British Medical Association faces new sexism controversy

THE British Medical Association (BMA) is facing fresh sexism allegations after conference chair accused members of 'condescending' and 'belittling' behaviour towards women, the MailOnline reported.

Dr Latifa Patel, who chaired this week’s BMA annual conference in Belfast, said that she had been disrespected and subjected to 'poor behaviours'.

Addressing delegates, Dr Patel claimed that both she and Dr Emma Runswick, BMA council deputy chairman, experienced different treatment compared to their male predecessors.

Dr Patel was elected as chair of the Representative Body in 2022. She is the first ethnic minority woman and first junior doctor to hold the post in the BMA’s history.

She was elected as deputy chair of the Representative Body in 2019 and has been acting chair since June 2021.

BMA is the trade union and professional body for doctors in the UK.

According to the report, the situation at association's organisational culture has not improved significantly since Daphne Romney QC's independent review of sexism at the BMA five years ago.

The review found that some male members addressed women demeaningly, such as calling them ‘naughty girls’, touched them inappropriately, and ogled their breasts.

Dr Patel encouraged members to vote for more women and minorities in internal elections.

"If you want to be a representative body, you need to support the women around you," she was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, junior doctors in England started a five-day strike on Thursday (27).

Although the government and the BMA had agreed to independent arbitration in May, this process was halted due to the election call, prompting the union to initiate the strike.

The BMA is demanding a 35 per cent pay increase, claiming this is necessary to compensate for 15 years of pay rises that have not kept pace with inflation.

Last financial year, junior doctors received an average pay increase of nearly nine per cent. Junior doctors constitute almost half of the NHS medical workforce, with two-thirds being BMA members.

Critics have labelled the doctors ‘hypocrites’ for demanding a huge pay rise and better working conditions while importing union-branded beanie hats, likely to be worn on the picket lines, from China, where workers often face poor treatment.