Catholic Medical Association UK: National Conference 2009
Saturday 25 April and Sunday 26 April 2009
Novotel, Victoria Street, BS1 6HY Bristol
Distinguished Catholic politician Baroness Julia Cumberlege and former political prisoner Dr Sheila Cassidy who was tortured in Chile were among the high profile figures who addressed delegates at the Catholic Medical Association’s inaugural national Conference in Bristol.
The Catholic Medical Association was previously the Guild of Catholic Doctors.
Bristol GP Dr Phil McCarthy from the Bristol branch of the Catholic Medical Association, said before the conference:
“We’ve secured a top line-up of speakers for the conference. Baroness Cumberlege is well known as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health - a position she held from 1992 to 1997. She has contributed a great deal to the NHS and is recognised for her involvement in the Church’s important work in the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults. Her speech promises to provide a rare insight into the running of our health service on a national level.
“Other speakers include Professor David Jones, Professor of Bioethics at St Mary’s University College; Professor Neil Scolding, Professor of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Bristol; Charles Wookey of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference; and Jane O’Brien of the General Medical Council.
“Dr Sheila Cassidy is a palliative care physician and author. She will talk about vocation in the twenty-first century. She’s a former political prisoner. In the 1970s she was locked up and tortured by the Chilean regime because she gave medical care to their political opponents. She’s written about her experiences in several books and currently works in Plymouth.”
Catholic Medical Association: inaugural annual conference flyer (pdf)
Key speakers
Maintaining our vocation in the new NHS
Baroness Cumberlege
Former health minister, Vice President RCN & RCM
Ethical challenges to vocation, a Catholic approach
David A Jones
Professor of Bioethics, St Mary’s University College
Winning hearts and minds on embryonic stem cell research
Neil Scolding
Professor of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Bristol
Question Time
Chaired by Charles Wookey
Assistant General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
Professional vocation, regulation and conscience
Jane O’Brien
Assistant Director Standards & Fitness to Practise Directorate General Medical Council
Vocation in action: practical workshops
A vision for the future of the CMA
Steven Brennan
National President CMA
Vocation in the 21st Century
Sheila Cassidy
Former political prisoner, palliative care physician and author