
Matilda Allen from the UCL Institute of Health Equity

Twitter @aaronreeves
Twitter @themarmotreview
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Global Health Alert - the trans-Atlantic trade and investment negotiations - what's the fuss about?
2014-09-23 17:30 - 20:00 (Europe/London)
The United States and the European Union are currently engaged in negotiations to establish a new trade and investment agreement with each other. This is set to become one of the biggest such agreements – encompassing the world’s two largest economic unions.
It will have an impact (direct and indirect) on human and environmental health and in particular for medical professionals and the NHS. The RSM, Medact and the Faculty of Public Health have teamed up to bring together a range of experts on The Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Negotiations to inform doctors and other health professionals about this vitally important topic, and debate the issues and concerns. This evening meeting will investigate and debate the scope of the negotiations which is enormous but proving extremely controversial with concerns about transparency and patient safety. However the new agreement could also be a vital ingredient of further economic growth and development in Europe that will ultimately benefit everyone. Hear from the experts, debate the likely outcome and engage in discussion about how it could affect you and the work you do.
If you are concerned or involved in any of these areas then please join us on 23 September 2014.

food, chemical, occupational and consumer safety
intellectual property rights, including those that affect the price of medicines
banking governance and the flow of finance capital
public procurement
the duties and powers of the state to shape and regulate their health systems
cross-border flow of peoples

The panel of speakers include:

John Hilary, Director, War on Want
Dr Gabriel Siles-Brugge, Lecturer in politics, University of Manchester
Nick Dearden, Director, World Development Movement
Sue Davies, Chief Policy Adviser on Food, Which?

The evening discussion will be chaired by Dr Sridhar Venkatapuram, Lecturer in Global Health, Kings College London and Medact Trustee If you have any difficulties in registering, please contact globalhealth@rsm.ac.uk, 0207 290 3904 Click here to view the full programme on the RSM website

Medact Afternoon Conference - Climate Change, Tax Justice and Health
2014-06-07 14:00 - 17:00 (Europe/London)
Book your free ticket online via eventbrite by clicking here.
This is an open mini-conference hosted by Queen Mary University London and Medact. It is one of several global health conferences aimed at creating a shared environment for academics, researchers, clinicians and activists working on areas of common interest and concern. Speakers:

John Christiansen (Director, Tax Justice Network)

John is Director of Tax Justice Network (TJN). TJN is a independent international network launched in 2003. They conduct high-level research, analysis and advocacy on international tax; on the international aspects of financial regulation; on the role of tax in society; and on the impacts of tax evasion, tax avoidance, tax ‘competition’ and tax havens. TJN seeks to create understanding and debate, and to promote reform, especially in poorer countries.

John Hilary (Executive Director, War on Want)

John is Executive Director of War on Want. He has worked in the field of international development and human rights for the past 25 years, and has authored numerous publications on globalisation, trade and development. His new book, The Poverty of Capitalism, is published
by Pluto Press.

Alice Bell (Science Writer, alicerosebell.com)

Alice is a writer, teacher and researcher interested in the politics of science, technology and the environment. In addition to freelancing, she has worked as a Research Fellow at the Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex, Lectured in the Science Communication Group at Imperial, has been a Special Projects Officer for Science Year and an Explainer at the Science Museum. She has also taught at UCL.

The conference will be preceded by our Annual General Meeting – if you are member of Medact and wish to attend please register by emailing office [at] medact [org] To find out more about the AGM click here. The afternoon conference is open to everyone, student admission is free.
Programme

2pm Welcome and introduction Dr David McCoy 2:15pm Tax, Development and Health 2:35pm Tax, development and health: What John Christensen health professionals should know and do. 2:50pm A Case study of Boots Alliance Elisabeth Molinari 3:05 pm Discussion 3:25pm Break 3:35pm Politics, Development and Health 3:50pm Capital Resource Flows Natalie Sharples 4:05pm Capitalism and Politics: How do we discuss John Hilary this in polite society? 4:25pm Discussion 4:45pm Science and Politics Alice Bell 5:05pm Closing Remarks

For more information please contact office [at] medact [dot] org
For more information on the afternoon conference, please contact office [at] medact.org.
Book your free ticket online via eventbrite by clicking here.

