Equality and diversity: Improving the working lives of doctors
Research undertaken for BMA Northern Ireland
April 2006
6 Recommendations
This project was undertaken with a view to improving the working lives of doctors and as such has informed the following recommendations.
British Medical Association (Northern Ireland)
- BMA(NI) should compare data on membership against the composition of its committees, as a basis for ensuring that the views of all sections of its membership are represented on committees.
- BMA(NI) should consider innovative ways to encourage under represented groups to participate in committees, including holding meetings outside Belfast.
- BMA(NI) in partnership with the BMA Equal Opportunities Committee should review the means by which Northern Ireland members are made aware of BMA equality resources available to them.
- LNC members should glean local opinion on and review the work life balance provisions available to members for consideration when negotiating new contracts.
- BMA(NI), by liaising with DHSSPSNI Equality Steering Group, could seek to encourage employers to adopt the recommendations below.
Employers
- Levels of general equality and specific equality awareness training provision should be improved by all employers to ensure the widest possible coverage of employees. The outcome of improved training provision may serve to:
- sensitise employees regarding equality matters and may encourage some individuals to modify previously unwitting discriminatory behaviour, thus reducing the experience of discrimination by employees
- ensure all staff are trained and therefore empowered as individuals to assert their legal rights
- dispel views of stereotypes
- assist in creating a more harmonious working environment, free from discrimination, where individuals regardless of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, age, marital status, religious belief or political opinion, feel equally valued.
- Employers should review and improve work life balance provisions and the promotion of these to employees.
- All employers should advise all employees of the individual(s) responsible for providing advice and assistance on equality matters within their employment.
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in Northern Ireland (DHSSPSNI)
- DHSSPSNI could develop standardised in-house employer equality surveys and encourage employer use, to benchmark levels and frequency of equality training and perceived discrimination and where necessary act upon such findings to create a more equitable working environment.
- DHSSPSNI could collate appropriate data from employers to identify areas requiring specific attention, for example specific employers, grades, specialties or groups of individuals.