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Equal opportunities committee news

Updated August 2008












September 2008: EOC co-chairs are inviting BME members to share their experiences working within the NHS as part of Black history month throughout October. To celebrate Black history month, the equal opportunities committee (EOC) will produce a web-based resource looking at the contribution made to the NHS by doctors from black and minority ethnic communities. The project aims to raise awareness to the history and culture of these communities and promote their positive contributions to British society. Further information about the project and how to get involved is available here.

July 2008: EOC co-chairs contributed to the 'On equal terms: Achieving racial equality in medicine' chapter of the Chief Medical Officer's annual report 'On the state of public health: annual report of the chief medical officer 2007' which was published on 14 July 2008. This chapter of the report draws attention to the problem of racism in medicine.

June 2008: Professor Sandhu gave a radio interview with Harriet Harman about the new Equality Bill. It was broadcast on 26 June at 8.10am on the BBC Today programme.

May 2008 - EOC at the ARM: The Annual Representative Meeting was held in Edinburgh from 7 to 10 July. It provided an opportunity for doctors from all parts of the profession to debate motions relating to various aspects of their working lives and professional practice.

At this years ARM the EOC held two sessions as follows:

• Equality and diversity parallel session (Tuesday 8th July)
  Professor Sandhu and other members of the EOC were on hand to discuss concerns and questions about equality and diversity matters.
• ARM breakfast session on domestic abuse (Thursday 10 July)
  Speakers included Stewart Maxwell MSP, Minister for communities and sport, and Jasvinder Sanghera, Founder and Director of Karma Nirvana, Project for Asian men and women.

March 2008: The second meeting of the session took place on Thursday 6 March 2008. The meeting discussed topics such as equality and diversity training, discrimination cases and support for BMA members. Read the March agenda.

The focus group meeting was divided into two sessions: international medical graduates (IMGs) and domestic abuse (actions from the focus group be available on the web shortly).

November 2007: The first EOC meeting of the 2007-08 session saw a changeover of co-chairs with Professor Bhupinder Sandhu and Dr Justin Varney replacing Professor Aneez Esmail and Dr Sam Everington. Read the message from the incoming co-chairs.

The meeting discussed equality impact assessments, BMA diversity monitoring and testing for blood-borne viruses. Read the November agenda.

The committee held a focus group to review the BMA equality and diversity strategic plan.

Read the programme of the focus group.

Find out more about the BMA equality and diversity strategic plan.