The BMA is launching an urgent investigation into sexist behaviour after two GP Committee members raised concerns.
The chair of council, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, said he wants to take ‘decisive action to make positive changes’ after the concerns were raised by Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer and Dr Zoe Norris.
He said the BMA would be ‘reaching out to affected members’ to be part of the investigation.
Writing on GPOnline, Dr Bramall-Stainer and Dr Norris wrote about female members of the committee being asked ‘what their husband thinks of them being away for so long’, and one GP overheard two ‘senior LMC people on GPC braying loudly their guesstimated bra size of a key committee member’.
Dr Nagpaul said: ‘Let me be clear – sexist, disrespectful, discriminatory and abusive behaviour will not be tolerated in this association and must be stamped out.
‘As chair of council I have been clear that the BMA must become a modern, progressive organisation, reflecting the best of society in the 21st century; all members should have equal opportunity to contribute and progress and must be respected without being subject to any degrading experience based on their gender, race, sexuality, age or any other characteristic.
‘It is vital that we take decisive action to make positive changes. Which is why we will be launching an urgent investigation in response to today’s allegations, and we are reaching out to affected members to invite them to be an integral part of this. We would also ask that any member who feels they have experienced discriminatory or abusive behaviour to contact us.’
Last week, it was reported that male GPs earn 33% more than their female counterparts, according to a major review of the gender pay gap in the NHS.
