Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report entitled, Fair to Refer, published by the General Medical Council in June 2019, what steps his Department is taking ensure the NHS is an inclusive environment for new doctors.

It is the responsibility of each National Health Service organisation as individual employers, to ensure all workforce policies and procedures comply with the Equality Act 2010. This includes policies and procedures that help to promote inclusivity and prevent all forms of unlawful discrimination.

A substantial programme of work is being taken forward to improve the working lives of doctors in training through the working group ‘Enhancing the Working Lives of Doctors in Training’ led by Health Education England and the British Medical Association. This includes a range of work programmes based on extensive consultation with doctors including improving the induction processes and the training environment for new doctors.

For trained doctors who are new to the NHS and who take up Specialty and Associate Specialists (SAS) doctor positions, the SAS doctor development guide aims to make sure that this important group of doctors are helped to remain fit to practice and develop in their careers. In addition, the SAS Charter sets out the support available to SAS doctors and what they can expect from their employers to help provide an optimum working environment for this group of doctors.