The General Medical Council has today (18 May 2021) published new targets which aim to tackle the disproportionate referral rate of ethnic minority doctors in fitness to practise cases, and to ensure fairer treatment for everyone undertaking medical education training.
As part of its new corporate strategy, the targets being introduced by the GMC are to, by 2026, eliminate disproportionate fitness to practise referrals from employers in relation to primary medical qualifications, and, by 2031, eliminate discrimination, disadvantage and unfairness in undergraduate and postgraduate education and training.
Commenting on the publication of the targets, MDDUS Chief Medical Officer, Dr John Holden, said: “We warmly welcome the targets outlined in the GMC’s new corporate strategy, and the tangible measures set out to achieve them.
“MDDUS has recently refreshed and relaunched our strategy for diversity and inclusion. I’m therefore especially pleased to see plans outlined which aim to create more inclusive and supportive workplaces, and to ensure fairer outcomes by way of supporting organisations to better understand thresholds for when a fitness to practise referral should be made.
“Decisions taken to refer colleagues for such cases should be taken only where there are justified concerns about a doctor’s fitness to practise medicine, including the interests of upholding the principles of patient safety. It is right that the GMC are taking these steps to ensure that the criteria for making such determinations apply fairly and equally to all doctors.
“MDDUS looks forward to working closely with the GMC as it implements these measures to build a fairer and more inclusive healthcare system for all doctors”.
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