18. Dr Clare Gerada

The former RCGP chair is proving there is certainly life after the college.

Her nominators cited her passion and willingness to say what she believes. Comments included: ‘inspirational, strong, sensitive, vocal GP who puts people first’ and ‘the guts to tell it how it is’.

Professor Gerada may not be everyone’s cup of tea but she has affected real positive change this year. Her campaigning for the GMC to change its treatment of vulnerable doctors and her advocacy for a service for burnt-out GPs – alongside Pulse’s Battling Burnout campaign – have been game-changing. The latter will probably be based on the London-based pastoral support service of which she is medical director.

Characteristically, she has courted controversy by calling for the RCGP to scrap the MRCGP clinical skills assessment – putting her in direct opposition to her successor – while her previous (highly unpopular) questioning of GPs’ independent contractor status is now starting to look prescient. 

A recent Pulse poll showed that more than half of partners would now consider taking a salaried job if they were given the right offer.

Watch this space: Professor Gerada has just been elected to BMA Council.

Why she is influential: Powerful advocate for an NHS that is kinder to its staff

Surprising fact: Terrified of spiders