Meldrum graduated from Edinburgh Medical School in 1972, then worked as a GP in Yorkshire.[2]
He joined the BMA's General Practitioners Committee (GPC) in 1991.[1] He chaired the GPC from 2004 to 2007.[3]
Meldrum was elected as chair of BMA council in 2007.[4] Among the first issues that he was faced with was the troubled introduction of a new system for junior doctors to be selected for training posts - Medical Training Application Service (MTAS).[5] He spoke out against private finance initiative (PFI) schemes in the NHS, citing waste and inefficiency.[6] In response to the unlawful killing of David Gray by an out-of-hours locum doctor, Meldrum supported the position that practicing doctors should be competent, including having the necessary language skills.[7] He led doctors into industrial action over pension issues.[8] He also spoke out against aspects of Andrew Lansley's Health and Social Care Bill.[9]
In March 2011, Meldrum retired from his practice in Bridlington, East Yorkshire.[10]