Dear Friends, Colleagues, and Supporters,

I am reaching out to you in a time of immense personal and professional distress. As many of you know, I have been a passionate advocate for patient safety and transparency within the medical profession. During my tenure as co-chair of the Doctors' Association UK (DAUK), I uncovered and publicised serious issues concerning the physician associate role, which garnered significant media attention and sparked widespread debate within our community.

Unfortunately, my efforts to bring these critical issues to light have led to significant personal challenges, including referrals to both the police and the General Medical Council (GMC). While these referrals have been dismissed, the stress and anxiety they have caused have been overwhelming.

In the course of these events, there were public communications from UMAPs, including a defamatory press release that included personal contact details. I shared this to X/Twitter and UMAPs claimed harassment.

In an effort to resolve these issues amicably, I asked them to retract and delivered a pre-action letter on the 5th of March. However, due to life events and the compounded stress from these referrals, I have been unable to follow up with legal advice.

These actions have not only caused me significant professional and personal stress but also contributed to my resignation from my position at DAUK. The impact on my mental health has been profound, and the financial strain of pursuing legal recourse is daunting.

This is where I am asking for your help. I am seeking financial support to pursue a defamation case to address the impact on my reputation and to ensure I can continue my advocacy for patient safety without fear of further issues.

Any amount you can contribute will make a significant difference and help me seek justice. If you are unable to donate, sharing this campaign with your network would also be immensely helpful.

Thank you!
Dr Matt Kneale