BMA awards grants to charities working on diversity, mental health and refugee welfare

The charitable arm of the British Medical Association, BMA Giving, has announced a total sum of £125,000 to be donated in grants to 10 charities sharing the mission of the BMA.

Ten charities were selected in addition to a further £25,000 of emergency funding in support of the crisis in Ukraine awarded in February. The grants included projects supporting refugees, equality, diversity, and inclusion and suicide awareness for medical students.

A record 47 charities applied to this year’s scheme, marking an increase of 62% compared with applications received in 2021.

The charities include Bloody Good Period, which will use the £10,000 grant to help volunteer medical professionals share menstrual, sexual, and reproductive health knowledge to asylum seekers and refugees. Freedom from Torture will use its £13,000 to support doctors working with refugees and asylum-seeking residents in the UK who have experienced torture.

All Skin Tones received £7,000 to help medical students and junior doctors improve awareness, identification and treatment of dermatological conditions for people of darker skin tones, while Arian Teleheal received £15,000 for its project to remotely deliver mental health support sessions to medical staff located in conflict zones.

Olly’s Future received £10,000 for its Dr SAMS (Suicide Awareness in Medical Students) initiative, which was also supported by BMA Giving in 2020 and 2021, while £25,000 was awarded to the Cameron Fund, supporting GPs and GP trainees in financial hardship.

Dame Parveen Kumar, chair of BMA Giving committee said: “Our motto at the BMA is ‘we look after doctors so they can look after you’. BMA Giving allows us to help both doctors and their patients – whether it is offering reproductive health knowledge to asylum seekers or helping doctors protect against mental health problems and suicide, these grants are a recognition that doctors are only as strong as their support network. The amazing and inspiring work of these charities shows the generosity of spirit that reflect the best of the medical profession, and it is a privilege to support them as chair of this committee.”