The BMA has committed to support an independent review after a landmark ruling that found the GMC racially discriminated against a doctor, the union announced.
“This ruling raises a further and highly significant concern – that not only do minority ethnic doctors find themselves referred to the GMC more often, but that they can then face further discrimination from GMC processes themselves,” BMA chair and GP Dr Chaand Nagpaul wrote.
The GMC itself has reported before upon the variation in complaints. GPs with a single locum GP contract have the lowest rate of investigation, it reported in 2018, but international medical graduate (IMG) GPs aged over 50 years old and European Economic Area (EEA) graduate male GPs have the highest investigation rate.
Dr Richard Fieldhouse, GP locum and chair of NASGP, writes: “This ruling by Reading Employment Tribunal already sends a shiver down our collective spines by finding that the organisation that regulates our profession has been found to be racially discriminating against a doctor.
“The BMA is absolutely right to support an independent review into the GMC and call for the speedy implementation of any recommendations.
“NASGP has recently convened a small group of members to begin exploring these issues and to feed into the CQC’s recently formed external advisory group into racial bias, and we’re looking forward to reflecting on our profession’s structural biases and help develop ways to rectify inequalities and celebrate the rich diversity of those that work within it.”