Our President, Prof Dame Jane Dacre, shares progress made to promote women and ongoing priorities for our workforce and members.
My term as President of MPS will come to an end in the spring, and this will be my last International Women’s Day in the role. This year’s theme, “Give to Gain,” has prompted me to reflect on the past eight years at the organisation. I am proud to say that during this time MPS has made meaningful progress in giving support that I hope will, in its own way, contribute to gains in gender equality.
Leadership
In recent years at MPS we’ve seen our leadership become more diverse and our culture more intentional about safety and respect.
Our leadership today reflect a broader range of perspectives than ever before. There is a keen focus within our organisational culture on inclusivity, addressing inequalities, and promoting women in leadership. Examples include concerted efforts to reduce the gender pay gap and significant progress in ensuring diversity on Council and in our Executive team.
This has included in recent years the appointment of a female Chief Executive, Chief Operating Officer, Medical Director, Chair of the MPS Foundation, and of women leaders in their field to the MPS Council.
We are committed to having an organisation that is as diverse as the membership that we serve.
Karen Miller, CEO of MPS shared: “Being the CEO at MPS has further shaped how I think about responsibility, opportunity, and the kind of culture we build together. Leadership is never a solo endeavour, and I am grateful for all the colleagues who have championed equality, challenged assumptions, and created a space for diverse voices to be heard.”
Dr Pallavi Bradshaw, Medical Director, shared: “The first International Women’s Day in my time as Medical Director is a powerful reminder of the leadership, expertise and resilience women bring to every part of healthcare. I am committed to ensuring that Medical Protection continues to make its contribution towards supporting women to thrive, progress and shape the future of our profession.”
We know representation is not static and we remain committed to inclusivity and representation at all levels.
Funding research
A key part of strengthening our culture is making sure we understand the real experiences that shape people’s working lives. As women make up a growing proportion of the medical workforce, understanding how careers intersect with life stages such as parenthood and menopause is increasingly a matter of workforce sustainability, not simply gender equity.
The MPS Foundation supports research projects on a range of patient safety and healthcare professional’s wellbeing. Close to my heart are two particular projects, one looking at how health professionals can be better supported throughout the menopause, and another on motherhood and medicine.
While there is a substantial body of research on medical careers, much of it reflects patterns historically shaped around men’s working lives. Key life stages like pregnancy, early parenthood, and menopause remain comparatively under‑explored in medicine and dentistry. By supporting studies that examine these experiences, The MPS Foundation is helping to build the evidence needed to strengthen workplace support for all members.
The Medicine and Motherhood (MAM) study, led by researchers at the University of Galway, is exploring the experiences of women doctors who are planning families, pregnant, choosing childlessness or balancing early motherhood with a medical career. Through a review of existing research, a national survey and interviews with doctors, including MPS members, the study aims to identify the challenges women doctors face and develop recommendations for better workplace support.
The Impact of Menopause project, led by researchers at the University of Exeter, is investigating how menopause affects healthcare professionals at work and which forms of support are most effective. The study will evaluate workplace interventions and identify approaches that help experienced doctors continue working comfortably and confidently.
Gozie Offiah, Chair of The MPS Foundation shared: “Menopause and motherhood shape the careers of a significant proportion of the medical and dental workforce, yet they remain among the least understood aspects of professional life in healthcare. Addressing these research gaps is essential if we want policies and support systems that reflect the reality of today’s workforce.”
Supporting members
I am also encouraged by the work we are doing to strengthen support for women in the profession. In the UK, following engagement with local stakeholders, we have introduced enhancements to the way we support members who contact us after experiencing sexual misconduct in the workplace – support that extends to all healthcare workers, regardless of role or gender. We want to ensure that every time a member contacts MPS in these circumstances that we provide them with support that is helpful and delivered sensitively. We continue to reflect on what more we can do to best support our members around the world.
This reflects our commitment to playing a role in creating environments where every member of the profession feels safe, respected and able to seek help when they need it.
International Women’s Day is a moment to celebrate and recognise women but also to recommit to each other, our values, and the future we are building together. As my time as President of MPS comes to a close, I am proud to be able to celebrate significant progress in the contribution MPS makes and hopeful that this will continue.