BMA annual representative meeting, Llandudno, 28 June to 1 July
http://www.100md.com
《英国医生杂志》
Zosia Kmietowicz
Llandudno
The BMA has called for a strategy of "zero tolerance" towards discrimination against doctors in the NHS, after research has found that doctors' careers are being blocked on grounds of disability, ethnicity, sexuality, and gender.
For its report the BMA interviewed 25 self selected doctors who had experienced discrimination. The doctors were asked about what had happened to them, how their experiences had made them feel, and how they thought things should change.
Their experiences showed that discrimination was widespread throughout the NHS and that not enough was being done to tackle it, the report says.
One woman commented: "I have encountered extreme obstacles in my career progression to the point where I frankly didn't really want to speak to you. My memories are very painful and very unpleasant; however, I suppose, for the good of the cause I felt an obligation to do so."
Another doctor, with a disability, said: "Once, the consultant who spoke to me told me that I should not be applying for clinical jobs at all and advised me to change career."
A common complaint among doctors from ethnic minorities was that despite being told by the General Medical Council that their degree was recognised they had failed to get jobs because they didn't pass the Professional Linguistics Assessment Board (PLAB) test. Many doctors have criticised this test, which assesses English language and clinical skills, for being too difficult and one that many British doctors would fail.
And if they do secure a post in the NHS many ethnic minority doctors find they do not progress in their careers in the same way other doctors do.
One interviewee commented: "Lots of ethnic minority doctors get stuck at LAT , LAS , trust grade, staff grade, associate specialist, and locum consultants. Their career progression has been blocked because of their ethnic background."
Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of science and ethics at the BMA, said: "The stories are sad. These are people who feel their careers have been blighted, and we want to make sure that does not happen any more."
Many doctors from ethnic minorities find their career path blocked
Credit: WILL & DENNI MCINTYRE/SPL
The BMA plans to work with the Department of Health to develop a zero tolerance strategy across the NHS. It also recommends that medical schools include diversity and equality awareness in their undergraduate curriculums.
Dr George Rae, chairman of the BMA equal opportunities committee, said: "It is not acceptable for anyone to think this is someone else's problem. It is everyone's problem. We are all responsible for creating the current environment, and it is only through our collective and individual actions that we can start to move forward. Attitudes must change first—and by launching this report the BMA hopes to spearhead this change."
A spokesperson from the health department commented: "The government is fully committed to diversity and equality of opportunity for all health services staff. There is no place for discrimination or harassment in the NHS on grounds of race or ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or age. The NHS workforce must reflect the population it serves.
"Earlier this month Nigel Crisp launched a consultation paper, Equality and Diversity in the Medical Workforce, which looks at ways of working with bodies such as the BMA to overcome some of the barriers to equality."(Doctors' careers are blig)
Llandudno
The BMA has called for a strategy of "zero tolerance" towards discrimination against doctors in the NHS, after research has found that doctors' careers are being blocked on grounds of disability, ethnicity, sexuality, and gender.
For its report the BMA interviewed 25 self selected doctors who had experienced discrimination. The doctors were asked about what had happened to them, how their experiences had made them feel, and how they thought things should change.
Their experiences showed that discrimination was widespread throughout the NHS and that not enough was being done to tackle it, the report says.
One woman commented: "I have encountered extreme obstacles in my career progression to the point where I frankly didn't really want to speak to you. My memories are very painful and very unpleasant; however, I suppose, for the good of the cause I felt an obligation to do so."
Another doctor, with a disability, said: "Once, the consultant who spoke to me told me that I should not be applying for clinical jobs at all and advised me to change career."
A common complaint among doctors from ethnic minorities was that despite being told by the General Medical Council that their degree was recognised they had failed to get jobs because they didn't pass the Professional Linguistics Assessment Board (PLAB) test. Many doctors have criticised this test, which assesses English language and clinical skills, for being too difficult and one that many British doctors would fail.
And if they do secure a post in the NHS many ethnic minority doctors find they do not progress in their careers in the same way other doctors do.
One interviewee commented: "Lots of ethnic minority doctors get stuck at LAT , LAS , trust grade, staff grade, associate specialist, and locum consultants. Their career progression has been blocked because of their ethnic background."
Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of science and ethics at the BMA, said: "The stories are sad. These are people who feel their careers have been blighted, and we want to make sure that does not happen any more."
Many doctors from ethnic minorities find their career path blocked
Credit: WILL & DENNI MCINTYRE/SPL
The BMA plans to work with the Department of Health to develop a zero tolerance strategy across the NHS. It also recommends that medical schools include diversity and equality awareness in their undergraduate curriculums.
Dr George Rae, chairman of the BMA equal opportunities committee, said: "It is not acceptable for anyone to think this is someone else's problem. It is everyone's problem. We are all responsible for creating the current environment, and it is only through our collective and individual actions that we can start to move forward. Attitudes must change first—and by launching this report the BMA hopes to spearhead this change."
A spokesperson from the health department commented: "The government is fully committed to diversity and equality of opportunity for all health services staff. There is no place for discrimination or harassment in the NHS on grounds of race or ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, or age. The NHS workforce must reflect the population it serves.
"Earlier this month Nigel Crisp launched a consultation paper, Equality and Diversity in the Medical Workforce, which looks at ways of working with bodies such as the BMA to overcome some of the barriers to equality."(Doctors' careers are blig)