<2>Private Sector Surgery: Women Seriously Underrepresented in ‘Boy’s Club’ Workforce
<3>Introduction
The private sector surgery workforce in the UK has been found to have a striking gender imbalance, with only 6% of surgeons being women. This is a stark contrast to the NHS, where 16.9% of surgeons are women. The disparity in gender representation has led researchers to label the private sector workforce as a ‘boy’s club’. In this article, we will explore the findings of the study and discuss the implications for the private sector employers.
<3>The Study
The study, published in the Bulletin of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, analysed the number of male and female surgeons practising in 10 specialties listed on the websites of the five largest private healthcare providers in the UK. The providers included Circle Health Group, HCA Healthcare UK, Nuffield Health, Ramsay Health Care, and Spire Healthcare. The study found that out of 7934 surgeons in the private sector, only 488 (6.2%) were women.
<3>Implications
The findings of the study have significant implications for the private sector employers. The authors of the study have called on the employers to take ‘clear and credible