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BETWEEN 1985 and 1995, GP numbers of women in General
Practice increased by 10%. Women often face more and greater employment
difficulties than male colleagues. The proportion of women doctors increased
from 21% to 31%. Such increases are set to continue as over half of GP
Registrars in 1995 were women. Approximately two thirds of non-principals are
women. Improvements to the Retainer Scheme, tax relief on childcare, and more
flexible working opportunities are just some of the changes many would like. It
is not within the scope of this book to cover these issues in detail but
sources of further information are given below.
RCGP Resource Pack for Women in General Practice
This has recently been updated in an easy to read format. It contains
information on assertiveness training, retainer schemes, assistantships,
stress, setting up a women GP’s group, tax relief on child care, advice on
CVs and applying for jobs and on maternity leave. The Resource Pack is out of
print at the time of writing but can be downloaded from the
RCGP Women GPs web
page as a Word document. The information department will download it for
you and send you a copy if you’ve yet to get online!
Women General Practitioners - RCGP Information Sheet 14 (10/96)
available from RCGP information department or the
RCGP Information
Publications web page.
Women in General Practice - edited by Judy Gilley, published by the GMSC
1994.
This is a comprehensive book (available from the GMSC secretariat) providing
information on:
- Job sharing options;
- Part-time work;
- Careers Advice;
- Choosing a practice and background on fundholding;
- Academic General Practice and Political
Representation.
Medical Women's
Federation (MWF)
Set up in 1917, the MWF works for UK women doctors and patients, in particular
exposing the gap between legal equality and workplace reality. MWF locally and
nationally aims to help reduce the many barriers, identifying women who are
struggling to advance, often at a time when they are starting a family, and
introduces them to others who have overcome the same difficulties. MWF offers a
nation-wide body of professional people able to help others with support,
friendship and practical advice and information.
MWF believes that promoting conditions allowing women doctors to fulfil their
potential, exercise choice in their careers and maintain the highest standards
of care benefits the whole profession and provides real choice for patients.
MWF is an educational charity funded by members’ subscriptions and
donations. It has 20 local associations and members at every level of the
medical profession. It organises meetings, and publishes newsletters and
pamphlets. It has achieved consultative status with the government in its own
right but also campaigns through the GMSC, Women’s National Commission and
other local and national bodies.
MWF has campaigned for truly flexible training posts, an improved retainer
scheme and a new returner scheme, practical support for women with children,
protected time for education for non-principals in General Practice and for
more active involvement by women in medical politics.
For more information contact MWF
Tavistock House North, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9HX. Telephone 020 7387
7765 and Fax 020 7388 9216.
Women in Medicine
Founded in 1981 this group provides support through local groups and a
bi-monthly newsletter. It has produced a guide to job sharing in General
Practice and a careers handbook “Planning and Pitfalls”. It also
promotes a family-friendly employment policy. It offers advice on job sharing,
part-time work and child care and holds a PGEA approved annual conference in
March. Women in Medicine is run by volunteers. Written enquiries from Women in
Medicine c/o 21 Wallingford Avenue, London W1D 6QA .
The Equal Opportunities Unit, NHS Executive, Leeds
This unit seeks to promote excellence and innovation in equal opportunities
practice in employment. It collects and disseminates information on good
practice in employment, flexible working, job sharing and returning to practice
after a break. The unit may not be able to help with individual’s
difficulties but is able to advise those who may want to tackle issues across a
health authority area.
For further information contact:
Equal Opportunities Unit
NHS Executive Room 2W06
Quarry House
Quarry Hill
LEEDS LS2 7UE
Telephone 0113 254 5847
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