Creating opportunities and peer support

This blog aims to provide a spotlight for some of the work that the College has been doing to understand and improve the attainment of different groups in anaesthesia.  Much of this work has been underpinned by our commitment to equality, equity, diversity and inclusion.  Together with our partners, the College has recently published a joint EDI statement that flows from, and aligns with, our values as an organisation and guides our work on an operational and strategic level. 

A key area of our College work is to help build and strengthen our vibrant community of Black anaesthetists and intensivists to promote peer support and shared recognition. 

We delivered a dedicated session for Black anaesthetists, held during February 2024 Updates event, and a dedicated podcast to support the session.  This initiative, inspired by the support and need to develop a sense of community within the profession following the Black Lives Matter campaign and 2024 London riots and demonstrations, provided a platform for black anaesthetists and intensivists from the College and faculties, to share their experiences, leadership journeys, and reflections. 

The session was well-received and demonstrated RCoA’s commitment to providing a voice for all sections of the membership and our work to try and address racial disparities in medicine.

GasReach – Improving diversity in anaesthesia through mentoring

GasReach is a mentorship scheme developed by the College in partnership with the Widening Participation Medics Network. Its aim is to increase diversity and equality in the anaesthetic workforce by supporting individuals from under‑represented backgrounds to apply to the specialty.

The programme was created partly in response to the challenges in our EDI plan, and in recognition that anaesthesia shows under‑representation, of women and other marginalised groups, especially in leadership roles. 

GasReach aimed to focus on the period and doctors just before recruitment into training. The scheme was delivered throughout 2024/25 and acted as a 12-month pilot programme and targeted final‑year medical students, foundation doctors and doctors yet to apply for specialty training.  Mentors were drawn from the College membership. 

During the pilot, the programme supported 12 mentees and received positive feedback.  The programme and model are being reviewed and evaluated to test if this could be delivered sustainably and at scale. 

Focus on examiner recruitment 

To help ensure members from all backgrounds can contribute to the Colleges’ work, processes for recruiting examiners, committee members and portfolio assessors have been improved. 

A recent recruitment drive specifically encouraged applications from female anaesthetists and those from ethnic minority backgrounds, and has contributed to a more diverse examiner pool. 

We have created a new Affiliate Examiner role, enabling a broader range of our membership to become involved in the examination process.