Published 14 October 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b4221
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b4221

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Advisory group sets out measures to boost career prospects of women doctors

¹ London

A government group has recommended several changes that will help England’s increasingly high proportion of women doctors to develop their careers.

Proposals such as improving access to child care, introducing part time training, and improving career guidance are given in a report published on 12 October by the National Working Group on Women in Medicine.

The group, set up by the Department of Health, is keen to see wide ranging changes implemented that would help improve the career prospects of women doctors.

Its report says that the female intake into medical schools had risen from just 492 (24% of the total admissions) in 1960-1 to 4583 (56%) in 2008-9.

Despite this increase, the group says that barriers still exist that prevent female practitioners in the medical profession reaching senior positions and leadership roles.

It proposes improving access to mentoring and career advice, improving access to part time working and flexible training, and encouraging women in leadership.

Improving access to child care could be achieved, it says, by having childcare coordinators at all trusts; extending the opening hours of hospital based childcare services; and ensuring that trainees have access to child care during their rotations at trusts. Also, the health department should consider whether funding might be available for childcare assistance, it says.

The group also recommends ensuring that arrangements for revalidation are clear and explicit, encouraging women to apply for the clinical excellence award scheme; and ensuring that medical workforce planning takes account of the rising number of women in medicine; and identifying champions in trusts to help fulfil these recommendations.

Ruth Deech, chairwoman of the working group, said, "As the workforce becomes more female there is the risk of following other professions, where rising numbers of women have led to devaluation of the professional status and sometimes salary levels."

The report cites the example of the Law Society’s salary survey in 2007, which showed that female salaried partners earned an average of £47 000 (50 000; $74 000) whereas their male colleagues earned £80 000.

"We should make our goal a profession where every woman and man goes as far as they wish and as far as their talents permit," said Baroness Deech.

England’s chief medical officer, Liam Donaldson, said, "I welcome Baroness Deech’s report, which offers a clear set of recommendations with the aim of tackling the obstacles that continue to prevent female doctors from furthering their careers to the best of their ability."

Bhupinder Sandhu, who co-chairs the BMA’s equal opportunities committee and who contributed to the report, said that women doctors had come a long way in the past decade, but she added: "Women doctors are still often left behind, and this is apparent in academia, surgery, and leadership roles.

"While the report makes specific recommendations . . . there needs to be a change of attitude and culture to enable female doctors to reach their full potential in medicine."

Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b4221

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