Vacancy: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead

The BGS is proud to be a multidisciplinary society that reflects a diverse membership. We aim to be inclusive and welcoming, but we know there is more we can do to enact our equal opportunities responsibilities. The GMC has challenged all professional organisations to have action plans and protocols in place for EDI by 2030. The BGS Board agreed in October 22 to recruit an EDI lead, who would chair an EDI Group and drive forward our work in this area. The focus is initially internal, focusing on EDI within the BGS and its membership of healthcare professionals. The important work of challenging inequalities and, in particular, discrimination against older people is written into our 23/26 Strategic Plan, and being led by our Policy Committee. This external work to counter ageism links to the work of the EDI Lead and the EDI Group on supporting inclusivity and equity within the BGS membership of 4,600 healthcare professionals.

The EDI Lead will champion the BGS’s work in EDI, chairing the EDI Group and working with them and the staff team to build practical actions which cumulatively make a difference in creating an environment and community within the BGS where inclusivity can flourish. They will focus not just on aspects of EDI relating to the ‘protected characteristics’ such as gender, ethnicity, age and disability, but also other aspects of diversity to do with professions, geography, career stage and ‘diversity of thought’.

Terms: The role is unpaid but travel and accommodation expenses, where applicable, are covered in line with the BGS expenses policy. The term of office is three years.

The following are suggested activities, but as this is a new role, there is plenty of scope to shape the direction of travel. The initial steps below will help to establish the programme of work.

The initial task, with the help of BGS staff, is to recruit diverse BGS members with different areas of interest to form an EDI Group. The group will create a workplan to guide their priorities. We encourage representation from different professions, the four countries of the UK and people working in acute, primary and community care settings.

The BGS already collects data on gender, age and ethnicity, though the ethnicity data is partial. The BGS Vice President Workforce and the Workforce Committee are planning a workforce survey to go to all BGS members in March 2023, which will also include questions about EDI. Oxford University Press, publisher of our academic journal, Age and Ageing, have started collection of detailed EDI data from Age and Ageing authors and will analyse and share this. The EDI Group will maintain oversight of this data, analyse and report it, and encourage BGS members to update their personal data.

Sessions at national, regional and SIG meetings will help to promote the benefits to all of the BGS being an inclusive Society where everyone feels welcome and encouraged to participate this, as well as to raise issues of inequality faced by older people. The EDI Group will work with our Events Team to develop EDI-related conference sessions.

A new area of the website with information, resources and opportunities for members to get involved will be established. It is expected the EDI Group will work with the BGS Publications and Website Editor to develop and populate this. They are also encouraged to write for the BGS newsletter, AGENDA, and for the BGS blog.

The BGS is vigilant about maintaining a good diverse balance of speakers, chairs, editors, representatives and committee members whenever there is an opportunity or vacancy. The EDI Group can help to support this ambition.

The EDI Group will need to stay abreast of developments that relate to EDI, such as the Core20Plus5 principles being promoted by NHS England. The BGS is represented on the Inequalities Health Alliance led by the Royal College of Physicians. The EDI Lead and EDI Group will need to be aware of emerging opportunities and support the BGS as needed.

We seek an enthusiastic, motivated healthcare professional who will work pragmatically to move our EDI agenda forward. Prior experience in delivering EDI initiatives would be helpful but is not essential.