GMC publishes update on tackling inequality
The General Medical Council (GMC) has today (Thursday 10 March) published its first update on progress towards the equality, diversity and inclusion targets it set last year.
The regulator set targets to eliminate disproportionate complaints from employers about ethnic minority doctors, by 2026, and to eradicate disadvantage and discrimination in medical education and training by 2031.
It also pledged to increase its own diversity, and progression for its ethnic minority staff, across all levels including leadership roles.
The GMC committed to publishing details of progress against the targets annually, and today’s publication of Equality, diversity and inclusion: targets, progress and priorities for 2022 is the first update.
"The early indications are good, but we are not complacent. Much more needs to be done. The issues are longstanding, and the incremental changes that are being made may take time to work through to the data."
Charlie Massey
GMC Chief Executive
The report shows:
- The gap between employer referral rates for ethnic minority doctors and international medical graduates, compared to white doctors, has reduced slightly.*
- Fairness measures for medical education and training remain at similar levels.
- As an employer, the GMC has improved ethnic minority workforce representation at all levels and progression rates for ethnic minority staff.
GMC Chief Executive Charlie Massey said:
‘'This update sets out the actions taken by us, and by others, to drive change. The early indications are good, but we are not complacent. Much more needs to be done. The issues are longstanding, and the incremental changes that are being made may take time to work through the data.
‘We will continue our sustained focus, and we are calling on other organisations to do the same. These annual updates, of which this is the first, will continue to shine a light on the extent to which the necessary changes are happening.’
Read the report Equality, diversity and inclusion – targets, progress and priorities for 2022
Ends
* The proportion of designated bodies with fitness to practise referrals that were disproportionate in terms of ethnicity or UK/international qualification has dropped about 5%, from 5.6%, in the five-year period to 2020, to 5.3% in the five years to 2021.
The gap in employer fitness to practise referral rates between ethnic minority licenced doctors and white doctors have fallen from 0.28% (0.30% white, 0.58% ethnic minority), during 2016-2020, to 0.24% (0.26% white, 0.50% ethnic minority) during 2017-2021.
