BMA's annual report for 1993-4

EDITOR, - I was interested to see in the annual report of the British Medical Association for 1993-4 that the association generated a surplus of pounds sterling 3.6m, is expecting a similar surplus for 1994, and has an overall surplus of pounds sterling 40.12m - the market value of its investments (pp 62-3).1 There seems to be a lack of a clear strategy on the use of these funds, except perhaps for speculation on the stock markets (p 41). In the absence of a coherent strategy I suggest, among other things, a policy of increasing the membership of the BMA by subsidising subscription fees rather than increasing them (p 41). A membership campaign emphasising the services offered and the reduction of fees would, with increased membership, give more political leverage to the BMA and in the long run might generate a further surplus - if that is indeed a strategy of …