Large social and economic inequalities persist among UK doctors

Professional background linked to 6-fold greater likelihood of becoming a doctor than working class background Greater efforts needed to boost social mobility of medical school applicants, say researchers Large social and economic inequalities persist among UK doctors, with those from a professional background 6 times more likely to become a ...

2025-09-10T10:05:20+00:0010 September 2025|BMJ Open, Press release|

Patients still view doctor’s white coat as symbol of professionalism and trust

But women doctors in this attire are often misidentified as nurses or medical assistants And preferences for doctors’ dress strongly influenced by clinical context/medical specialty  Patients are still more likely to trust doctors and consider them more professional when they wear white coats, although women doctors in this attire are ...

2025-08-14T10:48:51+00:0014 August 2025|BMJ Open, Press release|

Time to see lived experience in healthcare as expertise

New BMJ collection calls for global action to ensure patients, caregivers, and relatives are valued equally to other experts It’s time to see lived experience - knowledge gained by being a patient, caregiver, or relative - as essential expertise, to ensure that healthcare is relevant, responsive, effective, resilient, equitable, and ...

2025-07-08T11:29:59+00:008 July 2025|Press release, The BMJ|

Physician associates provide safe care for diagnosed patients when directly supervised by a doctor

But allowing them to care for patients with undiagnosed conditions under indirect supervision may risk patients’ safety, finds a rapid review Physician associates provide safe and effective care when they work under the direct supervision of doctors and care for patients who have already been diagnosed, or when they undertake ...

2025-07-04T09:14:32+00:004 July 2025|Press release, The BMJ|

Racism and sexism are “alarmingly normalised” in the NHS

Evidence of impact of discrimination and inequalities is clear; what is needed now is action from government and NHS institutions, says the BMJ Commission on the Future of the NHS Racism and sexism are “alarmingly normalised” within the structures and person-to-person interactions across the NHS, and the NHS has delayed ...

2025-07-01T14:32:35+00:001 July 2025|Press release, The BMJ|
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