Chris Jones

Unveiling the multifaceted dimensions of sustainability

A final word from BMJ Group CEO Chris Jones, on the importance of social mobility

Exploring the intricate tapestry of sustainability reveals a truth that goes beyond the confines of climate concerns. While protecting our environment remains crucial, we can’t overlook the intricate threads of social mobility woven into this narrative.

It’s disheartening to see that even today in the UK, the circumstances of your birth can cast a long shadow on where you’re headed in life. The struggles faced by young people from less privileged backgrounds run deep—limited educational opportunities, barriers to higher learning, and dreams of fulfilling careers hindered.

As a CEO, I passionately believe that businesses like ours should play an active part in empowering these young hearts to shape their own destinies. That’s why I’m immensely proud of our partnership with

Future Frontiers, a remarkable education charity. Through this collaboration, twenty of our dedicated team members become mentors of students who face disadvantages, right at BMA House. In June 2023, we welcomed our first cohort of students to begin a series of coaching sessions that will help them learn more about themselves, their capabilities and identify a suitable career path.

This endeavour is a victory for all involved: equipping these bright young souls with the skills to chart a brighter future while enriching our own abilities as caring mentors and perceptive leaders. With the wheels of planning already turning, I’m eagerly looking forward to witnessing the growth of this initiative. It’s destined to become a cornerstone of our commitment to making a positive impact and embracing our social responsibility.

References

  1. In 2023, The BMJ observed a JIF 10% increase of over 9 points to 105.7. Announcing changes to the 2023 Journal Citation Reports, Clarivate [Online]
  2. ALPSP Impact and Innovation Awards 2023: Shortlists announced https://www.alpsp. org/News/alpsp-impact-innovation-awards-2023, Tuesday 13 June 2023
  3. Wilkes M. Investigation: Did the FDA break its own rules in approving the antibiotic Recarbrio? The BMJ 2023; 381 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.p1048 (Published 15 May 2023)
  4. Ross D. The decline of science at the FDA has become unmanageable, The BMJ 2023; 381 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.p1061 (Published 15 May 2023)
  5. Oxford E. The NHS paid private hospitals £2bn in the pandemic: did taxpayers get value for money? The BMJ 2023; 380 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.p329 (Published 15 February 2023)
  6. Feature BMJ Investigation, Feature BMJ Investigation, Medical colleges and unions call for inquiry over “shocking” levels of sexual assault in the NHS, The BMJ 2023; 381 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.p1105 (Published 23 May 2023) The BMJ 2023;381:p1105
  7. Sexual safety incidents involving patients are reported through the National Reporting and Learning System, a central database of patient safety incident reports, which is being replaced with a similar system this year. https://www.bmj.com/content/381/bmj.p1105
  8. Lord Bethell, Conservative mentioned BMJ Global Health in an Online Safety Bill – Committee Day in the House of Lords 11 May 2023: I also remind noble Lords that foreign actors and states are causing severe trouble in this area.“Foreign disinformation” social media campaigns are linked to falling vaccination rates, according to an international time-trend analysis published by BMJ Global Health.
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  19. BMJ full waiver list 2023 https://s16086.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/BMJ-full-waiver-list-May-2023.pdf
  20. Research4Life provides institutions in lower income countries with online access to academic and professional peer-reviewed content. https://www.research4life.org/
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  22. NHS Resolution is an arm’s length body of the Department of Health and Social Care. They provide expertise to the NHS on resolving concerns and disputes fairly, sharing learning for improvement and preserving resources for patient care. https://resolution.nhs.uk/
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  1. 99.5% surge in BMJ Best Practice sessions with electronic health record (EHR) integration: Q1 2023 vs same period in 2022
  2. Hajat C, Stein E. The global burden of multiple chronic conditions: A narrative review. Prev Med Rep. 2018 Oct 19;12:284-293. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.008. PMID: 30406006; PMCID: PMC6214883.
  3. BMJ Best Practice Comorbidities Manager is now available across NHS Wales. BMJ corporate announcement. January 2023. Available online: https://www.bmj.com/company/newsroom/nhs-wales-e-library-extends-release
  4. Rayman. G, Akpan. A, Cowie. M, Evans. R, Patel. M, Posporelis. S, et al. Managing patients with comorbidities: future models of care. Future Healthcare Journal. July 2022. Available from: https://www.rcpjournals.org/content/futurehosp/9/2/101
  5. The allocation of BMJ-TAG assessments by national HTA bodies varies significantly from year to year, presenting both challenges and opportunities. In 2022, BMJ-TAG had the opportunity to work on multiple assessments focusing on drugs targeting conditions that impact a considerable number of patients. Although these drugs were categorised as “me-too” drugs, meaning they were similar to existing drugs already available on the NHS, this provided an important avenue for evaluating their potential benefits and value for patients. BMJ-TAG conducts research for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and other policy makers in the UK to support national decision making and improve health outcomes.
  6. The BMJ Innovations social innovations for health special supplement highlights some of the most important research work, concepts and practices in the area of social innovations in health. It also showcases the best available case examples where significant improvements in health outcomes have been made. [Available online] https://www.bmj.com/company/social-innovations-for-health/
  7. Rao. M, Powell A Richard. The climate crisis and the rise of eco-anxiety, The BMJ Opinion, October 6, 2021 [Online]
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  9. Wedmore, F. This is climate breakdown, and it is having a real effect on our patients. The BMJ Opinion, August 12, 2021, [Online], https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/08/12/florence-wedmore-this-is-climate-breakdown-and-it-is-having-a-real-effect-on-our-patients/
  10. BMJ is a founding member of the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change (UKHACC), and in 2020 made a call for the WHO to declare a public health emergency.
  11. In September 2021, The BMJ and 50 BMJ Journals were among 233 journals across the world to simultaneously publish an editorial calling on world leaders to take emergency action to limit global temperature increases, halt the destruction of nature, and protect health. The full list of authors and signatories to climate emergency editorial September 2021 https://www.bmj.com/content/full-list-authors-and-signatories-climate-emergency-editorial-september-2021
  12. Wise J. Climate crisis: Over 200 health journals urge world leaders to tackle “catastrophic harm” BMJ 2021; 374 :n2177 doi:10.1136/bmj.n2177 https://www.bmj. com/content/374/bmj.n2177
  13. 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP26
  14. The BMJ special issue on the climate emergency 2021 https://flipbooks.bmj.com/26532/63293/
  15. As above
  16. Frumkin H, Cook S, Dobson J, Abbasi K. Mobilising hope to overcome climate despair BMJ 2022; 379 :o2411 doi:10.1136/bmj.o2411
  17. Nazari. P and Jones. M, What can clinicians say to patients who ask about climate change? The BMJ Opinion [Online] January 22, 2021 https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/01/22/what-can-clinicians-say-to-patients-who-ask-about-climate-change/
  18. Rao. M, Powell A Richard. The climate crisis and the rise of eco-anxiety, The BMJ Opinion, October 6, 2021 [Online] https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/10/06/the-climate-crisis-and-the-rise-of-eco-anxiety/
  19. Gregory. A, Health Editor, ‘Eco-anxiety’: fear of environmental doom weighs on young people, The Guardian, Wed 6 Oct 2021, [Online] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/oct/06/eco-anxiety-fear-of-environmental-doom-weighs-on-young-people
  20. Eco distress for children and young people, Royal College of Psychiatrists, [Online] https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/parents-and-young-people/young-people/eco-distress-for-young-people

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