‘Racist and misogynistic’ behaviour called out by regulator

A teaching trust has been warned it could see resident doctors removed unless it addresses a raft of concerns, including racist and misogynistic behaviour.

The General Medical Council has placed conditions on Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust following a period of “enhanced monitoring”.

The concerns cover the trust’s medicine and surgical departments, and involve all grades of resident doctors (formerly known as junior doctors).

The trust said it was taking the issues “very seriously” and is “resolved to make this a great place to work, train and develop”.

The medical regulator’s director for education and standards Professor Colin Melville said: “Despite ongoing work with the trust for two years, doctors in training in these departments continue to report a range of concerns, including racist and misogynistic behaviours, which need to be addressed as a priority.

“There are also concerns around the clinical supervision of doctors in training, handover processes and access to educational opportunities.”

The trust was told to adequately cover rotas, and make sure trainees were not subjected to “behaviours including racist and misogynistic behaviours”. 

The GMC said leaders should also ask for doctors’ feedback about safety, education and training, and respond to it.

Doctors in training need “appropriate educational opportunities including theatre lists, outpatient clinics, teaching and workplace-based assessments”, it said.

If the conditions are not met the GMC could ultimately remove the doctors, it said.

Fully committed

NNUH chief executive Lesley Dwyer said: “We are fully committed to improving the training and experience of all our resident doctors and we are very sorry to anyone who has experienced inappropriate behaviour.

“There is no place for racist, misogynistic or discriminatory behaviour of any kind in our organisation and we are committed to stamping it out.”

Action taken so far includes more admin support for its guardian of safe working, reinstating a resident doctors’ forum, and opening a new doctors’ mess, it said.

Its medical director Bernard Brett added it was aiming for a “a very significant reduction in, with an aim to eliminate all together, those who experience discrimination, bullying, or harassment”. “When specific examples have been given to us, following appropriate processes, we have taken the firmest possible action,” he said.

Compliance will be reviewed by the GMC and the NHS England regional office.