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46. Dr Kailash Chand

Dr Kailash Chand may be retired but he continues to exert huge influence in general practice through his writing. As well as being a regular columnist for Pulse, his work is published in The Guardian, the Mirror, Independent, the Daily Express and the Manchester Evening News – always generating much debate among GPs and patients.

This year has given him plenty of opportunity to tackle controversial topics – particularly racial discrimination in the NHS, an issue brought to the fore by the case of Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba. Dr Chand concluded: ‘White NHS leaders do not understand the discrimination BME doctors face.’

He has also written on issues as diverse as funding in the NHS, the GP crisis and obesity, as well as the 70th anniversary of the NHS.

Dr Chand is also a powerful voice in the Labour Party movement, and is close to current Manchester mayor and former health secretary Andy Burnham. Indeed, Mr Burnham created the role of equality and diversity lead for the Greater Manchester devolution partnership for Dr Chand.

But his favourite moments involve his son, the cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra, himself a major media presence, who campaigns on the overmedicalisation of care and on the power of the sugar lobby.

 

Why influential: Major media presence with a huge following

 

What others say: ‘Kailash is amazing. Even though he is retired he still contributes to the work of general practice every day’

 

Random fact: Has met four Prime Ministers (John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron), challenging each one on their NHS policies