Your Stories

When I was a pregnant 1st year ortho registrar, I was treated with contempt. I was bullied and told by a consultant, at the end of my post, that no one in the department liked me. He said that “all” the juniors had complained that I was unapproachable and how consultants said I was unteachable and lazy. I was crestfallen. I had not taken a single day off (wanting to save my leave for maternity), and at that time I had been a doctor for 10 years, always priding myself on my interpersonal relationships with patients and colleagues. In fact, I had felt really loved by all the staff in those few months. I was horrified at these allegations that had not been brought to my attention until this final meeting in post, not to mention my apparent lack of insight at not noticing that anything was wrong! I stood there with tears streaming down my face as he said this in theatre. I bumped into the theatre sister in charge on the way out, who told me that it was completely untrue and advised me to get a 360 degree review. I did so and asked everyone from porters, health care assistants, junior and senior nurses, plaster technicians to every junior doctor except the one on nights. The two charge nurses on the wards also refuted this, saying that they had fortnightly meetings with the clinical director and that they had heard nothing negative about me. All the written comments were not only positive, but positively lovely in a way that made me so emotional. I couldn’t understand it. What was this consultant trying to achieve? How did he go home to his wife and kids knowing that he bullied, belittled and lied to someone and made her cry. For what? I asked my other consultant about it and he said it was because I was pregnant and that he agreed that I shouldn’t be doing the job if I was pregnant. As for being lazy, unapproachable and unteachable, he admitted that despite theses negative comments, there was no evidence, nor a formal complaint against me, and the consultant who had allegedly said I was unteachable had never taught me anyway! My other supervisor (a lovely -although somewhat old fashioned prof) tried to reassure me in his way: he said that he did not agree with any of the negative comments, what really mattered was his report which was glowing, but that I should just keep my head down and nose clean and that it was pointless complaining because they all knew each other. His example was that if he (the prof) shot the TPD’s wife, he (the TPD) would say it was ok because he (prof) did it! I knew he was trying to “protect” me and my career. I followed his advice.

During my second pregnancy, the head of the STC -who was also my supervisor at the time -actually wrote in my end of term appraisal, that me being pregnant again will have significantly hindered my training and that I should spend my maternity leave studying for my FRCS. I continued with training. When I returned from my third maternity leave, I was subjected to another barrage of misogyny with consultants (from same hospital) saying that I shouldn’t be allowed to do my exam because I seemed overly tired and “how was someone with a full time job and three kids going to know enough to pass?” I was incensed. I had always worked full time and had a nanny who worked longer hours than the EWTD, and I had never been late or had to leave early for kids or take emergency time off for them. I was no different to a male registrar with a wife at home looking after his kids! It was important for me to pass my ARCP so I went to the STC head who said that he didn’t think the remarks were sexist. I felt like banging my head against a brick wall. HR admitted that the consultants in that hospital were known for looking at the list of incoming juniors to see whose life they could make difficult at work. HR told me that if I didn’t complain within 2 years, my complaint would be void, but they also advised me not to complain to protect my career.

I kept my head down and kept taking the shit but passed my exams (oh the pressure! But I just had to show them). What got me through those years were my amazing registrar colleagues. There were only about 4 women out of 60 trainees but the chaps were gentlemen and we were very close and supported each other. They could see the nastiness which fell their way too sometimes.

I eventually CCTed and got the hell out of there with a wonderful fellowship elsewhere. It was tough. I had to commute a long distance every weekend for 18 months because my husband and kids still lived at home. Eventually I got an amazing consultant job with wonderful colleagues in a beautiful town on the other side of the country. I am happy now.

When working on the postnatal wards as an FY2 myself and other female SHOs noticed how the midwives were much more receptive to requests and plans from the male SHOs. I complained to the male SHOs about this over lunch one day and one of them admitted that he flirted with the midwives on purpose to make his life easier.

I am not clinical but I worked as a personal assistant (PA) for a Vascular Surgeon at a top hospital back. Not only did I suffer from his and his male dominated followers (because that is what they are) but I watched and heard female surgeons in tears caused by this talented surgeon, but vile man. These female surgeons never complained they just moved on, probably experiencing the same elsewhere. It was a very tough time for me to experience this.

