Medical Women’s Federation response to the gender pay gap report
The Medical Women’s Federation welcomes the long-awaited release of “Mend the Gap” and the commitment from the Secretary of State “to tackle the gender pay gap”. The report confirms that on average, across general practitioners, academics and hospital doctors, the pay of women doctors is between 12% and 19% less than men having accounted for any differences in hours worked.
Jeremy Hunt, then Secretary of State for Health, commissioned the Gender Pay Gap report following the junior doctor contract negotiations in 2016, noting, “The new NHS contract for Doctors and Dentists in Training has a potentially negative impact on the pay gap due to a loss of increments during maternity leave”.
The Medical Women’s Federation, as a member of the review steering group, did not formally agree recommendations, but welcomes actions that will reduce the gender pay gap. The Federation also looks forward to details of implementation plans, responsibility for driving and monitoring change, and the timescale. In particular, the Federation would like to see opportunities to train flexibly and access parental leave promoted for both men and women, and an end to the discrimination in respect of ACCEA awards that has previously existed for those who work less than full time.
Professor Neena Modi, president of the Medical Women’s Federation said, “Women make up almost half of all NHS doctors yet they remain the victims of pay discrimination that emerges in large part, from a perpetuation of the premise that family and childcare are primarily their responsibilities, rather than shared with men. This is shocking, as gender-based assumptions have no place in a 21st century workforce.”
Professor Chloe Orkin, vice-president of the Medical Women’s Federation said, “Only when the deleterious effects of the gender pay gap on society, including the economy, become of equal concern to men and women, will we achieve gender parity. “
Contact
For further information and requests for interview, contact: Danielle Nwadinobi, Medical Women's Federation, Tavistock House North, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9HX; Email:
Note to Editors
About the Medical Women’s Federation
The Medical Women’s Federation (MWF) was founded in 1917 to advance the acceptance of women in medicine. Women now represent approximately half the UK medical workforce.
The MWF has a proud history of advocacy for progressive reform, for example, for contraception, safe abortion, infant nutrition and women’s cancer screening.
The MWF also maintains a commitment to supporting women doctors to reach their full potential by providing networking and mentoring, and campaigning for gender equity within the profession.
