Equality and diversity: Improving the working lives of doctors
Research undertaken for BMA Northern Ireland
April 2006
5 Discussion
Two key strategic priorities for BMA(NI) are the promotion of equality and diversity and tackling discrimination faced by its members. The research undertaken provided an opportunity to raise these issues among BMA members. A key concern of BMA(NI) was to identify the type of equality awareness training that employed Northern Ireland doctors believed they had received. The results of the survey illustrated a perceived lack of equality awareness training provision by some employers. Provision of equality awareness training appeared to be particularly lacking in relation to specific areas such as sexual orientation and race discrimination.
High levels of non-provision of equality awareness training may have a direct impact upon the medical workforce in relation to knowledge of legal rights and responsibilities. Furthermore, it may also impact on the discriminatory behaviour of employees and the ability of individuals to identify whether they may be experiencing discrimination and therefore the ability to assert their legal rights.
Around half of respondents believed that Section 75 training had not been provided by their public authority employer, despite the legal requirement to provide such training. Complaints under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 can be investigated by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and may be brought before the NI Secretary of State. The results of this survey suggest that employed BMA(NI) members and ultimately employers, may be vulnerable to such complaints.
The results of the survey suggest that a quarter of respondents have experienced perceived less favourable treatment (direct discrimination). Less favourable treatment is more likely to be perceived by doctors from a Roman Catholic community background, respondents with a disability, those of Indian ethnicity and older doctors. The latter may be attributed to a greater confidence in later years to report such perceived treatment, particularly as doctors finish training or as experience over time has increased exposure to and awareness of such treatment.
Access to work life balance policies appears to be limited for hospital doctors working in Northern Ireland. The most sought after work life balance policies include flexible working, career break and part-time working. This reflects the UK wide trend towards flexible working and improved work life balance among the medical workforce. Despite the desire to work less than full time, there may be a perception by management and peers that doctors working flexibly are less committed. Evidence suggests that increasingly, both male and female doctors desire to work less than full time [Go to note 28]. Whilst work life balance policies should not be gender specific, women tend to use these policies to a greater extent than men [Go to notes 29 and 30]. It is worth noting that the view that a doctor working less than full time may be less committed, could influence selection and recruitment for employment, promotion or other employment opportunities.
Most respondents believed that BMA(NI) does enough to promote equality and diversity for its members and that they do have equality of opportunity in relation to becoming a member of one of its committees should they wish to do so.