To cut a very long story short I took my grievance further, when one afternoon in front of a corridor of workers he said to me ‘there will be blood on the floor and it won’t be mine’ He was verbally threatening me and he loved an audience. I walked out that afternoon and fought my case and for others. I was on my own. It made me ill too but I wouldn’t give up and I was put on garden leave. This gave me the chance to gather lots of information. I didn’t succeed in getting his behaviour upheld, I did secure another position in the same hospital even though he tried to get me out, and I moved on. He and his team continued abusing females and nothing was done by HR.

Later I heard from other females who didn’t support me at the time, but now it was their turn. They called to apologise because now they knew what I went through and what I was trying to achieve. No one cares until it happens to them. I was his 4th PA, all the others moved on.

During his ‘reign’ I was the only one to bring his actions to the attention of HR, not that it did much good. His male followers knew and even asked me to drop the investigation because I was making him angry!! I refused and stated he had made me angry. They said they knew why I was doing it but not to quote them because they would deny it. This person became a Professor too a few years later!

This surgeon would never meet or talk to me on his own, he always had a group of male (young surgical registrars) behind him who sadly started behaving like him!!

When I started there a young surgical registrar had committed suicide. He worked in the department. On my first day of work there, rather confused by it all, I attended a memorial service led by the Professor. Little did I know then that this young man had failed his surgical exams and couldn’t face the consequences of his failure. He was found by a female researcher in his bedroom, he had suffocated himself with information from the internet.

There is so much more but no one listens and it’s covered up by all parties, and it’s wrong. This happened some years ago now but it’s still happening, the NHS is rife with bullying and god forbid if you stand up for yourself.

I had a gynaecology consultant who would ask medical students what the purpose of a vagina was, and repeatedly stopped operations until he got the answer he wanted — that their only purpose was for sex. He always touched me and other juniors when he was talking to us (stroking our ear etc) despite obvious requests not to. The cherry on top of the cake was when I went to his office for clinical advice and he proceeded to ask me about my sex life, anal sex, rape and commented on my body.

When we (as a group of junior doctors) reported our extensive concerns, he was sent on an equality and diversity course.

Happened to me throughout career.

Inappropriate touching/ groping.

Sexist remarks.

I became ill due to stress of being a carer and working full time. I asked for carers leave / flexible working. I was turned down but a male colleague was treated much more sympathetically & supportive. I was told I was easily replaceable and I left the NHS.

One of the leading consultants managed to obtain my number, and would regularly text me. Mainly enquiring into my personal business, or how I was doing, or when I was next in work. Nothing ‘obviously’ inappropriate, but the very nature of what he was doing was clearly inappropriate.

At work he would come to speak to me for personal / ‘silly’ or flirty chats, and ensure that we spoke about relevant patient cases alone in a small room one on one (where I felt very uncomfortable).

I soon found out that he has done this, and apparently stalked a number of girls in a very similar or worse fashion. As far as I’m aware, nothing has been done about it. It is very difficult as without him actually doing something that is obviously crossing the line, it feels hard to report, and on top of that, if you report it – could he ensure you suffer unwanted repercussions?

When I was on placement in Cardiology, I was given the opportunity to go into a clinic with a very well respected cardiology consultant. I was looking forward to it as I enjoyed his lectures in previous years. I turned up to the clinic early, before he had arrived. I waited patiently outside his consulting room and when he turned up, without even asking my name he pointed at me and said ‘you, make me a tea, two teabags and one sugar’. I was so shocked I got up and tried to search for the kitchen, hands shaking in shock when I made it. I then took him his tea and started to read my ZeroToFinals revision book (I had exams coming up). He asked to look at the book, read the cardiology section and said ‘if you know everything in this book, you know the bare minimum’. Then after another 5 minutes he said he would take me to the nurses room instead, he only asked my name before introducing me to her. I asked a fellow male student who had the same clinic the following week and he had a completely different experience to me, no tea making and actually learnt MEDICINE. I complained to the university however little was done, he is still continuing to work with no consequences.