I was told I would not have been employed had they known about my disability

Consultant (May 2025 survey)

The cruel paradox should not be lost on anyone in medicine –  a caring and compassionate profession. The experiences of doctors and medical students who are disabled, neurodivergent and/or have long term health conditions, shows callous unfavourable treatment and systemic barriers, which have worsened over the last five years since the BMA’s 2020 survey and report: Disability in the Medical Profession.

The BMA has stood alongside disabled doctors like me and fought for our rights for many years. I am a deaf doctor and I run IDA, an advocacy and education organisation aiming to improve the outcomes and experiences of deaf people in healthcare, both patients and staff. As such, I was pleased to be involved in promoting the survey.

Disclosures – start with the basics

The survey shows there are many doctors who are disabled, neurodivergent and/or have long term health conditions who are not disclosing. Many respondents said it because they don’t feel safe to do so.  Nothing will improve until we can support more individuals to disclose their disability. Disclosures will only improve when individuals feel confident this will not only confer positive change, but will also not put them at risk of discrimination or harm.

Intersectionality and disclosure of disability are intertwined concepts. For example, the survey found that doctors from ethnic minority backgrounds were less likely to say they had disclosed to their current place of work/study. It is essential to reflect on the experiences of disabled doctors with other protected characteristics and their experiences; to support all groups to feel empowered and crucially safe to disclose.

Reasonable adjustments are reasonable

Those arranging reasonable adjustments often lack any training or support to understand what a reasonable adjustment is and how to arrange these. Complicating this further, managers don’t understand Access to Work (a government initiative which can help to fund adjustments) let alone where it fits into workplace adjustments. The onus too often falls on the individual to understand this and advocate for themselves.

The survey findings show clearly the negative impact of ableism on the wellbeing of individuals. Having to then self-advocate and fight for your own rights is a common experience for disabled people, including doctors,  and leads to demotivation and worsens feelings of isolation.

What if you are a disabled doctor and you have no idea what kind of support you could access? As a deaf medical student, I had no idea what stethoscopes I could use and nor did anyone else and this left me feeling vulnerable. Only by seeking out other deaf and disabled doctors, and at great personal financial cost, did I finally find a solution.

Shockingly, the survey found that 43% of respondents had used their own money to pay for adjustments. It should not be the responsibility of individuals to find, research, arrange and finance the adjustments and support they are legally entitled to. Organisations should be working with individuals to understand their needs and then acting promptly to arrange adjustments that meet their needs.

Putting patients at the centre of everything we do

If you treat your disabled colleague with prejudice and contempt, then how do you treat your disabled patients?

Equity of treatment of staff and patients are intrinsically linked – this is why the GMC repeatedly highlights treating your colleagues with respect as a core professional value. Many of our patients are disabled, neurodivergent and have long-term health conditions and they deserve compassion, equitable treatment and for their doctor to be their advocate. Ableism is rife across society and 56% of those surveyed felt that ableism was more of an issue in medicine compared to wider society. This is a crisis in the medical profession, if those who are in a position of power to support disabled individuals have more prejudiced views against them compared to the wider public.

The under-recognised positive impact of the disabled workforce

This survey details a plethora of challenges disabled doctors face. Hope exists in the positive impact that medical students and doctors who are disabled, neurodivergent and/or have long term health conditions have on the health service.

When talking about my experiences as a deaf doctor, the assumption is always that the barriers I face are from patients. In fact, mostly patients are positive and grateful to have a doctor who can empathise with their experiences. Many patients have communication support needs. My empathy and the time I take to ensure communication for both of us is seamless helps to build rapport, trust and understanding.

A diverse medical workforce benefits patients from all backgrounds. Disabled doctors deserve better for themselves, but the wider healthcare system benefits from our skills and diverse skills and perspectives.

We need action

This survey shows deep-rooted issues with the experiences of doctors who are disabled, neurodivergent and living with long-term health conditions. It is crucial these are acted on to protect and uplift medical students and doctors who are highly valuable members of our profession. It must also be recognised that ableism in medicine is not just unsafe for staff but is also a critical patient safety and public health issue.

Natasha Wilcock is a deaf doctor, who works in palliative care and runs IDA – an organisation which aims to improve the outcomes and experiences of deaf people in healthcare