After Farage calls medical experts a ‘disgrace’, one doctor tells him where to go

Nigel Farage
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Nigel Farage called the British Medical Association (BMA) an “absolute disgrace” on Twitter. But one doctor didn’t take it lying down. She hit back with a tirade of facts and fury.

‘Show some goddamn humility’

The BMA warned that a no-deal Brexit could seriously hamper future attempts to co-ordinate medical responses across borders. In a research briefing shared with the Independent, the association said this could make the UK more vulnerable to infectious diseases. It pointed out that NHS stockpiling of medicines shows the government hasn’t properly thought about the impact of a no-deal Brexit on health.

Farage – an MEP, media personality, and former commodities trader – disagreed. He said it’s just fearmongering:

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But one NHS professional wasn’t going to let him get away with that claim. Palliative care doctor Rachel Clarke let Farage know what ‘disgraceful’ actually means:

She highlighted the experiences actual doctors and nurses go through with their patients:

She pointed out that Brexit has been responsible for the NHS “haemorrhaging” staff and not finding replacements:

Clarke ended with a finishing blow that characterised Farage as a man utterly disconnected from real people:

Medical advice

Clarke is a high-profile doctor who has been critical of many government healthcare decisions. In August 2016, she criticised then health secretary Jeremy Hunt’s plans for a seven-day NHS. She has consistently written about understaffing and underfunding. And her latest indictment – like Clarke’s past opposition to NHS treatment requiring passports – takes on misdirection about problems facing our public healthcare system.

Farage is no stranger to ignoring medical expertise. At the time of publishing, he hasn’t responded to Clarke’s comments. But she said what we’d all love to say to Farage, and she did it perfectly.

Get Involved!

– Follow Rachel Clarke on Twitter at @doctor_oxford.

Read more about the NHS at The Canary.

Featured image via RT Deutsch/YouTube

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