Doctors and nurses in the UK not honored as often as other professions

[webfact]

Doctors and nurses in the UK not honored as often as other professions

By Ruhi Soni

 

FILE PHOTO: Nurses prepare a bed on a ward at St Thomas' Hospital in central London January 28, 2015. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

 

(Reuters Health) - People in the healthcare industry are less likely than those in sports and the arts to be awarded British honors like knighthoods and damehoods, a study suggests.

 

British researchers sought to understand which fields are more likely to receive New Year's Honours, an annual national award given by the British monarch to recognize extraordinary contributions to UK society across different sectors.

 

The honors system is led by the Honours and Appointments Secretariat of the UK Cabinet Office.

 

The researchers, led by Dr. John Emelifeonwu, a neurosurgery trainee at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland, found that a career in healthcare might not be considered quite as "honorable" as one in sports, arts and the media.

 

After crunching the numbers on a decade's worth of recipients, Emelifeonwu and his team found that, in general, people in sports were about 22 times more likely than healthcare workers to receive an honor.

 

The findings, published in British Medical Journal, also showed that people in arts and media professions received 5.8 times more honors than health industry workers.

 

Business and economics professionals, and those in civics and politics, also had better odds than their medical counterparts.

 

People in science and technology sectors, on the other hand, had roughly the same chance as health workers of receiving an honor.

 

Emelifeonwu was inspired to conduct the analysis after emails of English soccer player David Beckham were leaked in early 2017.

 

Dubbed "Beckileaks," the hacked emails revealed Beckham's displeasure when he did not receive a knighthood.

 

Emelifeonwu said he was preparing for emergency surgery at odd hours when he heard the news.

 

"I was acutely aware that I was calling people in to take them away from their family or loved ones to come to an operation," he said in a phone interview.

 

"I just thought that contrasts to a sporting superstar asking or complaining about not receiving an honour!"

 

Ten sector-specific expert committees consider nominations of British citizens, which can be submitted by the general public.

 

The committees also decide which "tier" of honor a nominee receives. Higher-order honors include knighthoods and damehoods, which allow people to add "Sir" and "Dame" as prefixes to their names.

 

Past recipients include actress Keira Knightley, fashion designer Ralph Lauren and antibiotics discoverer Alexander Fleming.

 

Study authors note that they do not know why potential bias may arise.

 

"It may just be because the healthcare system employs so many people, the relative representation is lower in health," Emelifeonwu said.

 

In a statement responding to the study, a Cabinet Office spokesperson highlighted that New Year's Honours are only half the honors awarded annually as there is an honors list published for the Queen's birthday in June every year as well.

 

The Cabinet Office also notes that a large majority of those who receive honors are being recognized for volunteering work.

 

"Over two-thirds of honors are awarded to people who have undertaken outstanding (volunteering) work in their communities, including many working in health related sectors. This was not reflected in this report," the statement points out.

 

Both Emelifeonwu and the Cabinet Office recognize the importance of nominations.

 

While a UK government website (https://bit.ly/35MMeYh) about the Honours System mentions factors that play a role in selection of recipients, such as background checks and the annual focus of the committees, the Cabinet Office notes that "the number of honours awarded is also somewhat dependent on the amount of nominations put forward.

 

"We recognise there is a need to raise awareness of how to nominate someone for an honour - particularly more widely to groups who are underrepresented on the list," the Cabinet Office writes.

 

Emelifeonwu urges the general public to think about the various people involved in caring for their loved ones, from doctors and nurses, to physiotherapists and cooks at hospitals.

 

"Think about whether anyone is going above and beyond. And if you feel that person is, then think about writing a letter to your local politician or the Cabinet Office."

 

SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2QcCFeK The BMJ, online December 18, 2019.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-24

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[emptypockets]

As my mate who was a mechanic said to his client doctor, my mistakes come back to me, you bury yours!

[thaibeachlovers]

Speaking as a nurse of many years, the public have zero idea of what nurses sacrifice to save their lives or help them overcome disease. If they did, more might be appreciated, but nurses are not in the habit of blowing their own trumpets.

Also, the fact that medics are so good now at curing people, their skill is taken for granted, much as a pilots skill at flying a heavier than air vehicle safely from one place to another is not appreciated.

