Announced on International Women’s Day, the new service will see members supported by women HCSA national officers trained to provide specialised advice and support on matters such as pregnancy and maternity discrimination, menopause, and sexual harassment.

Formally launching Women Focused Support, HCSA Executive member Dr Claudia Paoloni said:

“This is a service provided by women for women.

“Workplace sexual harassment disproportionately affects women and is far from being eradicated in hospitals. Issues such as IVF or miscarriage remain poorly understood, with few policies in place. And a lack of properly flexible working in medicine means that women are underrepresented in leadership roles.

“Employers often pay lip service to these issues, but policies and practices still lag far behind. HCSA’s Women Focused Support will ensure that women doctors get fair treatment at work.”

In a blog post introducing the initiative, HCSA National Officer Isslia Roberts wrote that:

"This is a significant and proactive move to tackle some of the issues that affect our women members in the workplace.

"HCSA’s enhanced support service will seek to reduce any embarrassment, discomfort or unease and help to proactively address barriers faced by women in medicine.

"We hope to build confidence, empower women and provide enhanced support to challenge discrimination, sexual harassment and breaches of policies."

HCSA members can find out more about Women Focused Support and access the service here.