HCSA’s new President Dr Naru Narayanan took the reins today with a pledge to “campaign for radical change” to tackle the issues affecting members.
Speaking at the HCSA AGM, Dr Narayanan, an Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Torbay Hospital, highlighted the challenges facing the profession and outlined his desire to confront bullying and race and gender inequalities in the health services.
“Too many members experience a bullying management style where the threat of disciplinary procedures are used as a tool of control, disproportionally targeting ethnic minority doctors,” he warned.
“It is a symptom of the gender and race inequality which continue to be a problem for our population in general and for our members.”
Singling out pay, pensions and work pressures as key drivers of a retention crisis, he vowed: “We need to continue to campaign for radical change if we are to tackle the staffing shortages which we now hear so much about.”
Dr Narayanan added that increasing HCSA’s membership numbers is crucial to be able to develop a louder voice to shift the current landscape.
“We have grown our junior doctor numbers but there is far more to do. We need to renew our focus on recruitment.”
He succeeds Dr Claudia Paoloni, who will continue to serve on the association’s Executive in the role of Immediate Past President.
He was elected by at last year’s AGM and begins a three-year term in the role.
Dr Narayanan said of Dr Paoloni: "Dr Claudia Paoloni has undertaken the presidential role with exceptional vigour. I look forward to maintaining this energy, ensuring our presence at the negotiating table, working to eliminate the gender pay gap and providing improved protection of all our members in their workplaces."