What’s to be done?
Underlying social pathologies
• Inequality
• Democratic failings
• Neoliberalism
Inequality
Not just a moral issue …..
Inequality
Not just a moral issue …..
Democratic failings
A crisis of democracy in spite of worldwide growth in number of representative democracies
circumvention of democracy
globalisation
Neoliberalism
Not just a set of theories and ideas ….
Neoliberalism
Not just a set of theories and ideas ….
Neoliberalism
Not just a set of theories and ideas ….
Social vaccines and treatments?• Hope
• Courage
Social vaccines and treatments?• Hope
• Courage
• Knowledge
• Imagination
• Organisation
• Public Health
Formed in 1992 by the merger of Medical Campaign Against Nuclear War (MCANW) and Medical Association for the Prevention of War (MAPW)
Small
2.2 staff
Office in London.
Income of £110K
Independent: 95% income from membership subscriptions and donations
Medact Now
There is a need for an organisation of health professionals to act on the upstream determinants of health; and to approach health from a social and political perspective.
Medact seeks to harness the expertise, mandate and ethical principles of health professionals and others working on health.
Revitalising Medact
Revitalising Medact
Weapons and War Economic Justice Ecology and Climate Change
Health and Human Rights
Grow the organisation: Five to ten staffMembership of 3,000
Active support of campaigns / advocacy involving tens of thousands:Key targets for advocacy:
• Politicians• BMA, Royal Colleges, WHO
Increase project-based funding
Provide a platform for other groups and existing initiatives
Medact Future
Help coalesce the dispersed and atomised progressive health community.
Revitalising Medact: CommunicationsWebsite
Social media, e-campaigns, effective office infrastructure
Partners and collaborators
Board
Weapons and War Council
Climate and Ecology Council
Economic Justice Council
Health and Human Rights Council
Office / Staff
Projects / Activity Groups / Area groups
Members and Supporters
Revitalising Medact: Structure and Organisation
Post-Conference Work• Strategic Planning
• Policy and Analysis
• Fundraising
• Mobilising
• Partnering and Coalescing
• Campaigning
Thankyou!