Health organisations sign pledge to end sexism in the profession

Health organisations have signed a new pledge to enact real change in the way they tackle sexism in the profession.

The pledge was organised by the British Medical Association and has been signed by NHS Employers, NHS Providers, the Medical Women’s Federation, numerous Royal Medical Colleges and other representative organisations.

It comes as a recent survey carried out by Dr Chelcie Jewitt, co-founder of the Surviving in Scrubs campaign, on behalf of the BMA found that 91% of women doctor respondents in the UK had experienced sexism at work with 42% feeling they could not report it. 

Dr Chelcie Jewitt said that since starting the Surviving in Scrubs campaign with her colleague Dr Becky Cox last year, they have been overwhelmed with the stories submitted by women facing every kind of sexism, misogyny, sexual harassment and even sexual assault in the NHS. Every story is heart-breaking.

She said: “The BMA’s Ending Sexism in Medicine pledge is a way forward – Trusts need to commit not just to stamping out harassment with clear policies and codes of conduct, but also to addressing the myriad ways women are held back by stereotypes in education or poor support of childcare and women’s health. We are bringing as many healthcare organisations as we can together in one joint agreement: that no one in healthcare should be held back because of their gender.”

Ten goals to end sexism in the health profession

Organisations are signing up to work collaboratively on ten goals, from ending sexual harassment to supporting women’s health in the workplace. These are:

1. Eliminate sexism from career progression opportunities
2. End sexual harassment in medicine
3. Ensure there are multiple channels for reporting sexual harassment and sexism
4. Promote the benefits of gender diversity in medicine
5. Guarantee safe and supportive environments for pregnant doctors and medical students
6. Remove the detrimental impact that having children and other caring responsibilities have on career progression and work-life balance
7. Actively challenge gender stereotypes in medicine
8. Increase the visibility and voices of women
9. Employees in more senior roles recognise gender bias in the workplace
10. Support women’s health

Dr Latifa Patel, BMA equality lead, said:  “The BMA is proud to lead this pledge for healthcare organisations, uniting them in acting on sexism in medicine. From the moment they enter medicine, medical students and doctors face gender-based discrimination: from structural barriers that impact their career progression to sexist comments from their colleagues and patients.  

“Sexism harms us all, not just holding back individuals, but affecting the care those individuals can offer to patients. This pledge and accompanying ten goals are a framework that will encourage health organisations to eradicate sexism in all its complexity – especially keeping in mind how characteristics such as race, religion, disability and gender identity can intersect with sexism.  

“We are glad to have the support of so many vital healthcare organisations at the outset and we are looking forward to that number growing as time goes on. By signing up, they are making an important commitment to moving towards a world where no doctor or medical student faces discrimination because of their gender.”  

The Royal College of Physicians said it was pleased that to have increased the number of women in senior leadership positions, but recognised that there was much more to be done.

It added: “Our Emerging Women Leaders Programme is designed specifically to address the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles within local healthcare. And in 2022, we launched the programme globally.

“Women should also be paid the same as men, but the Independent Review into the Gender Pay Gap in Medicine found they are not. Women hospital doctors earn on average 18.9% less than men (based on a comparison of full-time equivalent mean pay). When you take into account working hours, the gap is 24.4% for hospital doctors. The RCP also recognises that we have our own gap to close among our staff.”