05 November 2018

Signs of racial discrimination have been found within the NHS after research discovered that black and minority ethnic (BME) doctors are less like to be appointed as consultants than white colleagues, despite the fact they are more likely to apply for the posts.

These are the results of the Royal College of Physicians' latest survey of doctors who obtained their Certification of Completion of Training (CCT) within the last year.

Although White British doctors are less likely to apply for consultant jobs, they are both more likely to be shortlisted and appointed than peers of other ethnicities, with BME women the hardest hit.

This is the ninth annual survey monitoring equality among doctors, and the third consecutive year that the results have shown BME workers are less likely to be recruited despite being more likely to apply.

"Our concern is to make sure that everyone has the same opportunity to reach their potential, and the best doctors are appointed to the right jobs," President of the Royal College of Physicians, Professor Andrew Goddard, said.

The organisation stated that it would work with NHS England to better understand and solve the causes of racial disparities in appointments.