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University of Glasgow to run ‘female only’ course to train NHS leaders

The course will begin in October


University of Glasgow are running a female only course to ensure that more women are in top jobs within medicine.

The course is set to start in October of this year and will include meetings, coaching, mentoring, networking opportunities and learning non-clinical psychological skills.

Applicants must be qualified dentists or doctors, members of the Royal College in Glasgow, or work for the university. But the university hopes scientists from different areas will be eligible to apply in future years.

At Glasgow University about 20 per cent of professorial posts are held by women. About 36 per cent of NHS consultants are female.

The course will be run by Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, Vice-Principal of Glasgow University and Jackie Taylor, the first female President of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

Dame Anna Dominiczak told The Times: "There is this deficiency of senior women at all levels, whether it is NHS consultants in hospitals or in public health and the same with clinical academics.

"We have a lot of female medical students, more than half, in some medical schools significantly more than half.

"Then in training we lose women as they move to the top of the profession and that is a long-term problem."

She added: "The women who push themselves forward have always done it and always will do it, but there are not enough of us.

"We need to extend this invitation to those who feel they are not ready and help them."

Dame Anna said she was not generally in favour of positive discrimination and emphasised the importance of finding people the right roles when they are ready.

She said: "I do not want women to be appointed when they are not ready. I do not want women to be pushed into jobs they cannot cope with.

"I want women to be ready and that is what this programme is all about."

It has been confirmed the project does not breach any gender discrimination legislation.

Featured image via Instagram (@zoetyrii)

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