College launches new EDI strategy

College launches new EDI strategy

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (“the College”) is pleased today to unveil a comprehensive new Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) strategy as a key part of its commitment to champion equality, diversity and inclusivity within its workforce and its membership.

The strategy sets out five commitments: 

• a commitment to inclusivity;
• promoting equity in medicine;
• addressing inequities in health;
• addressing discrimination;
• eliminating racism.

In addition, the strategy contains five goals for the College itself: 

• embedding an inclusive culture and role-modelling leadership excellence;
• a commitment to gender equity, anti-racism, and inclusion of all diversity groups;
• cultural competency education and training for healthcare professionals;
• diverse representation on Council and in other leadership roles;
• measuring impact with benchmarking and reporting for EDI.

The College’s dedicated EDI Committee, chaired by Dr MaryAnn Ferreux, will play a key role in helping the College to deliver changes and in monitoring progress. 

Dr MaryAnn Ferreux, Chair of the College’s EDI Committee, said:

We are very pleased to launch the College’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Strategy which outlines our commitment to creating an inclusive environment that promotes equity in medicine, addresses health inequalities, and strives to eliminate systemic discrimination, bias and racism. 

We have set ourselves an ambitious target that will deliver change to the benefit of our Fellows and Members. We are committed to being a leader that promotes EDI across the healthcare professions. I look forward to working with my colleagues and our partners to make positive change happen and to building an environment of inclusion and belonging.

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

The new EDI strategy is a demonstration of our determination to embed equality and diversity across all of the College’s activities and structures and to become a leader in best practice for equality, diversity and inclusion.

Our strategy sets out not only our key EDI principles, but also the actions we will take to ensure that we are delivering these across all College activities.

Our EDI Committee has a vital role to play in driving improvements and monitoring progress. They have my full support in doing this.

The new strategy can be accessed on the College’s EDI page which also provides information on the College’s EDI Committee and our work across a range of areas: https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/college/equality-diversity-and-inclusion