Black doctors in England four times less likely to get training places, analysis finds
6 reported
An analysis of NHS England data by BMJ researchers found that black doctors in England are four times less likely to be offered a training place in medical specialities than their white counterparts. The study examined applications for placements in fields such as psychiatry, obstetrics and gynaecology, and emergency medicine. In some specialities, the disparity was wider: for anaesthetics core training in 2024, black applicants had less than a 1 in 100 chance of being offered a place, 30 times less likely than white applicants. Overall, black applicants for specialist training were offered a place 12% of the time, Asian applicants 19%, and white applicants 47%. The report’s author, Sheila Cunliffe, said the disparity becomes evident when candidates are selected rather than shortlisted, raising questions about the process and panel training. The analysis suggested systemic racism and implicit bias as factors, while an NHS England spokesperson stated the workforce is more diverse than ever and recruitment processes are being improved.
What’s reported
Black doctors in England are four times less likely to be offered a training place than white counterparts, per BMJ analysis of NHS England data.
In anaesthetics core training 2024, black applicants had less than a 1 in 100 chance of being offered a place, 30 times less likely than white applicants.
Only 10 of 1,158 black applicants received an offer for anaesthetics, compared with 7% of Asian applicants and a third of white applicants.
In obstetrics and gynaecology, black applicants were almost 11 times less likely to be offered a place than white counterparts.
Overall, black applicants for specialist training were offered a place 12% of the time, Asian applicants 19%, and white applicants 47%.
Black or Asian candidates were often shortlisted at a similar rate to white candidates but much less likely to be offered a post.
Key figures
Sheila Cunliffe, report author and senior HR professional and independent researcher into racism in the NHS
Anton Emmanuel, consultant gastroenterologist and head of the Workforce Race Equality Standard for Wales
Prof Habib Naqvi, chief executive of the NHS Race and Health Observatory
Prof Mumtaz Patel, president of the Royal College of Physicians
An NHS England spokesperson
Sources: The Guardian
