Anti-racism statement calls for improved accountability and trusted reporting systems
This week we released our anti-racism position statement which calls for everyone in the healthcare system to take responsibility for tackling racism and ensuring systems are in place to deal with racism in a culturally safe way.
Our anti-racism position statement, released this week, highlights the need for improved accountability and trusted systems in Australia’s healthcare system to ensure doctors who experience racism are supported in a safe and trusted environment.
In a media statement, AMA President Professor Steve Robson said the results of the 2023 National Medical Training Survey showed 54 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trainee doctors reported having experienced or witnessed bullying, discrimination and harassment, including racism, compared with 21 per cent of all trainees nationally.
Research has also found that international medical graduates frequently report high levels of racism, discrimination, and prejudice from patients and colleagues, including microaggressions, and that racist behaviour is directed at doctors from second or third generation migrant families even though they were born and have grown up in Australia.
“It is distressing to hear about the racism being experienced by doctors in Australia,” Professor Robson said.
“Racism — which is unacceptable in all its forms — can have terrible impacts on individuals, families and communities.”