In the past, giving birth was a major cause of death, but now when a mother dies in childbirth it's a major event in the news.

I'm not saying that nurses should get honours, but it's galling when some overpaid self entitled sports person gets honoured for playing a game and people that save lives are not even thanked. Few patients thank the staff that cared for them when they leave. Some even abuse the staff.

Nursing is a thankless job now, and unsurprisingly, less people want to be nurses. Most nurses in the west are now from poor countries as citizens of wealthy countries are not going to go into student debt to look after horrible people that abuse them and not get paid decently for doing so.

 

After my time of decades in nursing, I would never advise anyone to become one. At least do something that pays for what one does.

[sanemax]

4 minutes ago, rhyddid said:

What a news!!! Everybody knows that Doctors and Nurses are not British and with the Conservative Executive anyone who is not British is an enemy !

More probably because Sportsman are famous and in the public eye , whilst doctors do not receive the same publicity and thus arent as recognised as much as sportsman 

[elliss]

2 hours ago, rhyddid said:

What a news!!! Everybody knows that Doctors and Nurses are not British and with the Conservative Executive anyone who is not British is an enemy !

 

 The majority of football players in the  Premier League , are not British.

 That said my local GP , is of Indian origin . 

We are indeed blessed ...

 

 

[evadgib]

8 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

With 'HUMILIATED' being in capital letters, can I assume that this video is connected to the Express?

 

If any shame should be apportioned from his omission, it should be with the government and their extreme pettiness. 

'Extreme pettiness' to me was a courts decision to lock a disabled middle aged woman up over Christmas simply for calling Soubry a traitor but as it was off topic I hadn't bothered mentioning it earlier.

[RuamRudy]

9 minutes ago, evadgib said:

'Extreme pettiness' to me was a courts decision to lock a disabled middle aged woman up over Christmas simply for calling Soubry a traitor but as it was off topic I hadn't bothered mentioning it earlier.

I knew nothing of the case till you posted, but on looking into it, this lady who was locked up clearly has significant issues that need professional support. I can understand, given her history, that the police and courts might have justifiable concerns for the safety of Soubry.

[evadgib]

25 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

I knew nothing of the case till you posted, but on looking into it, this lady who was locked up clearly has significant issues that need professional support. I can understand, given her history, that the police and courts might have justifiable concerns for the safety of Soubry.

Appreciated RR, but that's MSM's version. Her & her supporters version is much more revealing & where possible is supported by video evidence but of course MSM prefer the old 'Far Right/Nutter' route.

 

She was released on Friday. Moves are afoot to appeal and to pursue Soubry and a BBC journalist (among others) for perjuring themselves in the witness box.

[RuamRudy]

7 minutes ago, evadgib said:

Appreciated RR, but that's MSM's version. Her & her supporters version is much more revealing & where possible is supported by video evidence but of course MSM prefer the old 'Far Right/Nutter' route.

 

She was released on Friday. Moves are afoot to appeal and to pursue Soubry and a BBC journalist (among others) for perjuring themselves in the witness box.

I really worry about the direction our country and 'democracy' is taking at the moment. We now have politicians openly questioning the integrity of our legal system and the government promising to "look at broad aspects of the constitution, including “the relationship between the government, parliament and the courts; the functioning of the royal prerogative; the role of the House of Lords; and access to justice for ordinary people”.

 

Call me paranoid, but I think this should strike fear into the hearts of every one of us.

[Orton Rd]

Now people are being honored for baking the whole system has become a farce

[evadgib]

3 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

I really worry about the direction our country and 'democracy' is taking at the moment. We now have politicians openly questioning the integrity of our legal system and the government promising to "look at broad aspects of the constitution, including “the relationship between the government, parliament and the courts; the functioning of the royal prerogative; the role of the House of Lords; and access to justice for ordinary people”.

 

Call me paranoid, but I think this should strike fear into the hearts of every one of us.

'Binoccio' started that ball rolling by creating the supreme court in the 90s.

Boris hopefully will implement the necessary reforms & I note from today's press that Lady Hale jumped before she could be pushed...

[Scott]

Off-topic post and replies removed.