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GPC chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul elected next BMA chair

GPC chair Dr Chaand Nagpaul will replace Dr Mark Porter as chair of the BMA Council at the end of this month.

Dr Nagpaul, a GP partner in Stanmore, North London, has been chair of the GPC since 2013 and before that a GPC negotiator since 2007.

A veteran GP leader, he has been a member of the GPC since 1997 and an LMC member for over 25 years. He is also an RCGP fellow and and a former RCGP Council member and was awarded a CBE for services to general practice in 2015.

Commenting on the appointment, Dr Nagpaul said it would be ‘a tremendous privilege and honour to represent the medical profession as BMA council chair’.

He said this comes as ‘the challenges facing doctors and the health service in which we work have never been greater’.

He said: ‘Doctors are at the sharp end of chronic underfunding, staff shortages and rising demand on the NHS, and see firsthand the devastating impact these pressures have on patient care.

’I will work to ensure that the BMA supports doctors facing these pressures, and will lead the charge for an NHS that is properly resourced by the next government, so that doctors can provide the safe, high-quality care patients deserve.’

He added: ’I want to pay tribute to the hard work and leadership of my predecessor, Dr Mark Porter. The BMA has always proven itself to be a strong, independent voice for both doctors and the patients we serve and with the NHS at breaking point, this is more important now than ever in holding politicians to account.

’I look forward to continuing with this vital work at a pivotal time for doctors across the profession and for the NHS as a whole.’

Dr Porter’s five-year term as BMA chair comes to an end following the BMA’s Annual Representative Meeting on 29 June.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul’s CV

Age 56

Family Married (to a GP), with two teenage children

Education Medical school at St Bartholomew’s Hospital London from 1979-85 and did his GP training scheme at Charing Cross hospital 1986-89

Career

1989-present: GP partner in Stanmore in northwest London (became a partner the day after qualifying as a GP)

1990 – joined Harrow LMC

1996-present: Elected onto GPC (has sat on 11 BMA subcommittees and chaired two)

1996-2007:  RCGP Council member  

2007-present: GPC negotiator

2008-2017: BMA Council member

2013-present: GPC chair

Interests Loves music, especially jazz, and London.