How can parental and caring responsibilities impact a surgical career?

A new report from the Nuffield Trust states that more than a third of respondents to its recent survey felt that a career in surgery was not compatible with parenthood

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on NHS Employers

The report, Future Proof: The impact of parental and caring responsibilities on surgical careers, was commissioned by the Royal College of Surgeons of England and highlights the challenges faced by doctors in surgical specialities who have parental and caring roles. It includes issues of organisational culture, access to support, information on policies and entitlements, and limits on opportunities to work flexibly.

Although the report is about surgical careers, and will be of relevance to the experience of those members of staff, many of the findings and recommendations will be relevant across all staff groups. The top three priorities for action were identified as more flexible working patterns, an improved culture around parenting and more flexible training pathways. The Nuffield Trust makes several recommendations for employers, including:

• provision of clear, accessible and inclusive information;
• ensuring that managers, especially in surgery, are equipped with the skills to support these staff;
• robust risk assessment processes for pregnant and breastfeeding staff;
• consideration of how childcare facilities take into account the nature of doctors’ roles;
• consideration of dedicated support for staff experiencing baby loss or going through fertility treatment;
• advance provision of rota information;
• encouraging uptake of shared parental leave.