Career Reflections of a 1970s Feminist
This chapter describes, via personal reflection and experience, some changes for women in psychiatry in the late twentieth century. Examples include progress in higher education, changes in National Health Service structures, and changes in professional recruitment, training, and exams. Evidence is used to illustrate gender inequality, then and now, and the context of some new laws is outlined, particularly Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006), the Mental Capacity Act (2005), and the Equality Act (2010). The General Medical Council’s Duties of a Doctor are cited and their use covered. There are examples of how formal inquiries can influence the development of services and standards. Throughout, the emphasis is on women’s roles and experiences. Examples of sexual harassment, in public and at work, are described as are examples and evidence of inequality in pay, job opportunities, and career progression. Some anonymized clinical cases are used to illustrate situations and medical dilemmas.