Bristol Medical School adopts new BMA charter to address racial harassment

Bristol Medical School has announced it is the first UK medical school to adopt a new BMA racial harassment charter which aims to address the barriers faced by Black, Asian or other minority ethnic (BAME) students. The charter, launched earlier this month by the British Medical Association following an Equality and Human Rights Commission report, sets out clear standards that medical schools need to follow to prevent racial harassment including providing support and training as well as how to respond when poor behaviour is seen or experienced.

In adopting the charter, the Bristol Medical School has committed to:

Supporting individuals to speak out 

Ensuring robust processes for reporting and handling complaints 

Mainstreaming equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) across the learning environment

Addressing racial harassment on work placements 

Professor Ashley Blom, Head of Bristol Medical School, who signed the Charter on behalf of the University, said: "As the future of the medical profession, we want our students to study in a rewarding and inclusive environment where they can flourish while they train to become doctors. In adopting this Charter we have committed to improving diversity and building inclusion for all medical students so they can become the very best doctor that they aspire to be.”

(Content and Image Courtesy: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2020/march/bma-charter.html)