After winning a presenting award at a science conference in 1999, Dr Gordon Fletcher switched careers from biochemistry to communications. He joined fledgling internet start-up BioMed Central to manage external relations as they set about disrupting the world of science publishing with their new open-access model. He then moved to health communications, working at the sharp end of healthcare media relations for 10 years. Dr Fletcher has also worked in social media, developing community spaces for a membership organisation before applying his expertise to internal communications. In 2015 he was appointed as the British Medical Association’s first head of internal communications in its 183 year history.

The British Medical Association is the doctors’ professional organisation established to look after the professional and personal needs of our members. The BMA represents doctors and medical students in all branches of medicine all over the UK. It is a voluntary association with over two-thirds of practising UK doctors in membership and an independent trade union dedicated to protecting individual members and the collective interests of doctors. It is the voice for doctors and medical students – in constant contact with ministers, government departments, members of the UK, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland administrations and many other influential bodies. We are committed to keeping members in touch with the profession’s collective views and policies and to being at the forefront of healthcare development. It promotes the medical and allied sciences, seeks to maintain the honour and interests of the medical profession and promotes the achievement of high quality healthcare. Its policies cover public health issues, medical ethics, science, the state of the NHS, medical education and doctors’ contracts. Policies are decided by elected members, mainly practising doctors and supported by a professional staff who work with other bodies to meet its objectives.