AGM 2014
2014-06-07 11:00 - 14:00 (Europe/London)
Join us for Medact’s Annual General Meeting. This is a members only business meeting. The AGM is an opportunity to vote on new board members, discuss the memorandum and articles and propose motions. The AGM will be followed by a mini conference, click here to find out more. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. If you want to attend the AGM please email office [at] medact [dot] org

Medact and RSM Event: Torture - An ethical dilemma for the medical profession?
2014-04-29
Medact and the Royal Society of Medicine are holding an event on 29th April: “Torture – An ethical dilemma for the medical profession?”
Torture is all too common and widespread; and it comes into touch with many parts of the medical and public health system. What is the ethical position of clinicians working in prison or detention settings, when facing conflicts between the demands of the detaining authorities and the best interests of their patients? How can we navigate the space between conscience and complicity? Who will protect doctors who blow the whistle on unacceptable practices? When is feeding a hunger striker unethical? And how should clinicians in other healthcare settings respond when encountering suspected victims of abuse and torture?
All these questions and more will be discussed – from a global and local perspective – by leading experts on the complex issue of the role of medical professionals working in systems that torture or with survivors of torture. Case studies from the UK, US, Syria and Israel/Palestine will be presented.
For more information and to book a ticket, please visit the Royal Society of Medicine Global Health event site.
Speaker biographies
Jim Welsh, Amnesty International
Jim has worked with Amnesty International since 1981 and is now their Medical Coordinator based in London, UK, campaigning specifically on issues around torture, the repression of medical professionals, and access to health care in prison settings.
Dr Frank Arnold, Medact
Frank is a Board Member of Medact, a London-based global health rights charity, which campaigns, among other things, for the independence of medical professionals in prison settings involving abuse and torture worldwide. He is also the founder of Medical Justice, an organisation that exposes and challenges inadequate healthcare provision to immigration detainees in the UK. He has examined and written medical reports about over 500 asylum seekers who describe being tortured in more than 20 countries. In 2013 Frank was involved in a campaign for access to independent medical advice for hunger strikers in Guantanamo Bay.
Hadas Ziv, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel
Hadas is a leading health and human rights activist in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. She has worked for Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-Israel) in various capacities, including as its Executive Director, since 1995.

Fossil Free Health - Planning Meeting
2014-04-28 17:30 - 19:00 (Europe/London)
In April 2014, Medact – together with our partners Healthy Planet UK – launched the ‘Fossil Free Health’ campaign. We are calling on the UK health community to divest from fossil fuels. As a community committed to improving health worldwide, we hope that organisations such as the British Medical Association, the Royal Colleges and the Wellcome Trust, will remove their investments from an industry whose very business model threatens to completely undermine human and planetary health. The campaign has just begun, it will be a long-road to divestment and we need all the help we can get. Join us on 28th April for a relaxed, informal evening of planning and discussion. You’ll hear a brief update on the campaign so far from the Fossil Free Health team. We’ll then break into groups to brainstorm ideas and discuss strategies for the different aspects of the campaign: from social media to press briefings, direct action to e-campaigning. This is a chance to bring your ideas and enthusiasm, and your chance to shape the campaign. All are welcome. Location: Jeremy Morris B Room, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Time: 17:30 For more information, please email chrisvenables [at] medact.org.

2nd People's Health Assembly
2014-04-10 - 2014-04-12
This event is being run by the People’s Health Movement. For more information about PHM, please visit www.phm-uk.org.uk. The People´s Health Movement (PHM) has its roots deep in the grassroots people’s movement and owes its genesis to many health networks and activists who have been concerned by the growing inequities in health over the last 25 years.
Background and Context
The word ‘austerity’ has recently gained prominence. It is used to describe a wide range of cuts to public spending across services including welfare support, education, health and social care. What is often overlooked is how ‘austerity’ is a deliberate policy by the government to redistribute resources from the poor to the rich through bailout of banks, corporate tax evasion and private finance initiatives. Austerity and its’ effects are being imposed selectively, unevenly and unfairly across society with devastating impacts on disadvantaged groups pushing them further into poverty, deprivation and poor health. It is also being used to justify a further expansion of privatisation, corporate welfare and excessive profiteering – not least of all in the NHS. Whilst this is happening in various ways and at different speeds in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is a crisis affecting the whole of the UK. Therefore, the political, economic and ideological underpinnings of austerity need to be questioned and challenged. This is a priority for those working in the health sector, and for those seeking to reverse the trend of widening health inequalities.
Why attend?
– Learn more about the background to austerity measures and their impact on local and global determinants of health, on health and related services and on health inequity in different parts of the UK. – Learn skills for movement building and activism with community and campaign groups; and strategies for challenging austerity – Dialogue and Network with organisations and individuals involved in health and social activism. – Take part in developing a People’s Health Manifesto and help build a progressive health movement to challenge austerity and exclusion throughout the UK
Click here to download the flyer.
For more information and to register, please click here.
