Sex harassment shame of the doctors’ union

Women medics called ‘naughty girls’ and ‘little ladies’ Inappropriate touching and staring rife A ‘toxic and poisonous’ environment Devastating report lays bare...

SeXUal harassment and bullying are rife in the doctors’ union because of an ‘old boys’ club culture’, a report said yesterday.

The independent review laid bare the ‘toxic and poisonous’ environment at the British Medical association, revealing that female doctors were treated as ‘of less importance and ability’.

It claimed men touched female colleagues inappropriately, stared at their breasts and called them disparaging names such as ‘naughty girls’.

The BMa, which represents about 70 per cent of Britain’s 240,000 doctors, apologised yesterday to any women affected and promised sweeping reforms.

nHS england called the findings ‘appalling’, adding: ‘People who treat women in this way have no place in our profession.’

The BMa commissioned Daphne Romney QC, one of england’s top barristers, to carry out the investigation in april after two leading female GPs highlighted sexism in the organisation. Dr Zoe norris and Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, from the BMa’s GP committee, complained about ‘squeezing of thighs’ and ‘patting of bottoms’.

During a five-month investigation, Miss Romney interviewed 82 doctors and members of staff. Her scathing report, published yesterday, said sexual harassment occurs every year at the BMa and ‘tends to emerge during drunken events, namely conferences and dinners’.

It added: ‘ This includes being touched inappropriately, lewd and inappropriate sexual remarks directed to, or made about women, invitations or even instructions to accompany a male doctor to his hotel room, staring at a woman’s breasts, inappropriate comments about a woman’s appearance, and being kissed or hugged.’

The report warned that most women were ‘too nervous’ to report such incidents and condemned a ‘failure of leadership’. Miss Romney said: ‘a large number of the women I spoke to... feel they are undervalued, ignored, and patronised because they are women. This is because of an “old boys’ club” culture for some that lingers on without proper challenge, which treats women as of less importance and ability.

‘Some men continue to address women in demeaning terms, such as “girls”, “silly girls”, “naughty girls”, “little ladies”, “lady members”, “Madam Chair” and “wee lassies”. They focus on asking about their children, and how their husbands are coping with their absence, rather than asking them about their achievements.

‘Female staff with university degrees are told to make the tea, or asked whether they want to work as a doctor’s secretary.’

Miss Romney said women were excluded from leadership roles, adding: ‘The BMa has never had a woman Chair of Council in its 187year history.’ The report said other types of bullying, shouting and harassment were common, and several BMa staff described their workplace as ‘toxic’. It added: ‘It is intolerable, but it has been tolerated and it is poisonous.’

among a series of recommendations, Miss Romney said quotas should be introduced for women on committees and that better support should be in place for those who make complaints.

In a vote at the BMa’s annual conference in June, doctors agreed that the union failed to address sexism and its complaints procedure was ‘not fit for purpose’.

During the debate, Dr Jennifer Barclay referred to a senior official who went unpunished after groping a female medical student and telling another she was ‘the hottest lesbian he had ever seen’.

Dr nikita Kanani, who is a GP and nHS england’s medical director of primary care, said: ‘The findings... are appalling.

‘This sort of behaviour is unacceptable in any walk of life.’ BMa chairman Dr Chaand nagpaul said: ‘I am truly appalled to learn that members and staff have been subjected to sexism and sexual harassment. These behaviours have no place within the BMa.

‘I am deeply sorry and thank all individuals who came forward – I recognise their strength and courage in speaking out.’

The BMa has set up an independent 24-hour support line and an independent complaints investigation process.

‘It is intolerable and poisonous’