A survey of more than 10,000 doctors has found that many have experienced or seen bullying and discrimination in the workplace, with calls issued for urgent action.

Thousands of doctors are experiencing or witnessing bullying and discrimination at work, but many are afraid to speak out, a survey by the General Medical Council (GMC) has found.

Almost one in four locally employed (LE) doctors and nearly one in three of speciality, associate specialist and specialist (SAS) doctors said they had experienced or witnessed bullying or harassment in their role.

Among those who did not report incidents, 67% in both groups believed doing so would make no difference. More than half also feared negative consequences, including damage to their careers or relationships with colleagues.

The findings come from a survey of more than 10,500 LE and SAS doctors, published by the GMC this month. 

These doctors provide patient care but do not hold formal training posts leading to consultant or GP roles. Together, they account for nearly a fifth of all doctors in the UK and are two of the fastest-growing groups in the workforce.

The survey found that doctors who qualified overseas were more likely to report negative workplace experiences than their colleagues who studied in the UK. 

For example, among LE doctors, 45% of those who qualified internationally reported experiencing microaggressions, such as negative comments or hostile body language. This compared with 37% of doctors who qualified in the UK. 

Consultants were most often identified as the source of bullying and undermining behaviour.

Action needed to retain invaluable doctors

Charlie Massey, chief executive of the GMC, said it was “deeply troubling” that such behaviour remained common. 

He said LE and SAS doctors made a vital contribution to the NHS, but too many continued to experience poor working conditions and felt unable to challenge discrimination.

“Having reporting procedures in place is not enough to make doctors feel safe to speak up,” Massey said. “They must be confident they will be heard, supported and treated fairly when they raise concerns.”

The findings may appear shocking, but most SAS and LE doctors will sadly not be surprised, said Ujjwala Mohite, co-chair of the British Medical Association’s SAS committee. 

While progress has been made in recent years, including making it easier for LE doctors to transfer from “exploitative” local contracts, the survey underlines the need for employers to take serious action to “support and retain this invaluable group”, Mohite added.