Bid to tackle racism
A new resource to help doctors suffering from racism in their working lives is proving popular as an educational tool too. Agnes Rose reports.
Doctors who witness racism at work, or face it personally, are taking advantage of a useful newly launched resource to support them.
In a dedicated area on its website the GMC has brought together current guidance that gives advice on how to tackle discrimination, whether personally or as a bystander.
A council spokesperson told Independent Practitioner Today: ‘Since launching in November, our ethical hub page focusing on racism in the workplace has been viewed over 5,000 times.
‘The page brings together current GMC guidance and is focused on supporting those who experience discrimination, as well as signposting to further support.
‘Our early feedback shows users are visiting the page when seeking support for personal experiences of racism and for use as a teaching aid.’
Inclusive cultures
The GMC’s hub also highlights expectations of employers and medical leaders to foster inclusive cultures, where people feel supported to challenge racism, and it signposts to how and where a concern or issue can be raised.
Tackling discrimination and inequality is seen by the regulation body as an urgent priority in healthcare.
According to a recent survey by the BMA, 76% of more than 2,000 respondents had experienced racism in their workplace on at least one occasion in the last two years.
The doctors’ union found:
Racism is widespread within the medical workforce;
Overseas qualified doctors experience racism more often than doctors trained in the UK;
Experiences of racism are significantly under-reported;
Reporting experiences of racism results in backlash;
Racism has an impact on career progression for many doctors;
Experiences of racism are affecting doctors’ confidence and mental and physical well-being;
Many doctors are considering leaving or have left their jobs because of racial discrimination.
The GMC has committed to working with organisations to drive forward change, setting targets on tackling inequality.
As well as collating guidance and signposting to further support, the GMC hub looks at real-life examples where doctors have experienced racism, from explicit discrimination to micro-aggressions that often continue unchallenged.
A locum doctor anonymously shared comments received from colleagues which left them feeling they ‘had to work harder to prove themselves’ than their white counterparts, including: ‘I can’t pronounce your surname, can I just use your first name?’ and ‘Oh, not a foreign doctor again.’
Another doctor shared their experience of a patient’s carer asking to see another doctor as they ‘did not appear British’.
The GMC says experiences highlight not just the impact of racism on those who suffer it, but the essential role of employers and witnesses in challenging racist behaviour, including:
Expectations of those in senior positions in tackling and rooting out discrimination where it arises;
Duties of conduct towards colleagues and patients;
Resources for employers on creating inclusive non-discriminatory environments.
The section is the latest of 12 areas in an ‘ethical hub’ which brings together resources on how to apply GMC guidance in practice. The hub focuses on areas doctors often query or find most challenging and aims to help address important ethical issues.
The new hub is available on the GMC website. For advice on speaking up on discrimination, visit the GMC’s dedicated webpage.
‘We all have a responsibility to act’
Prof Colin Melville, GMC medical director and director of education and standards:
‘Everyone has the right to come to work without fear of experiencing racism, but as we know only too well, and as the BMA’s recent survey underlines, this is a very real challenge that we must work together on across our healthcare system.
‘We are clear: there is zero tolerance for racism of any kind and we all have a responsibility to act when we witness it.
‘We understand speaking up in the moment or acting upon racist behaviour in the workplace can be challenging or daunting, so it’s important for support and guidance to be readily available and easily accessible.
‘Equally, we must encourage working cultures where doctors feel supported and empowered to speak up, if discrimination of any kind does take place.’
