In this blog, RCOG President Ranee Thakar discusses the RCOG workforce race equity programme, including findings from a survey of UK members to better understand the factors affecting career progression and experiences of bias, racism and discrimination.
Forty-five percent of doctors working in obstetrics and gynaecology in the UK identify as being from a Black, Asian, or minority ethnic background. Despite the wealth of talent and dedication these health professionals bring to our O&G profession, experiences of discrimination and racism from colleagues and patients are all too common.
Recognising the barriers this discrimination creates to fair working cultures and career progression and understanding the negative impact on members’ mental and physical health is vital. Bias, racism and discrimination can be factors in our doctors deciding to leave the profession, and as such it is a priority for me as RCOG President – and for the whole College - to tackle these issues and ensure our membership is supported to provide the highest-quality of care to everyone.
Building on the work already undertaken by our Race Equality Taskforce, and following on from our Levelling the Playing Field report of 2023, we surveyed members to learn more about their experiences of bias, racism and discrimination with 286 responses. Sadly, nearly three-quarters of respondents reported experiencing or witnessing racial harassment and/or discrimination in the last twelve months.
Nearly two thirds of survey respondents (61%) were international medical graduates, who play a critical role in delivering O&G care in the UK. The results indicate that international medical graduates were more likely to experience or witness racism or discrimination and were less likely to report this, than the UK graduates who responded to the survey.
International medical graduates were more likely than UK graduates to identify as feeling excluded or ignored, and respondents reported experiencing a variety of other behaviours they attribute to racial discrimination, including being denied adequate mentorship or support, as well as promotion or development opportunities. Those international medical graduates who responded to the survey also reported feeling they had been unfairly disciplined, been subject to unwarranted supervision or treated as incompetent due to race.
It is clear that there is much more to be done to improve the experiences of doctors new to the UK so that they feel settled, supported and valued. International medical graduates make up a core part of the O&G workforce, and we cannot afford to lose the skill they bring. This is why the College have worked closely with the NHS on their IMG induction programme and why we developed a dedicated RCOG IMG hub here.
The College also asked all survey respondents to indicate more widely what changes they would like to see in their workplaces to promote equality, diversity and inclusion and support fair career progression. The most popular option, supported by 59% of those surveyed, was the need for more career support for doctors from diverse ethnic backgrounds to be provided.
One of my ambitions as President is to continue work towards ensuring racial equity within our specialty, and the findings of this report demonstrate why this is so vital.
We need to advocate for psychological safety in the workplace to build an environment where all people feel accepted and respected. A place where people feel safe to challenge when they have concerns or questions, without any fear of repercussion.
Safety and civility are intrinsically linked to equality, inclusivity and diversity in the workplace – and these values are at the heart of all the College does.
The College is continuing to progress various projects to tackle issues of equality in the profession. For example, we are supporting educational supervisors to effectively prepare UK trainees from all ethnic backgrounds for the completion of curriculum, assessments and examinations, with the aim of addressing variation in RCOG exam pass rates for applicants from a Black, Asian, or minority ethnic background.
We also continue to raise funds for our Race Equity work, including an event recently held by our RCOG India Liaison Group at Regent’s Hall to celebrate the cultural impact of the late Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar – the ‘Nightingale of India’ – which raised over £10,000. This is particularly poignant considering the recent violent events in India, highlighting the importance of the College’s ongoing race equity work. As an organisation, the RCOG condemns all forms of violence against women and girls and we stand in solidarity with all people and health professionals impacted by sexual violence globally.
I strongly believe that we must call out racism wherever it occurs and support creating a culture where all staff feel empowered to challenge discrimination and speak up when they experience or witness it. We urge anyone in the O&G community effected by discrimination in the workplace to report any incidents of racism, abuse or violence to the appropriate authorities immediately. Support is also available at https://www.gmc-uk.org/professional-standards/ethical-hub/racism-in-the-workplace
The full results of the survey can be found in the report, Experiences of racism and discrimination among doctors in obstetrics and gynaecology not in a training programme, on the RCOG website here. The report includes a summary of some of the key activity the College has delivered and is underway. More detailed information on our race equity work can be found on our website hub here.