‘Misogyny’ and ‘medical patriarchy’ widespread at major trust, reports find

A major teaching trust is dominated by a “medical patriarchy”, while “misogynistic behaviour” is a regular occurrence, two investigations have discovered. 

Two reports into University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust  have been published. They are the outcome of an investigation into the trust’s leadership carried out by NHS England, and an oversight review by former NHSE deputy medical director Mike Bewick.

They follow major concerns being raised over recent months about safety, culture, and leadership at the trust.

The NHSE review said the trust “could do more to balance the medical patriarchy that dominates” the organisation. It noted consultants are invited to observe a chief executive’s advisory group meeting, but nursing, midwifery and allied health professional leaders are not.”

On culture, NHSE said the trust should take steps to ensure staff can work in psychologically safe environments where “poor behaviours are consistently addressed” and to “eradicate bullying and cronyism at all levels of the organisation”. Staff had described “inequity and cronyism” being a feature of recruitment processes at all levels.

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