Health secretary Andrew Lansley was the stand out winner last year, with Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre in second, but who will you crown pantomime villian for 2011? Read the illustrious list below, and make your choice below right.
Lord Ara Darzi – He may not have been a health minister since 2009, but the legacy of Lord Ara Darzi – a past winner of the award – looms large over general practice, as his network of eponymous GP-led health centres is slowly dismantled.
Danny Alexander – the chief secretary to the treasury has been the bearer of bad news for GPs this year, as he was forced to present plans to raise of GPs' retirement age to 65 and create an average rise in employee contributions of 3.2% of pensionable pay.
Sir John Oldham - The head of the DH's QIPP agenda laid down the gauntlet to commissioners in emotive terms this year, as he urged them to tackle the 'underbelly' of poor practices that needed to be brought into line with their peers.
Andrew Lansley – last year's winner has ridden the political storm, and possible threats to his job in pushing his controversial health bill through, despite sustained opposition from all corners. A resilient health secretary, but can he avoid the pantomime villain tag for a second year running?
Dr Clare Gerada – The RCGP chair's sustained and vocal campaign against the health bill has won her many admirers, but her role as senior partner in GP provider the Hurley Group, which employs scores of salaried doctors, and continues to win provider contracts across the capital, has made her less popular with some grassroots GPs.
Dr Hamish Meldrum – The BMA chair has faced another difficult year as he desperately tries to juggle the disparate views within his organisation, recently fighting off a challenge to his leadership from militant colleagues in London, who claimed he was ‘undermining' opposition to the Government's NHS reforms.
Earl Howe – The health minister did not endear himself to GPs recently when he declared that the health bill would create ‘genuine opportunities' for the private sector to take over large chunks of the NHS, thus fuelling the fire on many GPs' fears.
Professor Steve Field – Often acting as a shield for unpopular Government plans in his role at the helm of the future forum, the former RCGP chair has not been afraid to ruffle the profession's feathers, recently lamenting that primary care had ‘lost the plot' on provision of care.
Niall Dickson – Whether its battles over revalidation, accusations of anti-Christian bias in his organisation, or being forced to apologise for mistakenly informing 200 doctors they were subject to disciplinary investigation, the GMC chief has bore the brunt of much GP disgruntlement this year.
Which will you choose?
