College welcomes report on equality, diversity and inclusion

College welcomes report on equality, diversity and inclusion

The General Medical Council (GMC) has published its first update on progress towards the equality, diversity and inclusion targets it set last year. The report can be read below.

The regulator set targets to eliminate disproportionate complaints from employers about ethnic minority doctors, by 2026, and to eradicate disadvantage and discrimination in medical education and training by 2031.

The GMC committed to publishing details of progress against the targets annually, and the publication of Equality, diversity and inclusion: targets, progress and priorities for 2022 is the first update.

The report shows:

• The gap between employer referral rates for ethnic minority doctors and international medical graduates, compared to white doctors, has reduced slightly.*
• Fairness measures for medical education and training remain at similar levels.
• As an employer, the GMC has improved ethnic minority workforce representation at all levels and progression rates for ethnic minority staff.

Commenting, Professor Andrew Elder, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh said:

As we highlighted on International Women’s Day, equality, diversity and inclusion is essential in medicine. Evidence shows that a more diverse medical workforce may lead to better health outcomes for underrepresented groups in society. That is why we support the GMC’s drive to improve equality, diversity and inclusion, and we continue to be open to working with the GMC and others to make progress in this area.