‘Black female surgeons much less likely to gain promotion’

Black surgeons are far less likely to be promoted than their white colleagues, particularly if they are women, according to analysis of NHS career data in England.

Black men who were junior surgeons in 2010 were 27% less likely to be promoted to consultant than white men between 2016 and 2020, while black women were 42% less likely.

The report, compiled from NHS records by academics at the University of Surrey and based on more than 3,000 doctors, also revealed that the proportion of consultants who were men increased over the period from 57% to 63%.

Meanwhile, business groups and unions have called for the furlough scheme, due to end this month, to be extended to protect workers in industries still being hit by the pandemic.

Up to 1.7m workers were on furlough at the beginning of August, and many of their jobs are expected to be at risk when government support ends on September 30th. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is set to release an economic outlook this week which will forecast a rise in unemployment above 5%.

The TUC says that, although there is little evidence of large companies making mass redundancies, there are many smaller firms in financial difficulties that are unable to maintain previous levels of employment.

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