Dr Sarah Benn, a Birmingham-based GP, could face removal from the medical register after participating in a Just Stop Oil protest in 2022. Dr Benn was arrested at the Kingsbury oil terminal in Warwickshire while holding a sign proclaiming “no new oil” and subsequently imprisoned for 31 days. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) opened a hearing on Monday to decide if the 57-year-old can sustain a medical license, a decision that is expected to be made on 24 April.
On its site, the MPTS alleges that Dr Benn broke civil injunction laws three times in the buffer zone surrounding the Kingsbury Oil Terminal in 2022. Dr Benn’s argument suggests that her actions align with the medical code of ethics, which prioritizes public safety above all, and that she informed the General Medical Council and her employer about every arrest. Environmental activist group Just Stop Oil characterised the Kingsbury demonstration as a peaceful protest calling upon the government to halt new fossil fuel initiatives.
Before the hearing, Dr Benn stated that, as a physician, her primary duty was to support life and safety, which includes preventative measures to fight disease and death. She went on to advocate for greater action to combat climate change, arguing that it is the most serious existential threat to global health in human history. Dr Benn said that the chaos she created and ongoing disruptions were regrettable but necessary to address a rapidly unfolding emergency.
To date, three GPs have been brought under scrutiny for similar reasons this year, with Dr Benn’s case being the first to be heard. If found guilty, Dr Benn will be removed from the register, but, according to her, that will not prevent her from acting responsively and according to the medical code of conduct while the government persists in pursuing oil and gas exploitation
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